The Effect of Varying Bone Meal Sources on Phosphorus utilization by 3-Week Old Broilers

Three experiments were conducted to determine phosphorus utilization from bone meals of chicken, catfish, swine, cattle (bovine) and an equal mixture of each of those bone meals in order to compare them with phosphorus utilization from dicalcium phosphate. In Experiment I and II, chicken bone meal was prepared from tibial bones and screened into three particle sizes, coarse, granular and fine. In Experiment III, bone meals were prepared using catfish bones and leg bones of chicken, swine, and cattle. Diets were formulated to contain .6 or .7% total phosphorus. In all experiments, birds were fed diets for 3 weeks and phosphorus utilization was assessed in terms of feed consumption, weight gain, feed conversion, bone weight, bone breaking strength and percent bone ash. Results indicated that phosphorus from the various bone meals was utilized sufficiently for broiler growth and feed efficiency; however, it was inadequate at the given levels to support maximum bone growth and development. It was found that phosphorus from dicalcium phosphate was utilized to a greater extent for broiler bone development than was phosphorus from the various bone meal sources.