The supplemental value of some inorganic sources of phosphorus for broiler chickens

Abstract

In three experiments with broiler-type chickens ten phosphate supplements were evaluated either singly or in combination. The biological values of monosodium phosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate and a deflurinated rock phosphate were higher than that of dicalcium phosphate, sterilized bone meal, monocalcium dihydrogen phosphate, triple superphosphate and mono-dicalcium phosphate which were intermediate; Christmas Island phosphate and Nauru Island phosphate had the lowest values. Chick performance was high when fed diets containing combinations of triple superphosphate, with either defluorinated rock phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, sterilized bone meal or mono-dicalcium phosphate. These mixtures of cheap and expensive sources of phosphorus are a potential method of lowering the costs of supplementing poultry diets with phosphorus.