Role of dietary zinc on immune response of broiler chickens

ABSTRACT

Tow hundred and twenty one-day old Hubbard broiler chicks were used to study the possible role of dietary zinc on chicks performance in relation to Newcastle disease vaccine challenge and relative weights of some immune lymphoid organs. Feeding different levels of supplemental zinc 50 and 150 mg/kg as zinc oxide had significantly improved 8-weeks body weight, feed efficiency, HI titres against ND virus as well as protection percentage and relative weights of spleen and bursa of Fabricius. On the other hand, increasing the level of calcium in the corn soybean meal diet without any zinc supplement was associated with zinc deficiency symptoms as well as lowered body weight, HI titres and protection percentage against ND virus. The present study supports that corn soybean meal diet cannot cover the zinc requirements for broiler, an interesting notice, which needs further investigation that zinc supplement to such diet play an important role as an immuno-stimulant