Effects of Dietary Zinc Supplements on Growth, Feed Efficiency, Organ Weight, Blood Biochemical Profiles, and Activity of Digestive Enzymes in Growing Korean Native Chicks

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of zinc (Zn) sources (zinc oxide and Zn-methionine) on performance, organ weights, blood biochemical profiles, and digestive enzymes of the pancreas and small intestine in Korean native chicks (KNC). A total of 144 KNC (n=6) were fed a basal diet (CON, 100 ppm of Zn), a basal diet supplemented with 50 ppm of Zn with ZnO (ZNO), or a basal diet supplemented with 50 ppm of Zn with Zn-methionine (ZMT) for 28 days. There was no significant difference in body weight, gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio among the three groups. The relative weights of the liver, spleen, and intestinal mucosa were unaffected by the dietary source of Zn, whereas pancreas weight in the ZNO group decreased (P<0.05) compared with that in the CON and ZMT groups. Blood biochemical components including aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase were unaffected by dietary Zn supplementation. Pancreatic trypsin activity in the ZNO and ZMT groups was significantly (P<0.05) enhanced compared with that in the CON group. However, the activities of α-amylase and carboxypeptidase A were not altered by dietary Zn supplementation. The activities of maltase and sucrase were unchanged, whereas the activity of leucine aminopeptidase tended (P=0.08) to be increased by dietary Zn supplementation. In conclusion, the supplementation with 50 ppm of ZnO or Zn-methionine resulted in an activation of protein digestive enzymes in the pancreas and small intestine without affecting animal performance in KNC.