The effect of different dietary levels of sodium and chloride on performance, blood parameters and excreta quality in goslings at 29 to 70 days of age

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the appropriate levels of dietary sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl−) for 29‐ to 70‐day‐old goslings and to investigate the effects of different levels of Na+ and Cl− on the growth performance, water consumption, blood parameters and excreta quality of goslings to provide a reference for the healthy production of goslings. In Experiment 1, a total of 432 29‐day‐old male Jiangnan White goslings were randomly allotted to nine treatments according to a 3 × 3 factorial design, with six pens containing eight birds per treatment. The goslings were fed diets with three concentrations of Na+ (0.10%, 0.15% and 0.20%) and three concentrations of Cl− (0.15%, 0.20% and 0.25%). The experimental period was 42 days. In Experiment 2, a total of 24 70‐day‐old Jiangnan White goslings were selected for four treatments (0.10% Na+ × 0.15% Cl−; 0.10% Na+ × 0.25% Cl−; 0.20% Na+ × 0.15% Cl− and 0.20% Na+ × 0.25% Cl−) and housed separately in metabolic cages. The faeces were collected for 3 consecutive days. In Experiment 1, the average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed/gain (F/G) ratio of goslings were unaffected by the treatments. However, low levels of Na+ and Cl− significantly reduced the water consumption of goslings in the later growth period (p < 0.05). The average water consumption of goslings fed with 0.10% Na+ × 0.15% Cl− was significantly lower than that of the goslings fed with 0.20% Na+ × 0.25% Cl− (56 days, 1304.2 ml vs. 1471.7 ml; 63 days, 1452.8 ml vs. 1610.8 ml; 70 days, 1540.0 ml vs. 1775.4 ml; p < 0.05). The interaction between Na+ and Cl− (Na+ × Cl−) had a significant impact on the blood haemoglobin (HGB) and haematocrit (HCT) levels in the goslings (p < 0.05). HGB increased linearly with increasing levels of Na+. HGB and HCT first increased and then decreased with increasing levels of Cl−. In Experiment 2, Na+ and Cl− levels had significant effects on the excreta moisture content (p < 0.05). Goslings fed with 0.10% Na+ × 0.15% Cl− had a low moisture content of 5.58% compared to the goslings fed with 0.20% Na+ × 0.25% Cl− (87.51% vs. 93.09%; p < 0.05). The levels of dietary Na+ had a significant effect on the retention ratio of Na (p < 0.05), with the value for the 0.20% Na+ group being significantly higher than that for the 0.10% Na+ group (p < 0.05). In summary, different levels of Na+ and Cl− did not affect the growth of goslings. To reduce the water consumption and moisture content of excreta, the Na+ and Cl− levels in the diet can be as low as 0.10% and 0.15%, respectively.