Sodium Source and Level in Broiler Diets With and Without High Levels of Animal Protein

Abstract Two studies of identical design were conducted to evaluated Na and Cl requirements of broilers brown to 56 days, utilizing different sources of Na that varied in their Cl content, and to compare diets void or high in animal protein that varied in their K Content. Corn-soybean meal diets with 0 or 10% fish meal were supplemented with either sodium chloride or sodium bicarbonate to provide diets with 0.15, 0.20, or 0.25% Na. Diets with fish meal contained about 0.22% less K than diets void of fish meal. A Na level of 0.15% was sufficient to maintain maximum body weight, feed conversion, and tibia ash of male broilers grown to 56 days. Higher levels resulted in increased litter wetness and were of no benefit in regard to live performance. Sodium bicarbonate was equal to sodium chloride as a source of supplemental Na but displayed no productive advantages. Minimizing Cl levels thro8ugh the use of sodium bicarbonate was ineffective in minimizing litter wetness. Inclusion of 10% fish meal resulted in severely depressed performance during the period of 42 to 56 days, coinciding with a severe reduction in electrolyte balance associated with reduced K level.