Effect of high stocking density and dietary nano-zinc on growth performance, carcass yield, meat quality, feathering score, and footpad dermatitis in broiler chickens

ABSTRACT In this study, effect of dietary nano-Zn and stocking density on performance, carcass yield, meat quality, and feathering score of broiler chickens was assessed at 42 d of age. Experimental treatments consisted of a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of stocking density (low = 12 broiler/m2 and high = 18 broiler/m2) and dietary Zn form (inorganic or nano). Four hundred eighty 1-d-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 4 treatments with 8 pens in each treatment having 15 chickens per pen. Corn-soybean meal diets were formulated for starter, grower, and finisher phases. The high stocking density (HSD) negatively affected body weight gain (BWG) and feed intake (FI) of broiler chickens at 24 to 42 and 0 to 42 d of experiment (P