The Effect of Varying Calcium and Phosphorus Levels on the Performance of Starting Broiler Chicks in the Tropics

Abstract

The important role of calcium and/ or phosphorus in poultry production has been demonstrated by a number of researchers (see for example Lillie et al., 1964, Mehring Jr. and Titus, 1964, Ademosun and Kalango, 1973, Waldroup et al. 1974, Dilworth et al., 1980, Hamilton and Cipera, 1981). Levels of total calcium and total phosphorus ranging from 0.5-1.07 percentage and 0.45-0.7 percentage respectively have been proposed (Simco and Stephenson, 1961, Edwards et al., 1963, and Lilie et al., 1964). The majority of the work so far reported in connection with the calcium and phosphorus requirements of broiler, chicks has been carried out in the temperate region. The work reported here was undertaken to investigate the effect of calcium and phosphorus levels and their ratio’s on feed intake, live weight gains, feed conversion ratio and serum calcium and phosphorus of broiler birds reared in tropical Nigeria.