AUTHOR=Joardar Dinabandhu , Livingston Kimberly A. , Edens Frank W. , Nusairat Basheer , Qudsieh Rasha , Livingston Matthew L. , Brake John 

TITLE=Effect of Limestone Particle Size and Potassium Supplementation on Growth Performance, Blood Physiology, and Breast Muscle Myopathy of Male Broiler Chickens

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2020

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.603284

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2020.603284

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=The experiment investigated the effects of limestone particle size and dietary potassium (K) on live performance, blood physiology, and muscle myopathies in broilers raised to 35 d of age. A total of 384 Ross male broilers were placed in 24 floor pens and fed four diets during the starter (0-16 d of age) and grower (17-33 d of age) periods containing two limestone particle sizes (fine: 0.2 mm and coarse: 0.9 mm), and amended with either 0% basal K (K-) or 0.2% added dietary K (K+) as potassium carbonate to complete the 2x2 factorial arrangement. Live performance was measured from 1-33 d of age. Blood physiology, woody breast (WB) and white striping (WS) scores were measured at 35 d of age. The K+ dietary treatment reduced (P < 0.05) feed intake and BWG when compared to K- during the starter and grower period. The K+ dietary treatment decreased blood Na (mmol/L), blood glucose (mg/dL), ionized blood Ca (mg/dL), TCO2 (mmol/L), blood HCO3 (mmol/L), and base excess in extracellular fluid (mmol/L) when compared to K- birds of similar body weight at 35 d of age (P≤0.05). Fine limestone diets tended to reduce WB scores (3.0 vs. 2.59) when compared to coarse limestone diets at 35 d of age (P=0.08). This study demonstrated that using 0.2% of K as potassium carbonate did not negatively affect FCR even though FI and BWG were reduced. Furthermore, fine limestone has the potential to reduce WB in breast muscle tissues; however, further research is needed to confirm these outcomes.