An experiment was conducted with day-old male Hubbard, broiler chicks, reared in electrically heated batteries, and raised in wire mesh floors and fed purified amino acid diets and water ad libitum for a 14 days period. The purified diets containing all essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals at adequate levels and was supplemented with 5, 10 and 15% of L-Glu and with 0, 5,000, 10,000 and 15,000 IU of vitamin D3. The experimental design was a factorial 3 x 4 with four replicates with seven chicks each. The blood calcium increased up (9.61mg/dL) to an estimated level of 15% of L-Glu and 14,181IU of VD, 7.33 mg/dL of ionized calcium was obtained with 15% of L-Glu and 15.664 of VD. The highest blood phosphorus (7.20 mg/dL) was obtained at an estimated level of 10% of L-Glu and 10,863IU of VD. The highest blood alkaline phosphatase was obtained at level of 10% of L-Glu and vitamin D deficiency. Birds fed 10% L-Glu and 15,000IU VD had better performance, good development of bones, and a lower incidence of leg problems.
blood; broiler chicks; chemical composition; L-glutamic acid; leg problems; vitamin D3
