ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the influence of different dietary supplementation levels of vitamin E (Vit E) (0, 12 and 120 mg/kg) and zinc (Zn) (0, 40 and 400 mg/kg) on the performance of broilers during their first 42 days. A total of 1,440 1-day chicks were distributed in 36 floor pens containing 40 birds each (half of each sex). Broilers had free access to feed and water at all time. The broilers were fed start diet (days 1 to 21), growing diet (days 22 to 35) and final diet (days 36 to 42). A completely randomized 3 x 3 factorial design was used, with 9 treatments and 4 replicates. The increase of the supplementation of zinc in the diet of the broilers resulted in significant improvement (p < 0.05) in the average gain of live weight of the chickens in the initial and growth phases and in the total period of raising. The feed consumption for the chickens was influenced by the levels of zinc used in all of the phases and in the total period of raising of the chickens, there being observed a decrease in the feed consumption of the chickens that received 400 mg/kg of Zn, except in the final phase of raising. The treatments studied did not influence the gain feed ratio.
KEY WORDS
Vitamin; zinc; performance; broilers