ELECTROLYTIC BALANCE IN BROILER DIETS - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) was used to balance sodium (Na) and chlori de (Cl) in a 1:1 ratio of a basal finishing-fattening diet composed of maize, soybean and fish meal with a relatively low energy concentrati on (12.13 MJ/kg of diet) for this stage. The Na and Cl contributions w ere 0.13 and 0.20%, respectively when 0.25% of common salt (ClNa) was added and 0.15% for both elements with the inclusion of NaHCO3. This a llowed a better electrolytic (Na+, Cl and K+) baiance(239 vs 216 meg) which was close to the optimum (250 meg). To evaluate the productive p erformance, 392 ES54 commercial broiler hybrids from 22 to 49 days of age and both sexes were used in 2 treatments with 7 replicates, accord ing to a completely randomized design. Feed intake decreased (402 g le ss/chicken) and daily liveweight gain was similar between treatment wh ich improved conversion (2.08 vs 2.39) in favour of the NaHCO3 diet. T hese results were obtained under conditions of high (max. 32-34 degree s C) environmental temperatures and high relative humidities (85-90%). Thus, further studies are needed where the dietetic elements incorpor ated are interrelated with the electrolytic balance in the internal me dium of the birds.