Designing Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles with the Co-Precipitation Technique to Improve Phosphorous Availability in Broiler Chicks.

Diana A Gutiérrez-Arenas,Manuel Cuca-García,Jacinto Efrén Ramírez-Bribiesca,Miguel A Méndez-Rojas,Arturo Pro-Martínez,Maria Eugenia Mendoza-Álvarez,Fidel Ávila-Ramos,Carlos M Becerril-Pérez

doi:10.3390/ani11102773

Abstract

Simple SummaryThe increase in phosphate prices has inflated the cost for poultry feeding. Dicalcium phosphate is an essential mineral involved in the metabolism and development and is commonly used as a dietary source of phosphorus (PT) for poultry. The use of nanoparticles of dicalcium phosphate (NDP) could increase the bioavailability of PT in the diet. The sizes of the nanoparticles formed were 20 and 80 nm. NDP had the Ca:P ratio 1:1.12. The digestibility of PT in birds improved by 67% in the treatment with 0.35% available P (Pa) of NDP. The highest contents of PT -breast were found with the levels of 0.35 and 0.46% Pa of NDP. In conclusion, the use of NDP as an ingredient for broilers was efficient with a Pa dose at 0.35%. This dose was ideal in chicks for digestibility and absorption values. Additionally, results showed an improvement in the amount of PT in breast.Dicalcium phosphate (DP) is a mineral involved in the metabolism and development and is used as a dietary source of phosphorus (PT) for poultry. Our study objective is to design nano-dicalcium phosphate (NDP) by co-precipitation. The methodological procedure was divided into two phases: (1) NDP synthesis, and (2) bird performance, digestibility, and Ca-P in chick’s tissues. The sizes of the NDP were 20–80 nm. NDP had the Ca: P ratio of 1:1.12. The birds were divided into control diet (available P (Pa) = 0.13%) and three supplementary P sources [Commercial (Calcium phosphate), analytical grade (DP) and nanoparticles (NDP)] with three Pa levels (0.24, 0.35, 0.46%). Supplementary P sources compared to the control treatment had the highest body weight gain (698.56 vs. 228; p < 0.05) and feed intake (FI) (965.18 vs. 345.82), respectively. The digestibility of PT (67%) improved with 0.35% NDP. The highest contents of PT -breast were with the levels of 0.35 and 0.46% NDP. The PT, ash, and diameters were higher (p < 0.05) with supplementary P compared to the control treatment. As conclusion, the use of 0.35% NDP was the ideal dose in the chicks for the digestibility, absorption values, and the amount of PT in the breast.

Highlights

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient involved in various metabolic processes, including calcium (Ca) metabolism
Phosphorous release from nano-dicalcium phosphate (NDP) was measured by suspending them in phosphate buffer saline at 1 mg mL−1 of P based on entrapment efficiency
The crystalline particles of dicalcium phosphate stabilized superficially with PVP, and a prismatic shape (Figure 2a) was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in both photos; the enlarged image shows the morphology of the crystals

Summary

Introduction

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient involved in various metabolic processes, including calcium (Ca) metabolism. Both minerals are closely associated; the deficiency or excess of either interferes with the other’s metabolism. P requirement for broilers is high cost with little availability, and even though cereals used in chicken feed have phytic acid molecules (phosphorus ~75%), their digestive tract cannot break down this compound for obtaining P [1]. As broilers rapidly reach a weight of ~2.6 kg, Ca and P deficiencies become more common and can induce rickets and tibial dyschondroplasia, causing lameness and high mortality rates [2]. Macromineral imbalances increase the ingested P excretion. Resulting in high P concentrations accumulated in soils, eventually polluting groundwaters by eutrophication [3]

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