Utilization of Phosphorus from Defluorinated and Colloidal Phosphate by Chicks and Laying Hens

Abstract

THE need for phosphorus supplements in poultry rations, especially in diets low in animal protein sources, has been recognized for a long time by poultry nutritionists. A considerable amount of research has been carried out in recent years to determine which products are suitable as phosphorus supplements for poultry. Among the recent sources of phosphorus available for poultry feeding is colloidal phosphate, which is also called soft phosphate with colloidal clay and is obtained as a by-product during the mining of rock phosphate. Representative samples of this product contain 18.1% calcium, 9.1% phosphorus, 1.4% fluorine and 33% clay, which consists mainly of silicon, aluminum, iron and other trace minerals. Colloidal phosphate is an inexpensive source of supplemental phosphorus. The use of such a supplement in poultry rations would be of great importance from a commercial point of view.Motzok et al. (1956) reported that when half of the supplemental phosphorus …