Effects of Dietary Potassium Supplementation for Growing Turkeys on Leg Weakness, Plasma Potassium Concentration, and Selected Blood Variables

摘要: The objectives of this research were to observe the effects increased K in diets growing tom turkeys from 6 18 wk age on body weight, feed-to-gain ratio, and leg weakness; study time temperature blood storage after sampling before centrifugation plasma concentration; evaluate creatine kinase activity as an indicator weakness. Male Nicholas White fed corn-soybean meal based starter grower 1 d age. At time, each three dietary treatments was assigned randomly pens toms, 30 toms per pen. consisted 1) control (control) diets, 2) supplemented with 25% more than contained (Mod K), 3) 50% (High K). Potassium carbonate used source supplemental for Mod High diets. Calculated concentrations 9, 9 12, 12 15, 15 0.84, 0.74, 0.57, 0.54%, respectively. Results laboratory analysis agreed closely calculated values. By wk, weighed less (P = 0.018) difference still evident at 0.013), even though groups changed wk. Toms also tended weigh 16 those however, diet effect latter not significant > 0.05). There no consistent feed efficiency. Total incidence weakness greater 0.015) among These results show that usually present should be avoided. Increases associated increases concentration. Storage decreases concentration K. decrease is minimized when ambient decreased. Accordingly, centrifuged immediately accurate measurement Plasma a good unless physical stress can controlled sampling.