The Biological Unavailability to the Chick of Zinc in a Sesame Meal Ration

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Abstract
Chicks fed purified rations containing sesame meal, made from decorticated K-10 seed as the sole source of protein, showed gross signs of zinc deficiency although the rations contained about 52 ppm of zinc. The chicks were raised in galvanized batteries and given tap water. Growth was significantly improved and leg deformities were greatly reduced when 60 or 120 ppm of zinc were added to the ration. Autoclaving the sesame meal led to significantly improved growth in some cases but did not prevent leg deformities in any case. Addition of a solution of ethylenediaminetetracetic acid, disodium salt (EDTA) to the sesame meal, or of dry EDTA to the ration greatly reduced leg deformities and resulted in as good growth as 120 ppm of zinc. The addition of zinc to the sesame meal rations resulted in a much greater increase in growth and decrease in leg deformities than the addition of zinc to isolated soybean protein rations.