Increased Bone Strength in Coop-Reared Broilers Provided Flouridated Water

Abstract

Four experiments were conducted to determine the feasibility of using fluoride to mitigate bone fragility (osteoporosis) that develops in cage-reared broilers. The treatments consisted of adding sodium fluoride to the drinking water at the levels of 100, 150, 200, and 200 p.p.m. of fluoride in the four experiments, respectively. Birds were transferred from starting batteries at four weeks of age into six coops. Birds in three coops served as controls; birds in the other three coops were provided the fluoridated water ad libitum from four to eight weeks of age. No significant differences were observed in the final body weights between treated and control birds in the four experiments. The percentage of bone ash was usually greater from the treated birds than from the controls. These differences were significant (P less than or equal to 0.01) in the 150 and 200 p.p.m. treatments. At all levels of fluoridation, the strengths of humeri were significantly (P less than or equal to 0.01) increased. However, at the lowest level of fluoridation, 100 p.p.m., the increase was significant only in the females. Tibia strength was significantly (P less than 0.01) increased only at the 200 p.p.m. level. The increase in bone strength from fluoridation may be sufficiently great enough to result in a decrease in the incidence of bone breakage during the processing of coop-reared boilers.