The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of the algae Lithothamnium calcareum (Pallas) Areschoug in diets for broiler chickens from 1 to 21 and 21 to 42 days, to replace the traditional source of calcium (limestone). 300 male chicks from Cobb® strain, which received diets containing limestone and Lithothamnium calcareum algae (as a whole and as sand biodentritic) were used as sources of calcium. The experimental design was completely randomized, with three treatments and five replicates of 20 birds each. The variables analyzed were: weight gain (g / bird), feed intake (g / bird), feed per again (g / g). At the end of the experiment the bone parameters: weight of the tibia (g), tibia length (mm), diameter of the tibia (mm) and ash content in the tibia (%). Were evaluated in the initial phase (1 to 21 days) there was an effect (P <0.05) between treatments for weight gain and feed per again, and the control treatment showed better results. For the growing phase (21 to 42 days) and total period (1 to 42 days) there was no effect among the treatments studied. The use of the algae Lithothamnium calcareum (independently of the harvest) to replace the traditional source of calcium (limestone) can be recommended for diets of broilers without affecting the growth performance. However, one should take into consideration the economic feasibility of using this alternative source in the diets.
Calcareous algae; limestone; tibia; Lithothamnium calcareum
