Composition and chemical analysis of basal diet1 (g/kg, unless otherwise indicated).

1Treatments: 1) basal diet; 2) basal diet plus 300 ppm chitosan; 3) basal plus 600 ppm chitosan; 4) basal plus 1200 ppm chitosan.2The premix provided vitamins and minerals (per kg diet) as follows: 4.2 mg of retinol, 0.07 mg of cholecalciferol, 80 mg of α-tocopherol, 120 mg of cupricas cuprous sulphate, 100 mg iron as ferrous sulphate, 100 mg of zinc as zinc oxide, 0.3 mg of selenium as sodium selenite, 25 mg of manganese as manganous oxide, 0.2 mg of iodine as calcium iodate on a calcium sulphate/calcium carbonate carrier, 2 mg of thiamine, 15 µm of cyanocobalamin, 7 mg of pantothenic acid, 2 mg of riboflavin, 7 mg of niacin, 3 mg of adenine and 100 mg of phytase (Natuphos) (Nutec, Co. Kildare, Ireland).3Calculated for tabulated nutritional composition [48].