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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Toxicology & Mycotoxin Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #400593
Research Project: Strategies to Reduce Mycotoxin Contamination in Animal Feed and its Effect in Poultry Production Systems

Location: Toxicology & Mycotoxin Research

Title: Combining maternal and post-hatch dietary 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation on broiler chicken growth performance and carcass characteristics

Author
item AVILA, LUIS - Auburn University
item LEIVA, SAMUEL - Auburn University
item ABASCAL-PONCIANO, GERARDO - Auburn University
item FLEES, JOSHUA - Auburn University
item SWEENEY, KELLY - University Of Georgia
item WILSON, JEANNA - University Of Georgia
item TURNER, BRADLEY - Dsm
item LITTA, GILBERTO - Dsm
item WAGUESPACK-LEVY, APRIL - Dsm
item Pokoo-Aikins, Anthony
item STARKEY, GHARLES - Auburn University

Submitted to: Poultry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/13/2022
Publication Date: 5/24/2022
Citation: Avila, L.P., Leiva, S.F., Abascal-Ponciano, G.A., Flees, J.J., Sweeney, K.M., Wilson, J.L., Turner, B., Litta, G.A., Waguespack-Levy, A.M., Pokoo-Aikins, A., Starkey, G.W. 2022. Combining maternal and post-hatch dietary 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation on broiler chicken growth performance and carcass characteristics. Poultry. 1(2):111–124. https://doi.org/10.3390/poultry1020010.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/poultry1020010

Interpretive Summary: The vitamin D3 (D3) metabolite, 25(OH)D3 (25OHD3), was included in broiler diet. 25OHD3 was added to improve broiler growth performance (BGP) and breast meat yield. An experiment was conanthony.pokoo-aikins@usda.govducted with a 2 x 2 factorial treatment structure. The experiment was used to determine the effect of including dietary 25OHD3 in maternal (MDIET) and post-hatch (PDIET) on BGP and carcass characteristics. Broiler breeder hens were given 1 of 2 MDIET containing either 5000 IU D3 (MCTL), or 2240 IU of D3 + 2760 IU of 25OHD3 per kg of feed (M25OHD3) from 25 to 38 weeks of age. Their chick offspring (n = 448; 224 per MDIET) hatched from eggs collected from 37 to 38 weeks of age were reared in 16 replicate pens with 7 birds per pen. The chick offspring were fed 1 of 2 PDIET in 3 phases up to day 40. The chicks were fed diets that were either the same as MCTL (PCTL) or M25OHD3 (P25OHD3). No additive effects of combining 25OHD3 in MDIET and PDIET were observed. Broilers from hens fed M25OHD3 were heavier on day 40 than those from hens fed MCTL (2.911 vs. 2.834 kg; p = 0.040). Tender weight (123 vs. 117 g) and yield (5.63 vs. 5.44%) were greater in the M25OHD3 broilers than the MCTL broilers (p = 0.006). Broilers fed P25OHD3 tended to have heavier breasts (637 vs. 615 g; p = 0.050), wings (215 vs. 210 g; p = 0.070), and boneless thighs (279 vs. 270 g; p = 0.078) compared with those fed PCTL. Neither MDIET nor PDIET changed the severity of Wooden Breast and White Striping (p = 0.106). Including 25OHD3 in either the maternal or offspring broiler diet increased broiler meat yield.

Technical Abstract: Dietary inclusion of the vitamin D3 (D3) metabolite, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25OHD3), was demonstrated to improve broiler growth performance and breast meat yield. To assess the effect of combined maternal (MDIET) and post-hatch (PDIET) dietary 25OHD3 inclusion on broiler growth performance and carcass characteristics, a randomized complete block design experiment with a 2 x 2 factorial treatment structure was conducted. From 25 to 38 weeks of age, broiler breeder hens were provided with 1 of 2 MDIET formulated to contain: 5000 IU D3 (MCTL), or 2240 IU of D3 + 2760 IU of 25OHD3 per kg of feed (M25OHD3). Their chick offspring (n = 448; 224 per MDIET) hatched from eggs collected from 37 to 38 weeks of age were reared in 16 replicate pens with 7 birds per pen and fed 1 of 2 PDIET in 3 phases up to day 40 formulated to contain: 5000 IU of D3 per kg of feed (PCTL), or 2240 IU of D3 + 2760 IU of 25OHD3 per kg of feed (P25OHD3). No additive or synergistic effects of combining 25OHD3 inclusion in MDIET and PDIET were observed. Broilers from 25OHD3-fed hens (M25OHD3) were heavier on day 40 than those from hens fed only D3 (MCTL; 2.911 vs. 2.834 kg; p = 0.040). Tender weight (123 vs. 117 g) and yield (5.63 vs. 5.44%) were greater in the M25OHD3 broilers than the MCTL broilers (p = 0.006). Broilers fed 25OHD3 (P25OHD3) tended to have heavier breasts (637 vs. 615 g; p = 0.050), bone-in wings (215 vs. 210 g; p = 0.070), and boneless thighs (279 vs. 270 g; p = 0.078) compared with those fed only D3 (PCTL). Neither MDIET nor PDIET altered the severity of Wooden Breast and White Striping (p = 0.106). Overall, including 25OHD3 in either the maternal or broiler diet increased broiler meat yield.