Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Animal Science, Urmia University
2 Department of Animal Science, Agriculture Faculty, Islamic Azad University of Khorasgan, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of reduced levels of organic trace elements on production performance, egg-chicken quality traits, ovarian condition and hatchability traits in aged broiler breeders. For this purpose, 144 broiler breeders of the Ross 308 strain (80 weeks) were used in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 6 replications (6 hens and one rooster in each replication) for 56 days. The experimental treatments included: 1) diet containing the mineral form of trace elements (0.25%), 2) diet containing 0.1% organic trace element supplement, 3) diet containing 0.15% organic trace element supplement and 4) diet containing 0.2% organic trace element supplement. The use of 0.15 and 0.20% organic trace elements in the diet of broiler breeder hens compared with 0.10% organic trace elements and 0.25% inorganic trace elements improved the egg laying percentage, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion ratio, hatchability percentage, shell strength and egg shell thickness (P<0.05). The egg-chicken fertility percentage in hens fed 0.20% organic trace elements was significantly higher than the control treatment (P<0.05). The number of large yellow follicles, the weight of large yellow follicles and the weight of the largest follicle ready for ovulation in hens fed 0.15 and 0.20% organic trace elements were significantly higher than the control and 0.10% organic trace elements (P<0.05). Overall, it was found that levels of 0.15 and 0.20% organic trace elements as optimal levels improved production performance, eggshell quality, ovarian follicle count, and hatching traits.
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