Effects of form of dietary trace mineral premix on fertility and hatchability of broiler breeder hens and post-hatch performance and carcass parameters of their progenies

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary inorganic and/or organic based trace mineral premix in full or half doses in broiler breeders" diet on hatchability, fertility, post hatch performance, and carcass parameters of broiler progeny. A total of 220 Ross-308, 36 wkold broiler breeders were divided into 4 dietary treatments (100% inorganic, 50% organic + 50% inorganic, 50% organic, and 100% organic trace mineral premix) with 5 replicates of 10 females and 1 male in each pen having similar body weight and egg production. The results of this experiment showed that inclusion of trace minerals source type in broiler breeders" diet did not have a significant effect on hatching egg characteristic. The results, however, showed that diets containing full (100%) or half (50%) doses of organic and/or inorganic minerals in broiler breeder hens" diet have a significant effect on fertility rate (P<0.05). The results also showed that growth performance of offspring was, however, not affected by the trace mineral sources or level used in the maternal diets at the end, while carcass weight and carcass yield were significantly affected. It may be concluded that replacing inorganic based trace mineral premix with half or full dose of organic based trace mineral premix in the broiler breeder hens" diet could improve hatching performance, growth and carcass performances of their progenies.

Keywords

• broiler breeder hen
• reproduction
• hatchability
• trace minerals
• progeny