Impact of Maternal and Offspring Dietary Zn Supplementation on Growth Performance and Antioxidant and Immune Function of Offspring Broilers

Abstract

The current study investigated the effects of the maternal Zn source in conjunction with their offspring’s dietary Zn supplementation on the growth performance, antioxidant status, Zn concentration, and immune function of the offspring. It also explored whether there is an interaction between maternal Zn and their offspring’s dietary Zn. One-day-old Lingnan Yellow-feathered broilers (n = 800) were completely randomized (n = 4) between two maternal dietary supplemental Zn sources [maternal Zn–Gly (oZn) vs. maternal ZnSO4 (iZn)] × two offspring dietary supplemental Zn doses [Zn-unsupplemented control diet (CON), the control diet + 80 mg of Zn/kg of diet as ZnSO4]. oZn increased progeny ADG and decreased offspring mortality across all periods, especially during the late periods (p p p p p 4. Simultaneously, Zn supplementation in the progeny’s diet is necessary for the growth of broilers.

Keywords

• maternal zinc
• zinc glycinate
• antioxidant
• immune
• broiler