Broiler Breeders Fed Diets Supplemented with Conventional or Lipid Matrix Microencapsulated Trace Minerals at Standard or High Levels: Part II—Influence on Hatching Egg Quality

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of free or microencapsulated trace mineral (TM) premixes at normal and high dietary inclusion levels on the internal and external quality and mineral composition of broiler breeder eggs. Twelve breeder pens were randomly assigned to one of four treatments consisting of a factorial arrangement of two TM premix forms (free and microencapsulated) and two dietary inclusion levels of TM premix (100% and 300% of Aviagen recommendations). Hens fed the microencapsulated TM had significantly greater vitelline membrane strength than those fed the free TM (1.92 g vs. 1.81 g, respectively (p p 0.05)). Only the whole-egg Mn concentration was observed to be significantly (p p < 0.01)). There were no treatment effects on eggshell mineral composition. Regardless of the dietary inclusion level, feeding broiler breeders microencapsulated TM does have some beneficial effects on the internal egg quality properties, whereas increased dietary TM supplementation levels improve the shell quality, yolk color index, and whole-egg Mn concentration. There were no significant premix form X TM premix dose effects observed.

Keywords

• hatching egg quality
• broiler breeders
• nutrition
• microencapsulated premix
• trace minerals