Mineral Source and Vitamin Level in Broiler Diets: Effects on Performance, Yield, and Meat Quality

From Metabolism to Vitality: Uncovering Riboflavin's Importance in Poultry Nutrition

Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, is indispensable for poultry, profoundly impacting their metabolic equilibrium, growth, and overall health. In a climate of increasing demand for poultry products and heightened production intensity, grasping the multifaceted roles of riboflavin in domestic fowl nutrition becomes paramount. This essential vitamin serves as a precursor to two vital coenzymes, flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide, integral players in pivotal redox reactions and energy metabolism. Inadequate riboflavin levels translate into stunted growth, skeletal deformities, and compromised feed conversion efficiency, thereby adversely affecting poultry performance and bottom-line profitability. Riboflavin goes beyond its fundamental role, ameliorating nutrient utilization, facilitating protein synthesis, and augmenting enzyme activity, rightfully earning its epithet as the "growth-promoting vitamin". Poultry's reproductive success intricately hinges on riboflavin levels, dictating egg production and hatchability. It is imperative to note that riboflavin requirements exhibit variations among poultry species and distinct production phases, emphasizing the importance of judicious and balanced supplementation strategies. Aligning dietary recommendations with genetic advancements holds the promise of fostering sustainable growth within the poultry sector. Exploring the multifaceted aspects of riboflavin empowers researchers, nutritionists, and producers to elevate poultry nutrition and overall well-being, harmonizing with the industry's evolving demands.

Dietary vitamin D: growth, physiological and health consequences in broiler production

Vitamins are needed in trace amounts in dietary formulations for poultry; however, they are critical for the health, maintenance, and performance of important body organs. Broilers have a lot of leg issues because of their rapid development and lack of exercise. Because of commercial broilers have limited access to direct sunlight, vitamin D supplementation in the feed is critical to reducing the risk of bone deformation and maximizing development. Vitamin D deficiency causes skeletal abnormalities, which may lead also to financial problems. The latest scientific findings on the source, metabolism, mechanisms of action, and functions of vitamin D in broilers are the subject of this review paper.

Effects of dietary copper and zinc hydroxychloride supplementation on bone development, skin quality and hematological parameters of broilers chickens

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of supplementation with different levels of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), using two mineral sources (sulphate and hydroxy forms), on the bone characteristics, skin strength/elasticity, and haematological parameters of broilers. A total of 1792 1-day-old male Cobb-500 broiler chickens were randomly distributed among eight dietary treatments, using Cu sulphate (CSM) or hydroxychloride (CHC), and Zn sulphate (ZSM) or hydroxychloride (ZHC). The dietary treatments were as follows: (1) low-CSM/high-ZSM, (2) high-CSM/high-ZSM, (3) low-CHC/low-ZHC, (4) low-CHC/medium-ZHC, (5) low-CHC/high-ZHC, (6) high-CHC/low-ZHC, (7) high-CHC/medium-ZHC, and (8) high-CHC/high-ZHC. On Day 42, blood samples were collected from one bird/pen to analyze the haematological parameters. Finally, two birds/pen were slaughtered, and the tibia and femur were collected to analyze the quality of bone and skin. The means were subjected to ANOVA and, when significant, compared by Tukey's test (p < 0.05) or Dunnett's (p < 0.05) test. The haematological parameters were not influenced by mineral supplementation. However, the inclusion of low ZHC enhanced the skin strength compared to high ZHC (p = 0.046). Furthermore, the bone mineral density of the tibia proximal epiphysis, tibia ash and tibia mineral content were positively improved with supplementation of low-CHC/medium-ZHC compared to high-CHC/medium-ZHC. This study demonstrated that hydroxy compounds are potential alternatives for replacing sulphate supplements in broiler diets. Moreover, among the Cu and Zn levels, the low CHC (15 mg/kg) and medium ZHC (100 mg/kg) improved bone development and skin integrity, suggesting that the combination of Cu and Zn can be a nutritional strategy to prevent the incidence of leg disorders in broilers.