A broiler breeder hen study was conducted to evaluate the replacement of trace element sources from inorganic minerals (IM) by amino acid complexed minerals (AACM) sources. Zn, Mn, Cu, and Fe sulfate, Na selenite and K iodate were the inorganic sources whereas the organic were supplemented from amino acid complexed sources. A total of 84 Cobb 500 38-week-old broiler breeder hens were individually caged and fed diets as follows: T1- Control IM sources with Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, Se and I at 100, 100, 20, 60, 0.35 and 2 ppm, respectively; T2- same total mineral content as in T1 in a combination of IM and AACM sources (Zn: 60/40, Mn: 60/40, Cu: 13/7, Fe: 40/20, Se: 0.20/0.15, and I: 0/2 ppm); T3- only IM sources content from T2; T4- only AACM sources content from T2; T5- IM sources with Zn, Mn, Cu, Fe, Se and I at 120, 120, 25, 70, 0.40 and 3 ppm, respectively; T6- Same total mineral content as in T5 in a combination of IM and AACM sources (Zn: 60/60, Mn: 60/60, Cu: 13/2, Fe: 40/30, Se: 0.20/0.20, and I: 0/3 ppm); T7- only AACM mineral source content from T6. Evaluation was done from week 40–51. There were no significant effects of the treatments for egg production, incubation, egg quality and hatching chicks (P > 0.05) during this period. One exception occurred for eggshell thickness, which was increased when hens were fed partial and total replacement of AACM (P < 0.05). Contrasts between total replacement with AACM and IM supplemented diets showed an increase in settable eggs when breeders were fed AACM. Higher hatchability of fertile eggs was observed in partial replacements with AACM treatments when compared to IM (P < 0.05). Also, hatching chick had higher length and more chicks with leg score 1 in total replacement of AACM compared to the partial AACM replacement and IM groups (P < 0.05), and IM groups (P < 0.05), respectively. In conclusion, totally or partially replacement with IM by AACM led to improvements in eggshell and chick quality.
Read full abstract