SUMMARY A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary iron (Fe) from inorganic and organic sources on breeder hen chicks originated from Pale and Dark eggs. A total of 640 40-wk-old Cobb 500 broiler breeder hens were randomly distributed into 32 floor pens (20 females and 2 males per pen) and fed ferrous sulfate (Fe-S) at 40 ppm Fe; Fe-amino acid complex (Fe-AA) at 40 ppm Fe, or Fe-S and Fe-AA (Fe-S + Fe-AA) at 90 ppm Fe, 50 ppm provided by Fe-S and 40 ppm by Fe-AA. Breeder performance was evaluated from 40 to 67 wk, and laid eggs were separated by color (Pale and Dark) to compose 6 treatments. A total of 600 hatching eggs from each treatment were collected at 65 wk and incubated. Hemoglobin and hematocrit were analyzed from 100 hatched chicks per treatment. In parallel, 1,200 1-day-old male chicks were randomly distributed in a 3 × 2 (Fe fed to hens and eggshell color) factorial arrangement (48 floor pens; 25 birds/pen) and fed common diets. Hens fed the Fe-AA diet produced more eggs per hen housed and had higher fertility compared to hens fed Fe-S whdereas those fed Fe-S + Fe-AA had intermediate results. Chick hemoglobin and hematocrit were not affected by dietary Fe and eggshell color. Breeder hens fed diets with Fe-AA and Dark eggs originated broilers that had improved growth performance and carcass and breast weights.
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