Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Morteza Nadali ¹
• Somayyeh Salari ²
• Mohammad Boujarpour ²
• Saleh Tabatabaei Vakili ²
• Mohsen Sari ²

¹ MSc., Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Food Technology, Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Khouzestan, Ahwaz, Mollasani, Iran

² Assistant Professors, Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Science and Food Technology, Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Khouzestan, Ahwaz, Mollasani, Iran

Abstract

Effect of levels of zinc supplementation on footpad lesions, reproductive and blood parameters of broiler breeders with 300 hens and 40 roosters of Ross 308 strain with four treatments, five replicates and 15 hens and two roosters in each for 12 weeks was evaluated in a completely randomized design. Dietary treatments were 80, 110, 140 and 170 mg zinc/kg diet. Increasing supplemental zinc level especial 170 mg/kg diet increased hatchability (P<0.05). Levels of 140 and 170 mg zinc/kg diet significantly improved footpad lesions (P<0.05). In the first phase of incubation, the lowest rate of mortality observed in 140mg zinc/kg diet (P<0.05). Also, number of large and small size follicles of broiler breeders increased at 170 mg zinc/kg diet (P<0.05). Blood parameters did not affect significantly. The results of this experiment showed that supplementation of broiler breeders diet with zinc at 140 and 170 mg/kg diet could improve hatchability and had desirable effect on footpad health.

Keywords

• Broiler Breeder
• embryo mortality
• follicle
• hatchability
• lipid parameters

20.1001.1.20096776.1394.17.1.14.6