FERTILITY AND HATCHABILITY OF EGGS FROM BROILER BREEDER HENS FED DIETARY SUPPLEMENT OF VITAMIN E, SHEABUTTER AND PALM KERNEL OIL

Abstract

Broiler breeder stocks are characterised by low egg fertility and hatchability. These limitations could be mitigated by dietary supplement of Vitamin E (VE). Synthetic supplemental VE is often employed in breeder hen production, however, vegetable fat and oils are natural sources of VE. The use of natural sources of VE to reduce infertility and improve hatchability has not been adequately documented. Therefore, effects of dietary supplementation with VE inherent in plant sources on production efficiency and performance of broiler breeder hens were investigated. Shea Butter (SB), Sesame Seed Oil (SSO) and Palm Kernel Oil (PKO) were analysed for Peroxide Value (PV, meq/kg), Acid Value (AV, mgKOH/g) and VE (µg/mL) using standard procedures. Arbor Acres plus broiler breeder hens (n=180) weighing 3.85±0.49kg, aged 30 weeks were randomly allotted using completely randomised design to diets supplemented with synthetic VE at 0 (Ta), 20 (Tb), 40 (Tc), 60 (Td), 80 (Te), 100 IU/kg (Tf) for eight weeks. Egg fertility and hatchability were determined using standard procedures. Another set of Arbor Acres plus broiler breeder hens (n=200) weighing 4.47±0.20 kg, aged 42 weeks were randomly allotted to diets supplemented with 0.0 (T1), 1.5 (T2), 3.0 (T3), 4.5% PKO (T4), 1.5 (T5), 3.0 (T6), 4.5% SB (T7) and 37.0 IU/kg synthetic VE (T8) for eight weeks. Hen Day Egg Production-(HDEP), fertility and hatchability were assessed. At week 50, blood (3mL) was sampled and assayed for catalase and Superoxide Dismutase-SoD (µ/mg). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, polynomial regression and ANOVA at α0.05 The PV of 7.4±3.3 in SB was higher than 0.7±0.3 (PKO) and 0.4±0.2 (SSO). The SB had significantly lower AV of 10.7±1.0 than PKO (25.3±2.5) and SSO (17.2±3.2). The VE of 119.2±1.3 in SB was significantly higher than 24.4±1.3 (PKO) and 69.6±2.2 (SSO). Fertility of 96.6+0.8% in Tc was higher than 90.0±2.3% (Ta), 93.8±0.6% (Tb), 93.9±2.3% (Td), 92.4±1.9% (Te) and 90.9±2.4% (Tf). Hatchability of 86.4±1.9% in Tf was significantly lower than 93.3±1.8% (Ta), 92.9±2.0% (Tb), 96.9+1.5% (Tc), 93.2±0.9% (Td) and 91.2±1.7% (Te). Relationship among synthetic VE inclusion with fertility and hatchability was quadratic (R2=0.52 and 0.63, respectively). Optimum fertility and hatchability were recorded at 37 IU/kg VE. The HDEP of T5 (65.4±8.5%), T6 (70.8±8.5%), T7 (68.3±8.0%) and T8 (69.1±5.6%) were similar and significantly higher than T1 (54.1±5.1%), T2 (59.4±11.5%), T3 (59.9±10.3%) and T4 (52.7±8.5%). Higher fertility was obtained in eggs from chickens in T6 (95.5±1.1%), T7 (94.4±1.4%) and T8 (95.2±1.2%) than T1 (82.9±2.3%), T2 (82.4±2.6%), T3 (87.9±0.8%), T4 (88.1±2.1%) and T5 (90.7±1.7%). Hatchability of 85.9±4.1% (T1) and 85.2±1.5% (T2) was significantly lower than 89.6±0.8% (T3), 91.9±0.8% (T4), 92.9±1.4% (T5), 95.8±1.1% (T6), 94.5±0.9% (T7) and 96.2±0.5% (T8). Regression of dietary SB on egg fertility and hatchability were optimal at 3.2% (R2=0.75 and 0.58, respectively). Catalase was significantly lower in T2 (548.9±52.2) and T1 (550.7±49.6) while SoD was higher in T6 (7.2±2.2), T7 (7.2±2.0) and T8 (7.2±2.0) than in other treatments.

Dietary supplementation of shea butter at 3.2% level optimally enhanced fertility and hatchability of broiler breeder eggs.