| Abstrakt: |
Chromium is a trace element that has shown potential in reducing obesity and improving reproduction in animals. Various studies have demonstrated its effectiveness, particularly in stressful conditions. However, there is a lack of research on the impact of dietary chromium supplementation in broiler grandparent hens. In this study, 360 broiler grandparent hens were used in a completely randomized design with two dietary treatments and 6 replications (30 hens per replicate). The hens at 34 weeks of age were randomly assigned in two experimental groups and were fed a basal ration or the basal ration supplemented with organic chromium (500 micrograms per kilogram organically chelated chromium). The experimental lasted for 11 weeks, during which daily egg production and weekly body weight were recorded. At end of experiment, 864 eggs from each group were collected and sent to a nearby hatchery for evaluation of hatchability, fertility, and quality of the resulting chicks. Dietary chromium supplementation increased egg production (P < 0.05), egg mass (P < 0.05), and reduced feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05). The hens that received the chromium supplemented diet tended to weigh less (P < 0.1) throughout the experiment. The total hatchability and fertility of the eggs were not affected by the chromium supplementation. Additionally, maternal chromium supplementation led to an increase in the length of chicks (P < 0.01). These results can be attributed to the significant role of chromium in glucose metabolism and its ability to reduce insulin resistance in broiler grandparent hens. Conclusions: Based on these findings, we recommend dietary chromium supplementation for broiler grandparent hens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
