Effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation on laying performance, hatchability, and antioxidant status in molted broiler breeder hens

Abstract

SUMMARY Dietary vitamin E supplementation has been indicated to enhance the antioxidant capacity of breeders. As breeders age, the productive and reproductive performance rapidly decline, and whether dietary vitamin E supplementation can play a positive role in this process. Here, two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation on laying performance, hatchability traits and antioxidant status in molted broiler breeder hens beyond 70 weeks. A total of 512 (71-wks-old) and 576 (75-wks-old) molted Ross 308 breeder hens were assigned to two dietary vitamin E groups (6 or 100 mg/kg) and three dietary vitamin E groups (100, 200 or 400 mg/kg) for 12 weeks, respectively. Eggs were collected and incubated at week 9. Dietary vitamin E supplementation did not affect the laying performance of hens and the hatchability traits of eggs (P > 0.05). As dietary vitamin E concentration increased, the malonaldehyde (MDA) content in ovarian of hens, egg yolks and serum, brain and yolk sac of chicks decreased (P