Effects of canthaxanthin on the productive and reproductive performance of broiler breeders

Abstract

The effects of supplementing canthaxanthin on productive and reproductive aspects of broiler breeders were examined in this study. In total, 360 female pullets and 36 roosters were placed in an open-sided house with 12 pens, each pen with an area of 7.0 m(2) (3.5 × 2.0 m). At 42 wk of age, the breeder hens and roosters were distributed into 2 experimental groups with similar BW and uniformity. From 46 to 66 wk of age, one group received 6 mg/kg of canthaxanthin supplemented in the diet and the other group received the diet without the addition of canthaxanthin (control diet). Body weight was measured every 28 d, the laying rate was calculated weekly, and mortality was evaluated at the end of the study. Twenty-one weekly incubations were performed to evaluate fertility and incubation responses. To evaluate the antioxidant effect of canthaxanthin at different storage times and during the incubation process, eggs from each treatment were subject to thiobarbituric reactive substances analysis. Body weight, mortality, and laying rate were not affected by the inclusion of canthaxanthin in the breeder's diets. An increase in hatchability of total and fertile eggs (P ≤ 0.0001 and P ≤ 0.0003, respectively) in breeders fed canthaxanthin during the experimental period was observed. Canthaxanthin also improved breeder fertility and reduced embryo mortality. This can be attributed to reductions in embryo mortality in the first 48 h of incubation and in the last wk of incubation. No differences were observed in BW and quality of the chicks. A reduction of thiobarbituric reactive substances was observed in yolks from stored hatching eggs produced by breeders fed diets plus canthaxanthin. The same effect was observed in yolks of eggs stored for 4 d and incubated for 7 d. The supplementation of broiler breeder diets with canthaxanthin improved the hatchability rate, fertility, and reduced the presence of thiobarbituric reactive substances in eggs.

Quality assessment of eggs from laying hens fed a mixture with lucerne protein concentrate

“…Their study demonstrated that dietary supplementation with canthaxantin caused a significant increase in the colourimetric value of egg yolk measured in the La'Roche scale. Investigations by Rosa et al (2012) with the use of canthaxantin (6 mg · kg -1 diet) as an additive in feed mixtures for laying hens proved that in the second week of supplementation, the colourimetric value of egg yolks increased from 9.33 to 14.67 pts in La'Roche scale. According to these authors, this difference in yolk colour remained stable over the entire 20-week experiment.…”

Inclusion of canthaxanthin and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol in the diet of broiler breeders on performance and incubation parameters

“…The addition of canthaxanthin to the diet minimized the adverse effects of aging on the fertility of the roosters studied. ROSA et al (2012) found that the addition of canthaxanthin improves fertility and decreases embryonic mortality, resulting in increased hatchability. This effect has been attributed to reduced oxidant formation during the early stages of incubation and in stored eggs.…”

“…The reduction in mortality in the storage and initial incubation phases is related to reduced lipid peroxidation of egg components and of the embryo (ROSA et al, 2012). In the final stages of incubation, however, the increase in the metabolism of the embryo leads to higher oxygen consumption and increased lipid oxidation in the yolk to meet the energy requirements of the embryo (LATOUR et al, 2000).…”

“…The embryo also metabolizes vitamin D3 present in the egg yolk, using it for skeletal formation (TORRES et al, 2009;ROSA et al, 2012).…”

NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS IN HENS' EMBRYOGENESIS AND ANTISTRESS DEFENCE IN POSTNATAL DEVELOPMENT (review)

“…Another experiment showing the role of CX in parental diet of chickens was conducted in Brazil (51). CX was found to reduce lipid peroxidation in yolks of stored incubation eggs laid by hens whose diet was supplemented with CX.…”