Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T05:24:51.375Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Assessment of dietary and egg injected d-biotin, pyridoxine and folic acid on turkey hatchability: folic acid and poult weight

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2007

E.J. Robel
Affiliation:
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Livestock and Poultry Sciences Institute, Germplasm and Gamete Physiology Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350, USA
Get access

Abstract

This report is a standardized compendium of age-related reproductive response data of turkey hens from the use of dietary supplemental d-biotin, pyridoxine and folic acid; and of commercial and domestic egg injections of each of the crystalline vitamins to determine their limiting inherent essence in causing embryo failure. With reproductive response data reported in each of three grouped time periods of production (5–6 wk each), the system of analysis was not confounded with feed consumption with the progression of maternal age.

Maternal age had no effect on vitamin transport to the egg for any of the three vitamins; and no effect on hatchability or poult weight, with the exception of biotin and folic acid, respectively. With the progression of maternal age, higher dietary biotin and folic acid levels were required for hatchability and poult weight, respectively, after 5–6 wk of production.

There was a lack of/or minor effect of dietary pyridoxine on the transfer of vitamin B6, for hatchability of turkey eggs. Egg injections of pyridoxine were vital for increasing hatchability even though the hen's diet was amply supplemented with pyridoxine. Manual egg vitamin injections are considered valuable for diagnosing possible limiting vitamins for hatchability. The manual injection method utilized small egg numbers and was administered at selective intervals over the production cycle. Automated injections were utilized for commercial flocks where egg numbers were large. Automated egg injections performed in the commercial sector, had no detrimental influence on poult viability or growth after hatching. Statistical reliability existed between hatchability results of automated and manual egg injections of a single vitamin level, and between different flocks of the same strain, both commercial and experimental.

The report offers practical insight for versatile changes in meeting dietary and egg needs of the three vitamins for higher reproductive performance. The report also offers new insight for hatchability improvement with dietary biotin with the progression of age in the hen.

Type
Reviews
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2002

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cherms, F.L. (1980) Some causes of embryonic mortality in turkeys. Feedstuffs 52(12): 4547.Google Scholar
Fuller, H.L., R.C. Fields, , and Roncalli-Amini, (1960) Vitamin B6 requirement of breeder hens. In: Distillers Feed Conference, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, pp 5559.Google Scholar
Krueger, K.K. (1980) Observation on feeding commercial turkey breeder hens. Presented 1980 Hatchery Management Clinic, Poultry and Egg Institute, America, Columbus, OH.Google Scholar
National Research Council (1984). Nutrient Requirements for Poultry, 8th edition. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Robel, E.J. (1983) The effect of age of breeder hens on the levels of vitamins and minerals in turkeys eggs. Poultry Science 62: 17511756.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robel, E.J. (1991) The value of supplemental biotin for increasing hatchability of turkey eggs. Poultry Science 70: 17161722.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robel, E.J. (1992) Effect of dietary supplemental pyridoxine levels on the hatchability of turkey eggs. Poultry Science 71: 17331738.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robel, E.J. (1993) Evaluation of egg injection of folic acid and effect of supplemental folic acid on hatchability and poult weight. Poultry Science 72: 546553.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robel, E.J. and Christensen, V.L. (1987) Increasing hatchability of turkey eggs with biotin egg injections. Poultry Science 66: 14291430.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robel, E.J. and Christensen, V.L. (1991) Increasing hatchability of turkeys eggs by injecting eggs with pyridoxine. British Poultry Science 32: 509513.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robel, E.J. and Christensen, V.L. (1994) Effect of automated egg injections on liveability and growth of turkey poults. Applied Poultry Research 3: 117119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar