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Dynamic role of cholecalciferol in commercial chicken performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 September 2013

S.H. KHAN  and
N. MUKHTAR
S.H. KHAN*
Affiliation:
Poultry Research Institute, Murree Road, Shamsabad, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
N. MUKHTAR
Affiliation:
Department of Poultry Science, PMAS, Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan
*
Corresponding author: sohailhassan@yahoo.com; sohailhassan64@gmail.com
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Abstract

This review paper delineates how vitamin D3 and its metabolitesproduce beneficial effects on the performance of both broiler and egg layingchickens. This review provides information on the evaluation of cholecalciferolsources, metabolites, requirements for cholecalciferol in birds, its effect onhatchability of fertile eggs and its impact on immunity. Notable beneficialeffects have been seen on body weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency inboth broilers and laying hens. Cholecalciferol can provide beneficial effects onegg quality by increasing egg production, egg and shell weight, and shellstrength by increasing thickness. It has a significant effect on the immunesystem and can help in the suppression of certain autoimmune diseases. Thepossible mechanisms contributing to these effects and the factors thought toexplain the variability in these responses are discussed. Overall,cholecalciferol and its metabolites have been shown to greatly improve theperformance of both types of commercial chickens, which can lead to enhancedproduction and a reduction in feed costs. The authors recommend a modifiedfeeding programme containing higher levels of vitamin D3supplementation than the NRC (1994) requirements in order to allow forsufficient skeletal growth in the starter and finisher diets of broilers.

Keywords

cholecalciferolmetabolitesperformancetibial dyschondroplasiaimmune system
Type
Review Article
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 69 , Issue 3 , September 2013 , pp. 587 - 600
Copyright
Copyright © World's Poultry Science Association 2013

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