Innovating Feed, March 2016
BROILER BONE HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE SUPPORTED BY HY D Accounting for 30 percent of global meat consumption poultry meat is an increasingly popular choice for consumers worldwide To meet demand broiler producers must strive to optimize processes and achieve higher performance Advances in genetic science have improved feed conversion rates and accelerated weight gain leading to faster overall broiler production However in some cases bone development has not kept pace with weight gain resulting in increased locomotion problems Nutrition based solutions that support skeletal development such as the supplementation of vitamin D3 involved in calcium and phosphorus absorption have an important part to play in broiler health and performance One of the vitamin D3 metabolites 25 hydroxycholecalciferol 25 OH D3 available from DSM as Hy D has been shown to improve bone health more efficiently than vitamin D3 and provide a range of additional health and performance benefits when added to broiler diets Hy D supports bone health The rapid growth rates of modern commercial broilers are outpacing the rate of bone growth causing low bone mineralization level and high porosity and making the birds more prone to injuries and leg disorders Bone tissue metabolic disorders can be countered by a tailored nutrition program The correct balance of nutrients such as calcium phosphorus and vitamin D3 for example is essential to bone health and development In a recent study in which Hy D was made available in drinking water broilers receiving Hy D showed a lower incidence of lameness compared to those drinking water supplemented with vitamin D3 only The results also suggest that the higher plasma levels of 25 OH D3 of the birds supplemented with Hy D may support the immune system helping to counteract manifestations of femoral head necrosis also known as bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis BCO one of the most widespread causes of lameness in broiler flocks Several studies conducted in European slaughterhouses indicate that Hy D also helps reduce the incidence of black bone a defect caused by porous weaker bones which can lead to meat discoloration More recent investigations unpublished data indicated a 13 percent lower incidence of black bone when Hy D was fed for the whole production cycle rather than just the starter period 14 15
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