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This study investigated the effects of maternal canthaxanthin ( CX, 6 mg/kg) and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25- OH-D3, 0.069 mg/kg) supplementation on the performance of Cherry Valley ducklings under two different vitamin regimens. A total of 780 duck breeder females and 156 males were randomly allotted to two diets with or without the addition of the mixture of CX and 25- OH-D3 (CX+25-OH-D3) for 32 weeks. Ducklings (males and females separately) hatched from eggs laid at 24 weeks of the duck breeder trial were fed with a NRC vitamin regimen, and ducklings (males and females separately) hatched from eggs laid at 32 weeks of the duck breeder trial were fed with a HIGH vitamin regimen (had higher levels of all vitamins except biotin than NRC vitamin regimen), for 14 days. The results showed that, maternal CX+25-OH-D3 supplementation increased the shank pigmentation for 7-days post hatch in ducklings under a NRC vitamin regimen, and for 14-days post hatch in ducklings under a HIGH vitamin regimen. Growth performance, antioxidant status and serum phosphorus of ducklings under a NRC vitamin regimen were increased by maternal CX+25-OH-D3 supplementation; however, these positive effects were not observed in ducklings under a HIGH vitamin regimen. Males revealed increased growth performance in ducklings under both NRC and HIGH vitamin regimens. Sexual differences in shank pigmentation, antioxidant status, tibia strength and serum phosphorus were not consistent as they were dependent on maternal CX+25- OH-D3 status or dietary vitamin regimens. Data suggest that maternal CX+25- OH-D3 supplementation is important for starter ducklings under a NRC vitamin regimen, but not HIGH vitamin regimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the effect of dietary vanadium (V) and vitamin C ( VC) on production performance, egg quality and antioxidant status in laying hens. A total of 360 laying hens (31-week-old) were randomly allotted into a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement treatments (four replicates and 10 chicks per replicate) with three levels of dietary V (0, 5 and 10 mg/kg) and three levels of vitamin C (0, 50 and 100 mg/kg) for 12 weeks. The effect of V and VC did not alter egg production, egg weight, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio during 1-12 week. Albumen height and Haugh unit value were linearly decreased (p < 0.001) by addition of V, whereas the effect of 100 mg/kg VC was observed to counteract (p < 0.05) this effect in V-containing treatments during 1-12 week. Hens fed V-containing diet laid lighter (linear effect, p < 0.05) coloured eggs (higher lightness value, lower redness and yellowness value), and the VC exerted no influence on it during 1-12 week. The serum superoxide dismutase ( SOD), catalase ( CAT) and glutathione peroxidase ( GSH-Px) activities, ability to inhibit hydroxyl radical, were significantly decreased, and the malondialdehyde ( MDA) and V contents were increased (p < 0.05) by effect of V during 4, 8 and 12 week. The effect of VC alone and the interactive effect between VC and V were shown to increase serum (p < 0.05) SOD activity in 4 week and decrease MAD levels in 12 week. The result indicate that V decreased the egg quality and caused the oxidative stress at level of 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg, and the addition of 100 mg/kg vitamin C can alleviate its egg quality reduction effect and can mitigate the oxidative stress to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]