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Study suggested that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota may affect the etiology of woody breast (WB). In the current study, the cecal microbiota and WB in chickens fed three different diets were investigated. A total of 504 male chicks were used in a randomized complete block design with a 3 (Diet) × 2 (Challenge) factorial arrangement of treatments with 6 replicates per treatment, 6 treatments per block, and 14 birds per treatment. The experimental diets were a control diet (corn-soybean meal basal diet), an antibiotic diet (basal diet + 6.075 mg bacitracin/kg feed), and a probiotic diet (basal diet + 2.2 × 10

Increasing growth rate, body weight, and breast muscle yield have been linked to broiler muscle problems such as woody breast (WB). The aim of this study was to investigate the internal organ and skeletal muscle development of broilers with WB myopathy under dietary and Eimeria challenge treatments. A 3 diet (control, antibiotic, or probiotic) × 2 challenge (control or Eimeria) × 2 sex factorial arrangement of treatments was used in a randomized complete block design. Ross × Ross 708 chicks were randomly assigned to 96 floor pens with 12 treatment combinations (8 replicates per treatment). Internal organs were sampled on d 13 and 41. Skeletal muscles were sampled on d 41. Internal organ and skeletal muscle weights were analyzed using a 3-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Relationships between WB and internal organ and skeletal muscle weights were analyzed using one-way ANOVA as all treatments were pooled together and regrouped according to WB scores. On d 41, absolute and relative heart weights were greater in males when they were averaged over diet and challenge treatments (P0.001 and P = 0.026, respectively). The birds with WB score 3 had greater absolute heart (P = 0.0002) and spleen weights (P = 0.016), but there was no difference in relative spleen weight (P0.05). When averaged over diet and challenge treatments, males have greater absolute duodenum, jejunum, and ileum weights (for all P0.0001). Compared with birds with normal breasts, the birds with WB scores 1, 2, and 3 had a greater live weight (for all P0.0001) and absolute and relative breast weights (for all P0.0001). The birds with WB score 1, 2, and 3 had greater (P0.0001) absolute but lower (P0.0001) relative drumstick, thigh, and wing weights. Results indicated that broilers with WB had lower relative proventriculus and gizzard weights and greater relative breast meat weight with lower relative drumstick, thigh, and wing muscle weights.

Woody breast (WB) is a myopathy that is related to the increasing growth rate. Understanding the influence of management factors on WB formation and development is important to minimize WB. This study was conducted to define how management factors affect broiler growth performance, processing yield, and WB incidence. Ross × Ross 708 chicks were randomly assigned to a 3 (diet) × 2 (cocci challenge) × 2 (sex) factorial arrangement of treatments. The 3 dietary treatments were: control diet (corn-soybean meal basal diet), antibiotic diet (basal diet + 6.075 mg bacitracin /kg feed), and probiotic diet (basal diet + 2.2 × 108 CFU Bacillus subtilis PB6/kg feed). Birds in cocci challenge treatments received 20 × live cocci vaccine on d 14. The hardness of breast muscle in live birds was determined by palpation and grouped into Normal, Slight, Moderate, and Severe categories. Across diet and sex treatments, the cocci challenge resulted in decreases in body weight (BW) on d 29 and 35 (P < 0.0001 and = 0.032) in body weight gain (BWG) from d 14 to 29 (P < 0.0001). However, an increase of BW occurred on d 35 (P = 0.032) and an increase of BWG occurred from d 29 to 35 and d 35 to 43 (P = 0.0001 and 0.002), and the cocci challenge increased WB incidence on d 29 (P = 0.043) and d 43 (P = 0.013). Across challenge and sex treatments, birds fed the antibiotic diet exhibited a higher growth rate (GR) than those fed the control or probiotic diet from d 0 to 14 (P = 0.016), but not after d 14 (P > 0.05). Across sex, the antibiotic and probiotic diets increased WB incidence for those birds that did not receive a cocci challenge on d 43 (P = 0.040). Across challenge and diet treatments, males exhibited a higher BW, BWG, and GR throughout all growth phases, and males showed a higher WB incidence on d 29, 35, and 43 (P = 0.002, P < 0.0001, and P = 0.0002, respectively). In conclusion, bacitracin and Eimeria spp. increased WB incidence, BW, and GR. However, Bacillus subtilis increased WB incidence in male broilers without affecting BW and GR.

Simple Summary Young poultry that are malformed, fail to hatch, or are not economically viable must be humanely killed at the hatchery. Maceration is the predominant method used and is instantaneous and humane. However, it is possible that new methods may be developed which could improve animal welfare and reduce suffering. In this study, we used gases and a vacuum system to kill chicks by reducing available oxygen. We found that using carbon dioxide or the vacuum system resulted in better welfare, as compared to the nitrogen treatment. Abstract Newly hatched male layer chicks are considered as “by-products” in the egg industry and must be humanely euthanized at the hatchery. Instantaneous mechanical destruction (maceration) is the predominant euthanasia method applied in poultry hatcheries and is approved by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). However, maceration is not perceived by the public to be a humane means of euthanasia. The effects of alternative euthanasia methods, including carbon dioxide (CO2) or nitrogen (N2) inhalation, and a commercial negative pressure stunning system on behavioral and physiological responses of day-of-hatch male layer chicks, were evaluated in a field trial. Chick behaviors, including ataxia, loss of posture, convulsions, cessation of vocalization, and cessation of movement, were monitored. Serum hormones were assessed at the end of each of the alternative euthanasia treatments, including a control group allowed to breathe normal atmospheric air. The N2 method induced unconsciousness and death later than the CO2 and negative pressure methods, and increased serum corticosterone concentrations of neonatal chicks. Carbon dioxide inhalation increased serotonin concentrations as compared to controls, as well as the N2 and the negative pressure methods. The behavioral and physical responses observed in this study suggest that both CO2 inhalation and negative pressure stunning can be employed to humanely euthanize neonatal male layer chicks.

Genetic selection and advances in nutrition have improved broiler growth performance. However, meat quality issues have gained preference over increased growth rate. These meat quality issues may be reduced by lowering dietary amino acid (AA) content. In the present study, 5 common commercial broiler strains were fed either a control or an AA-reduced diet. The control diet was formulated to contain the highest digestible AA (lysine, total sulfur AA, and threonine) levels recommended for the 5 strains. The AA-reduced diet was formulated to contain 20% lower levels of these 3 digestible AA than in the control diet. This resulted in a 5 (strains) × 2 (AA levels) factorial arrangement. A total of 1,280 straight run broilers were randomly allocated to 8 replicate blocks. The AA reduction decreased absolute breast weights of 3 strains on day 42 and 2 strains on day 56, and decreased absolute weights of tender, wing, drumstick, and thigh on both day 42 and 56 for all 5 strains. However, the absolute fat pad weight and relative fat pad and thigh weights to BW were increased in the AA reduction treatments on both day 42 and 56. The AA reduction contributed to the lower breast meat pH on both day 42 and 56, which may have been directly related to decreased severe woody breast myopathy (WBM) incidence on day 42 and moderate WBM incidence on day 56. The severity of WBM was positively related to breast weight in all 10 treatments on both day 42 and 56, with the exception of birds in strain 3 on day 56 that were fed the AA-reduced diet. At the same time, AA reduction was more cost-effective when WBM incidence was considered in a theoretical model. In conclusion, WBM severity was associated with higher breast weight in birds of most strains fed either a control or AA-reduced diet. Dietary AA reduction decreased processing yields but decreased WBM incidence, which may be more economical.

Effects of antibiotic (bacitracin), anticoccidial (narasin), and alternative (Bacillus subtilis and zinc) feed additives on growth performance, internal organ development, and intestinal morphology of commercial broilers with or without subclinical coccidia challenge were determined. A total of 1,344 1-day-old male Ross × Ross 708 broilers were randomly distributed into 12 treatments (6 diets × 2 challenge treatments, 8 replication pens/treatment) in 96 floor pens. The 6 dietary treatments were as follows: a control diet (corn and soybean-meal basal diet), a probiotic diet (basal diet + Bacillus subtilis), a zinc diet (basal diet + 100 ppm zinc), a probiotic and zinc combined diet, an anticoccidial diet (basal diet + narasin), and a practical diet (basal diet + narasin + bacitracin). On day 21, each chick in the challenge treatment was gavaged with a 10× dose of a commercial vaccine containing live Eimeria oocytes, whereas each chick in the non-challenge treatment was gavaged with equivalent distilled water. The subclinical coccidia challenge increased the relative weights of pancreas and decreased the ileal crypt depth of broilers at 26 d of age, increased feed conversion ratios from day 15 to 28 and 29 to 40, and increased the relative weights of duodenum and bursa on day 54. As compared to other diets, anticoccidial and practical diets increased BW gain and decreased feed conversion ratio from day 15 to 28, and increased the day 40 carcass weights. As compared to control diets, probiotic diets decreased BW gain and increased the mortality from day 15 to 28; however, probiotic diets did not affect the overall growth performance from day 0 to 54 or carcass yield on day 54. Growth measurements during periods of day 29 to 40 and day 41 to 54 were not affected by any feed additive. From this study, a subclinical coccidia challenge enlarged specific internal organs and compromised the feed conversion ability of broilers. Dietary Bacillus subtilis did not affect overall growth rate or carcass yield of broilers under subclinical coccidia challenge.

In the modern poultry industry, intense genetic selection for meat production has negatively influenced the reproductive performance of commercial birds. Parthenogenesis, embryonic development in unfertilized eggs without any sperm-egg interactions, is known to hinder the normal fertilization process and could be one of the reasons for this reduced reproductive performance in the poultry industry. Therefore, the overall objective of this research was to gain a better understanding of the process of parthenogenesis using Chinese painted quail as the model. Studies on Chinese painted quail reproduction revealed that they are very inefficient in sustained sperm storage and that number of sperm penetrating the egg and subsequent embryonic development potentially alter egg transit time through the oviduct. This poor sperm storage capacity and high sperm-egg interaction requirement might be responsible for the occurrence of parthenogenesis in this species; and in fact, this makes Chinese painted quail an excellent choice for parthenogenesis research. Further, dams selected for parthenogenesis as well as embryonic development, including parthenogen size, alter egg components by possibly delaying the transit time of the egg through the oviduct. Also, both dams and sires selected for the parthenogenesis trait appear to influence their progenies performance, including 1st wk mortality and occurrence of parthenogenesis. Additionally, vaccination of virgin hens with live pigeon pox virus increases parthenogenesis as well as parthenogen size and livability by the direct action of the virus on the embryo. Moreover, live Newcastle disease virus under in vitro conditions was found to have similar effects on the embryo. Because parthenogenesis exists in the modern poultry industry, even the accidental selection of the trait in either males or females could have a negative impact on overall chick production and performance. Also, as vaccination is a routine practice in the industry

In a companion study, the effects of dietary antibiotic alternative and coccidial vaccination on the growth performance of male broilers have been reported. In this paper, the effects of dietary probiotics and coccidial vaccination on diversity and composition of cecal microbiota were investigated using a 3 (diets) × 2 (vaccinated or non-vaccinated) factorial setting of treatments. Three diets, including a corn and soybean-meal control diet, an antibiotic diet (a control diet supplemented with bacitracin and salinomycin), and a probiotic diet (a control diet supplemented with Bacillus subtilis) were provided to broiler chicken from day 0 to 42. To simulate an Eimeria challenge in the field, all chicks were gavaged with a 20× dose of commercial coccidial vaccine containing live Eimeria oocysts on day 14. Cecal contents were collected on day 42. High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was used to determine microbial diversity and composition. Coccidial vaccination to broilers reduced bacterial diversity (Shannon index) of the cecal microbiota. There was a significant interaction between the dietary additive and coccidial vaccination on the observed bacterial species number. Diets supplemented with B. subtilis increased bacterial species of non-vaccinated broilers but decreased bacterial species of vaccinated broilers. In contrast, diets supplemented with antibiotics reduced bacterial species of broilers from both groups. Interactions between dietary additive and coccidial vaccination were also observed on microbial composition. Vaccinated broilers fed the B. subtilis diet exhibited the lowest Firmicutes percentage and highest Bacteroidetes percentage within the microbial community. In addition, vaccinated broilers fed the B. subtilis diet exhibited the highest Rikenella microfusus percentage. From this study, the coccidial vaccination on the day of hatch reduced the microbial diversity of broilers at a later age. The inclusion of B. subtilis-probiotics in the feed of vaccinated broilers may reduce microbial diversity in cecal content by increasing the proportion of a predominant bacterial species, R. microfusus, in the microbial community.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is a major and economically significant pathogen of avian species. When administered before lay, F-strain MG (FMG) can reduce egg production during lay, but the ts-11 strain of MG (ts11MG) does not exert this effect. Two trials were conducted to determine the effects of pre-lay vaccinations of ts11MG, MG-Bacterin (MGBac), or their combination, in conjunction with an FMG challenge overlay after peak production on the blood characteristics of commercial layers. In each trial, 160 mycoplasma-free Hy-Line W-36 layers were housed in negative-pressure biological isolation units (4 units per treatment, 10 birds per unit) from 9 through 52 wk of age (woa). The following vaccination treatments were administered at 10 woa: 1) Control (no vaccinations); 2) MGBac; 3) ts11MG; and 4) ts11MG and MGBac combination (ts11MG+MGBac). At 45 woa, half of the birds were challenged with a laboratory stock of high-passage FMG. Parameters measured in both trials were whole-blood hematocrit and serum concentrations of cholesterol (SCHOL), triglycerides, calcium, and total protein (STP). An age×treatment interaction (P=0.04) was observed for STP between 23 and 43 woa. The STP concentration in the ts11MG and ts11MG+MGBac groups was higher at 33 woa, but was lower at 43 woa, in comparison to the Control group. Also, at 38 woa, the STP of the ts11MG+MGBac group was higher than that of the MGBac group. Although use of the ts11MG vaccine alone or in combination with MGBac may influence circulating STP concentrations when administered before lay, it remains effective in protecting layers against the adverse effect of a post-peak challenge of FMG on egg production, as was observed in a previous companion study.

Increased mortality during the first wk of brooding is typical in broiler offspring from young breeder hens. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the age-dependent changes in variou s physiological parameters of broiler chicks from young breeder parents (29 wk of age) through the early stages of brooding (72 h), and to identify those parameters which might be most predictive of futur e performance. In an effort to simulate procedures in the poultry industry, chicks were subjected to a 12-h delay in brooding placement after hatch in a broiler hatchery. In association with growth through 72 h post-hatch, chick relative liver weight (RLW) and liver glycogen content (LGLY) peaked at 72 and 48 h, respectively, and chick rectal temperature (RT) was greater between 24 and 72 h compared to that at both 0 and 6 h . Furthermore, plasma refractive index (RI) was greatest at 24 h and RI at 48 h was greater than that at 6 h. At hatch (0 h), RI was negatively correlated with BW but was positively correlated with RT, and RLW at hatch was positively correlated with hematocrit (HCT) at 6 h. Also, plasma glucose (GLU) at hatch and RT at 6 h were positively correlated. Between 24 and 72 h, BW was positively correlated with RLW and RT, and was negatively correlated with HCT and RI. There was a negative correlation between HCT and RI, but HCT was positively correlated with body fat loss score (BFLS) and RI. Also, between 24 and 72 h, chick RT wa s negatively correlated with BFLS and RI, and LGLY and GLU were positively correlated. These data demonstrate a close association between metabolic rate and growth in these post-hatch chicks, and while they experienced increases in BW and RT through 72 h, dehydration, as indicated by increased RI at 24 h, may have retarded growth. Plasma refractive index was the only blood parameter that changed significantly over time, fluctuated oppositely to that of BW between 24 and 72 h, and increased significantly between 6 and 24 h when chicks failed to gain BW. These associated changes with time and the maintenance of consistent negative correlations between RI and BW at hatch and between 24 and 72 h post-hatch indicate that RI may be a sensitive, practical, and reliable indicator of the physiological response of a post-hatch chick to common brooding management and would, therefore, be a useful indicator of future performance.

Latour, M.A., Peebles, E.D., Doyle, S.M. and Panskv, T. 2001. Effects of broiler breeder hen age and dietary fat intake on circulating serum lipids. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 19: 73–84. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of diet and broiler breeder hen age on serum cholesterol (CHOL) and very low density (VLDL) and high density (HDL) lipoproteins. In Experiment 1, breeder hens were bled at 20, 26, 32, 36, 43 and 48 wk of age, whereas in Experiment 2 hens were bled at 22, 36, 51 and 69 wk of age. Across both experiments lipids changed drastically with the onset of lay and as the breeders aged. In Experiment 1, CHOL and HDL decreased at 32 wk and remained low through 48 wk when compared to prelay values at 20 wk. A similar pattern was observed in Experiment 2. In both experiments, VLDL increased greatly with the onset of egg production. Despite the alterations in diet (saturated vs unsaturated diets) there were no differences in circulating lipids as affected by diet. The present stud...

Broiler breeder hens were fed isocaloric diets containing one of three different types and levels of added fat. Eggs collected when hens were 52 and 62 wk of age were either left intact or were washed to remove the eggshell cuticle prior to set. Chicks hatched from each breeder diet and eggshell cuticle treatment were reared through 22 days to assess effects on broiler performance. An increase in feed consumption in broilers from 52-wk-old breeders was associated with cuticle removal. It was concluded that eggshell cuticle removal in eggs from hens during post-peak production may lead to subsequent increases in feed consumption of broiler offspring.

Lard has become more available as a cheaper fat source for increasing the energy of broiler starter diets. Non-isocaloric starter diets were formulated to contain either 0, 3, or 7% added lard, with megacaloric percentages of all major nutrients held constant. Broilers received either 0, 3, or 7% added lard in starter diets to 10 days of age (S1), when they were changed to either 3 or 7% added lard starter diets (S2). At 21 days of age, all birds were changed to a common grower diet. Body weights (BW) and calorie conversions (CC) at 42 days of age were determined. Carcass yield was determined on day 44. Fat-free bone ash fat S1 diets increased BW in males and females. The S1 and S2 diets had no effect on CC, percentage fat pad and carcass yield increased in males. Lard added at the 3 or 7% levels to broiler starter diets between 11 and 21 days of age may be a cost-effective energy source with no adverse effect on 42-day BW and carcass fat at 44 days.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of elevated corticosterone (CORT) on circulating lipoprotein cholesterol during a 1-wk period. For this study, 15 commercial broilers were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. Group 1 served as the control (CON) and received no treatment, whereas Groups 2 and 3 received subcutaneous mini-osmotic pumps containing either physiological saline (PS) or adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), respectively. The ACTH was delivered at a rate of 8 IU/kg of BW/d. Blood samples were taken at Time 0 (before implants) and on Days 2, 4, and 7 postimplantation. Continuous infusion of ACTH increased plasma glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and CORT during the postimplantation period. The group treated with ACTH also exhibited a decrease in BW during the last 2 sampling d. There were no differences in any of the serum constituents measured between CON and PS birds, which suggest that CON birds can serve as useful controls. These data suggest that birds given a continuous infusion of ACTH at 8 IU/kg of BW/d can experience changes in plasma lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations along with changes in other blood parameters and may serve as a useful model in accelerated lipoprotein production.

Decreased hatchability in Japanese quail following selection for growth and relative improvements in hatchability following selection during goitrogen treatment were investigated. An unselected quail line (Line C) and lines selected for high 4-wk body weight while being fed diets containing either 20% CP and .2% thiouracil (TU) (Line T), or 28% CP and no TU (Lines P and H-CD) were used. Egg weight loss between 0 and 4, and 0 and 14 days of incubation, hatchability, and developmental stage of embryonic mortalities were determined in Experiment 1. Length of the incubation period, and percentages of body water and dry body weight were determined for 10- and 14-day embryos and 18-day-old chicks in Experiment 2. Eggshell quality was determined in Experiment 3. Hatchability was lower in selected than in unselected quail due to increased early and late embryonic mortality. Egg weight loss during incubation was greater in Line P than in Line C eggs. Weight loss, measured across lines, was lower in eggs that hatched than in those in which embryos died early. Percentage body water was higher in Line C than in Lines P and T at 14 and 18 days of incubation; however, percentage body water in Line T was lower than Line P at 14 days. Percentage of dry body weight was greater in Lines P and T than in Line C at 14 and 18 days. Eggshell thickness was greater in Line H-CD when compared with Line C. Increases in eggshell permeability occurring during selection for growth were associated with increased embryonic mortality and decreased hatchability.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The influence of creating and closing acoustic windows on embryonic and posthatch development for the purpose of chicken embryogenesis monitoring by real-time ultrasonography (US) was evaluated at 2, 6, 9, 14, and 17 days of incubation. Acoustic windows were closed using either a porous dialysis film and tape (FM) or an eggshell allograft attached with collodion (CP). Results from eggs closed in each manner with and without concurrent nonsterile US examination were compared with two control groups. Window creation reduced hatchability. The hatchability reduction was caused primarily by bacterial contamination. Contamination was more common in the FM eggs than in the CP eggs and was greater in eggs that also underwent US. Hatchability increased and contamination decreased when US was performed closer to hatch. Egg weight loss was increased after Day 6 of incubation in FM + US eggs treated on Day 2 and after Day 9 in all eggs with windows except CP eggs treated on Day 9 and CP + US eggs treated on Days 6 and 9. Hatch weight decreased in chicks from eggs that had windows, particularly in FM eggs.

Three experiments were conducted to measure changes in plasma thyroxine (T4) concentrations occurring in male and female Japanese quail in response to treatment with dietary thiouracil (TU) and different CP levels prior to sexual maturity and to determine the influence of selection for growth under TU and protein stress on this response. Selected and unselected lines of quail were fed diets containing .2% TU or two levels of CP (20 or 28%) or both from 0 to 4 wk of age. Body weight and plasma T4 were measured at 5, 7, and 9 wk of age in Experiments 1 and 2. In Experiment 3, body weight was measured at 2, 4, 5, 7, and 9 wk and T4 at 4, 7, and 9 wk. Thiouracil inhibited growth to a greater degree than did decreased dietary CP. However, offspring from selected quail were more resistant to dietary TU when selection diets contained TU. When fed as part of a selection regimen rather than to unselected birds, low CP, TU diets inhibited body weight increase to a greater degree and longer after birds were returned to control diets. Thyroxine concentrations between 4 and 9 wk were affected by TU but not by CP level. Thiouracil significantly reduced T4 during treatment; however, T4 was elevated by 3 wk after cessation of TU treatment. Increases in T4 were greater and more immediate in selected than in unselected birds. These findings reveal the ability of quail to compensate for thyroid suppression after TU is removed from the diet and the influence of selection on this compensatory response.

Broiler breeder eggs with early dead (ED) embryos possessed significantly thinner membranes and significantly thicker eggshells than were observed for shells from eggs that hatched (H), were pipped (P), or contained late dead (LD) embryos (eggshell type). Overall pore concentration was significantly greater in H than in ED eggshells and significantly greater in ED than in LD or P eggshells. At the large end, eggshells from H eggs exhibited a significantly greater pore concentration compared to all other eggshell types. Pore concentrations at the equator and small end were significantly greater in H and ED eggshells when compared to eggshells from LD and P embryos. Large end pore concentration was significantly greater than at either the equator or small end in H eggshells. Optimum hatchability may depend on a proper eggshells region-pore concentration relationship as well as a sufficiently high number of pores in all three regions of the shell. Embryonic mortality may result from insufficient pore numbers. An excessively thick shell, which may negate the compensatory effects of high pore numbers at the equator and small end, may account for some ED embryos.

Supplemental ascorbic acid (AA) at 0, 50, and 100 ppm (mg/kg diet) was fed to broiler breeders throughout a complete production cycle. The effects of supplementation on egg production, fertility, hatchability, egg weight, egg specific gravity, and eggshell weight were determined. Ascorbic acid at both 50 and 100 ppm significantly increased hen-day egg production, hatch of fertile eggs, specific gravity, and mortality. Fertility was improved at 50 ppm. Body weight gain on similar limited feed intakes was higher in AA-supplemented birds. Much of the improvement in hatch of fertile eggs was due to a decrease in early embryonic mortality. It was concluded that supplemental AA improved nutrient utilization, which was favorable to the production of hatching eggs. Ascorbic acid at 50 ppm appeared adequate to achieve most beneficial effects in broiler breeders.