Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-xtgtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-16T21:52:54.246Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Dynamic role of cholecalciferol in commercial chicken performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 September 2013

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
Get access

Abstract

This review paper delineates how vitamin D3 and its metabolites produce beneficial effects on the performance of both broiler and egg laying chickens. This review provides information on the evaluation of cholecalciferol sources, metabolites, requirements for cholecalciferol in birds, its effect on hatchability of fertile eggs and its impact on immunity. Notable beneficial effects have been seen on body weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency in both broilers and laying hens. Cholecalciferol can provide beneficial effects on egg quality by increasing egg production, egg and shell weight, and shell strength by increasing thickness. It has a significant effect on the immune system and can help in the suppression of certain autoimmune diseases. The possible mechanisms contributing to these effects and the factors thought to explain the variability in these responses are discussed. Overall, cholecalciferol and its metabolites have been shown to greatly improve the performance of both types of commercial chickens, which can lead to enhanced production and a reduction in feed costs. The authors recommend a modified feeding programme containing higher levels of vitamin D3 supplementation than the NRC (1994) requirements in order to allow for sufficient skeletal growth in the starter and finisher diets of broilers.

Type
Review Article
Copyright
Copyright © World's Poultry Science Association 2013

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

ABDULRAHIM, S.M., PATEL, M.B. and MCGINNIS, J. (1979) Effects of vitamin D3 and metabolites on production parameters and hatchability of eggs. Poultry Science 58: 858-863.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ABURTO, A. and BRITTON, W.M. (1998b) Effects of different levels of vitamins A and E on the utilisation of cholecalciferol by broiler chickens. Poultry Science 77: 570-577.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ABURTO, A. and BRITTON, W.M. (1998a) Effects and interactions of dietary levels of vitamins A and E and cholecalciferol in broiler chickens. Poultry Science 77: 666-673.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
AMEENUDDIN, S., SUNDE, M.L., DELUCA, H.F. and COOK, M.E. (1986) Excessive cholecalciferol in a layers diet: decline in some aspects of reproductive performance and increased bone mineralisation of progeny. British Poultry Science 27:671-677.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ANONYMOUS, (1997) Vitamin supplementation rates for U.S. commercial poultry, swine, and dairy cattle. KC 9305. 2nd rev. ed. BASF Corp., Mount Olive, NJ.Google Scholar
ASLAM, S.M., GARLICH, J.D. and QURESHI, M.A. (1998) Vitamin D deficiency alters immune responses of broiler chicks. Poultry Science 77: 842-849.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ATENCIO, A., EDWARDS Jr, H.M. and PESTI, G.M. (2005a) Effect of the level of cholecalciferol supplementation of broiler breeder hen diets on the performance and bone abnormalities of the progeny fed diets containing various levels of calcium or 25-hydroxycholecalciferol. Poultry Science 84: 1593-1603.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ATENCIO, A., EDWARDS Jr, H.M., PESTI, G.M. and WARE, G.O. (2006) The vitamin D3 requirement of broiler breeders. Poultry Science 85:674-692.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ATENCIO, A., PESTI, G.M. and EDWARDS Jr, H.M. (2005b) Twenty-five hydroxycholecalciferol as a cholecalciferol substitute in broiler breeder hen diets and its effect on the performance and general health of the progeny. Poultry Science 84: 1277-1285.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
BAKER, D.H., BIEHL, R.R. and EMMERT, J.L. (1998) Vitamin D3 requirement of young chicks receiving diets varying in calcium and available phosphorus. British Poultry Science 39: 413-417.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
CANNELL, J.J., VIETH, R., UMHAU, J.C., HOLICK, M.F., GRANT, W.B., GARLAND, S., MADRONICH, C.F. and GIOVANNUCCI, E. (2006) Epidemic influenza and vitamin D. Epidemiology and Infection 134: 129-40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
CANTOR, A.H. and BACON, W.L. (1978) Performance of caged fed vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. Poultry Science 57: 1123-1124.Google Scholar
CARLOS, A.B. and EDWARDS Jr, H.M. (1998) The effects of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol and phytase on the natural phytate phosphorus utilisation by laying hens. Poultry Science 77: 850-858.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
COMBS Jr, G.F. (1998) Emerging relationships of vitamins and cancer risks. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care 1: 519-523.Google Scholar
DAVIES, M. (2000) Treatment of Osteomalacia, in: HOSKING, D. & RINGE, J.D. (Eds) Treatment of metabolic bone disease: management strategy and drug therapy, pp. 1-16 ( London: Martin Dunitz Ltd).Google Scholar
DELUCA, H.F. and CANTORNA, M.T. (2001) Vitamin D: its role and uses in immunology. The Journal of Federation of American Society of Experimental Biology 15: 2579-2585.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DINEV, I. (2012) Leg Weakness Pathology in Broiler Chickens. Journal of Poultry Science 49: 63-67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DING, B.A., PIRONE, A., LENZI, C., BAGLINI, A. and ROMBOLI, I. (2011) Effect of hen diet supplemented with 25-OH-D3 on the development of small intestinal morphology of chick. Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences 20: 420-431.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
EDWARDS Jr, H.M. (1989) The effect of dietary cholecalciferol, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol and 1,25-dihyroxycholecalciferol-dihydroxycholecalciferol on the development of tibial dyschondroplasia in broiler chickens in the absence and presence of disulfuram. Journal of Nutrition 119: 647-652.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
EDWARDS Jr, H.M. (1990) Efficacy of several Vitamin D compounds in the prevention of tibial dyschondroplasia in broiler chickens. Journal of Nutrition 120: 1054-1061.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
EDWARDS Jr, H.M. (2002) Studies on the efficacy of cholecalciferol and derivatives for stimulating phytate utilisation in broilers. Poultry Science 81: 1026-1031.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
EDWARDS Jr, H.M., SHIRLEY, R.B., ESCOE, W.B. and PESTI, G.M. (2002) Quantitative evaluation of 1-α-hydroxycholecalciferol as a cholecalciferol substitute for broilers. Poultry Science 81: 664-669.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
EDWARDS Jr, H.M. (2003) Effects of U.V. irradiation of very young chickens on growth and bone development. British Journal of Nutrition 90(1): 151-160.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
EDWARDS Jr, H.M., ELLIOT, M.A., SOONCHARERNYING, S. and BRITTON, W.M. (1994) Quantitative requirement for cholecalciferol in the absence of ultraviolet light. Poultry Science 73: 288-294.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ELLIOT, M.A. and EDWARDS Jr, H.M. (1997) Effect of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, cholecalciferol and fluorescent lights on the development of tibial dyschondroplasia in broiler chickens. Poultry Science 76: 570-580.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ELLIOT, M.A., ROBERSON, K.D., ROWLAND, G.N. and EDWARDS Jr, H.M. (1995) Effects of dietary calcium and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol on the development of tibial dyschondroplasia in broilers during the starter and grower period. Poultry Science 74:1495-1505.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FRASER D.R., EMTAGE J.S. (1976) Vitamin D in the avian egg. Biochemical Journal 160: 671-682.Google ScholarPubMed
FRITTS, C.A., ERF, G.F., BERSI, T.K. and WALDROUP, P.W. (2004) Effect of source and level of vitamin D on immune function in growing broilers. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 13: 263-273.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FROST, T.J. and ROLAND Sr, D.A. (1990) Influence of vitamin D3, 1α-hydroxyvitamin D3, and 1-25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on eggshell quality, tibia strength, and various production parameters in commercial laying hens. Poultry Science 69: 2008-2016.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
GARLICH, J.D., GARLICH, M.A., FERKET, P.R. and ASLAM, S.M. (1992) Immune system modulation by dietary calcium. Proceedings of the World's Poultry Congress. World's Poultry Science Association, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp: 618-619.Google Scholar
HARGIS, P. (2000) Hy-D3 vitamin practical use in commercial broilers and broiler breeders. 16th Central American Poultry Congress, Panama City. p: 188-189.Google Scholar
HART, L.E., SCHNOES, H.F. and DELUCA, H.F. (1986) Studies on the role of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D in chick embryonic development. Arch Biophys 250: 426-434.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HUFF, G.R., HUFF, W.E., BALOG, J.M. and RATH, N.C. (2000) The Effect of vitamin D3 on resistance to stress-related infection in an experimental model of turkey osteomyelitis complex. Poultry Science 79: 672-679.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
JANET, R. (2006) The Antibiotic Vitamin. Science News 170(11): 312-317.Google Scholar
JONES, G., STRUGNELL, S.A. and DELUCA, H.F. (1998) Current understanding of the molecular actions of vitamin D. Physiological Review 78: 1193-1231.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
JULIAN, R.J. (1995) Population Dynamics and Diseases of poultry, in: HUNTON, P. (Ed.) Poultry production world, Animal Science, C9, pp. 525-560 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands).Google Scholar
JULIAN, R.J. (1998) Rapid growth problems: ascites and skeletal deformities in broilers. Poultry Science 77: 1773-1780.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KASIM, A.B. and EDWARDS Jr, H.M. (2000) Evaluation of cholecalciferol sources using broiler chick bioassays. Poultry Science 79: 1617-1622.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KAWAZOE, T., NOGUCHI, K., YUASA, K. and SAITHO, K. (1997) Influence of an excessive supply of vitamin D2-fortified shiitake mushroom on laying hens . Journal of the Japanese Society for Food Science and Technology 44: 300-305 (in Japanese).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
KESHAVARZ, K. (2003) A comparison between cholecalciferol and 25-OH-cholecalciferol on performance and eggshell quality of hens fed different levels of calcium and phosphorus. Poultry Science 82: 1415-1422.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KHAN, S.H. SHAHID, R., , MIAN, A.A., SARDAR, R. and ANJUM, M.A. (2010) Effect of the level of cholecalciferol supplementation of broiler diets on the performance and tibial dyschondroplasia. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 94: 584-593.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KOMORI, T., NAKANO, T., OHSUGI, Y. and SUGAWARA, Y. (1985) The effect of 1α-hydroxyvitamin D on primary antibody formation in mice. Immunopharmacology 9: 41-146.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
KUBOTA, M., ABE, E., SHINK, T. and SUDA, T. (1981) Vitamin D metabolism and its possible role in the developing chick embryo. Biochemical Journal 194: 1043-109.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
LAMBERG-ALLARDT, C., OUTILA, T., KÄRKKAINEN, M., RITA, H. and VALSTA, L. (2001) Vitamin D deficiency and bone health in healthy adults in Finland: Could this be a concern in other parts of Europe? Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 16: 2066-2073.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
LEDWABA, M.F. and ROBERSON, K.D. (2003) Effectiveness of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol in the prevention of tibialdyschondroplasia in Ross cockerels depends on dietary calcium level. Poultry Science 82: 1769-1777.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MARRETT, L.E., FRANK, F.R. and ZIMBELIMAN, R.G. (1975) 25-hydroxycholecalciferol as a dietary replacement of D3 to improve egg shell calcification. Poultry Science 54: 1788 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
MATTILA, P., LEHIKOINEN, K., KIISKINEN, T. and PIIRONEN, V. (1999) Cholecalciferol and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol content of chicken egg yolk as affected by the cholecalciferol content of feed. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 47: 4089-4092.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MATTILA, P., TIMO, R., KAROLIINA, K., JARMO, V., LAILA, R. and EEVA-LIISA, R. (2003) Effect of cholecalciferol-enriched hen feed on egg quality. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 51(1): 283-287.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MATTILA, P., VALAJA, J., ROSSOW, L., VENÄLÄINEN, E. and TUPASELA, T. (2004) Effect of vitamin D2- and D3-enriched diets on egg vitamin D content, production, and bird condition during an entire production period. Poultry Science 83: 433-440.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McDONALD, P., EDWARDS, R.A., GREENHALG, J.F.D. and MORGAN, C.A. (1995) Animal Nutrition, 5th ed. AddisonWesley Longman, Edinburgh, UK.Google Scholar
MITCHELL, R.D., EDWARDS Jr, H.M. and MCDANIEL, G.R. (1997) The effects of ultraviolet light and cholecalciferol and its metabolites on the development of leg abnormalities in chickens selected for high and low incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia. Poultry Science 76: 346-354.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MOHAMMED, A., GIBNEY, M.J. and TAYLOR, T.G. (1991) The effects of dietary levels of inorganic phosphorus, calcium and cholecalciferol on the digestibility of phytate-P by the chick. British Journal Nutrition 66: 251.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MORISSEY, R.L., COHN, R.M., EMPSON Jr, R.N., GREENE, H.L., TAUNTON, O.D. and ZIPORIN, Z.Z. (1977) Relative toxicity and metabolic effects of cholecalciferol and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol in chicks. Journal of Nutrition 107: 1027-1034.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MUNGER, K.L., LEVIN, L.I., HOLLIS, B.W., HOWARD, N.S. and ASCHERIO, A. (2006) Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and risk of multiple sclerosis. Journal of Animal Medical Association 296: 2832-2838.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MUSAPUOR, A., POURREZA, J., SAMIE, A. and SHAHRBABAK, H.M. (2005) Effects of cholecalciferol and phytase on phytate phosphorus utilisation in laying hens. International Journal Agriculture and Biology 7: 643-645.Google Scholar
NAGPAL, S., Na, S. and RATHNACHALAM, R. (2005) Noncalcemic actions of vitamin D receptor ligands. Endocrine Review 26: 662-687.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (NRC), (1994) Nutrient requirements of poultry. 9th rev. ed. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
NAWAZ, H., SHAFIQ, M., YAQOOB, M., YOUSAF, M. and AHMAD, F. (2008) Effect of cholecalciferol on performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chicks. Indian Veterinary Journal 85: 851-854.Google Scholar
OVESEN, L., BROT, C. and JAKOBSEN, J. (2003) Food contents and biological activity of 25-hydroxyvitamin D: a vitamin D metabolite to be reckoned with? Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 47: 107-113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
PAPEŠOVÁ, L. (2000) Acute and long term toxicity of coated vitamin D. Proceedings XXI World's Poultry Congress, Montreal, August 2000: 20-24.Google Scholar
PAPEŠOVÁ, L., FUČÍKOVÁ, A., PÍPALOVÁ, M. and TUPÝ, P. (2008) The synergic effect of vitamin d3 and 25-hydro xycholecalciferol/calcidiol in broiler diet. Scientia Agriculturae Bohemica 39(3): 273-277.Google Scholar
RAMA RAO, S.V., RAJU, M.V.L.N., PANDA, A.K., SHYAM, G.S. and SHARMA, R.P. (2006) Effect of high concentration of cholecalciferol on growth, bone mineralisation and mineral retention in broiler chicks fed sub-optimal concentrations of calcium and nonphytate phosphorus. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 15: 493-501.Google Scholar
RAMO RAO, S.V., RAJU, M.V.L.N. PANDA, A.K., , SHYAM, G.S. and SHARMA, R.P. (2009) Performance and bone mineralisation in broiler chicks fed on diets with different concentrations of cholecalciferol at a constant ratio of calcium to nonphytate phosphorus. British Poultry Science 50: 528-535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
RAVINDRAN, V., BRYDEN, W.L. and KORNEGAY, E.T. (1995) Phytates: Occurrence, bio-availability and implications in poultry nutrition. Poultry Avian Biological Review 6:125-143.Google Scholar
RENNIE, S. and WHITEHEAD, C. (1996) Effectiveness of dietary 25- and 1-hydroxycholecalciferol in combating tibial dyschondroplasia in broiler chickens. British Poultry Science 37: 413-421.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
RENNIE, J.S., McCORMACK, H.A., FARQUHARSON, C. BERRY, J.L., , MAWER, E.B. and WHITEHEAD, C.C. (1995) Interaction between dietary 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol and calcium and effects of management on the occurrence of tibial dyschondroplasia, leg abnormalities and performance in broiler chickens. British Poultry Science 36: 465-477.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
RIDDELL, C. (1992) Non-infectious skeleton disorders of poultry―an overview. In: Bone biology and skeletal disorders in poultry (WHITEHEAD, C.C., Ed.) Poultry Science Symposium.Vol.23.pp.119-145. Carfax Publishing Company. Abington.Google Scholar
ROBERSON, K.D. (1999) 25-hydroxycholecalciferol fails to prevent tibial dyschondroplasia in broiler chicks raised in battery brooders. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 8: 54-61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ROBERSON, K.D. and EDWARDS Jr, H. M. (1994) Effects of 1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol and phytase on zinc utilization in broiler chicks. Poultry Science 73:1312-1326.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ROBERSON, K.D. and EDWARDS Jr, H.M. (1996) Effect of dietary 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol level on broiler performance. Poultry Science 75:90-94.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ROSS BREEDERS, (2000) Ross Feeding Program Summary. Ross Breeders, Inc., Huntsville, AL.Google Scholar
SCOTT, M.L., NESHEIM, M.C. and YOUNG, R.J. (1982) Nutrition of the Chicken. 3rd ed. M.L. Scott and Associates, Ithaca, NewYork.Google Scholar
SITRIN, M.D. and BENGOA, J.M. (1987) Intestinal absorption of cholecalciferol and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol in chronic cholestic liver disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 46: 1011-1015.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
TAYLOR, T.G., MORRIS, K.M.L. and KIRKLEY, J. (1968) Effects of dietary excesses of vitamin A and D on some constituents of the blood of chicks. British Journal of Nutrition 22: 713-721.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
TAKEDA, M., TOMOYA, Y., NAOTO, S., KENJI, N., TOMOYUKI, K., MASAKAZU, H., TATSURO, I. and KEN-ICHI, H. (2010) Oral administration of an active form of vitamin D3 (calcitriol) decreases atherosclerosis in mice by inducing regulatory T cells and immature dendritic cells with tolerogenic functions. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology 30: 2495-2503.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
TINA, H.S. (2009) Molecular link between vitamin D deficiency and MS. The vitamin may interact with a gene associated with multiple sclerosis. Science News, Magazine of the Society for Science and the Public 170(11).Google Scholar
TSANG, C.P.W. and GRUNDER, A.A. (1993) Effect of dietary contents of cholecalciferol, 1α,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol and 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol on blood concentrations of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol,1α,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol,total calcium and eggshell quality. British Poultry Science 34: 1021-1027.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
VAN ETTEN, E. and MATHIEU, C. (2005) Immunoregulation by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3: basic concepts. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 97: 93-101.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
WHITEHEAD, C.C., MCCORMACK, H.A., MCTIER, L. and FLEMING, R.H. (2004) High vitamin D3 requirements in broilers for bone quality and prevention of tibialdyschondrplasia and interactions with dietary calcium available phosphorous and vitamin A. British Poultry Science 45: 425-436.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
YANG, H.S., WAIBEL, P.E. and BRENES, J. (1973) Evaluation of vitamin D3 supplements by biological assay using the turkey. Journal of Nutrition 103: 1187-1194.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
YARGER, J.G., SAUNDERS, C.A., MCNAUGHTON, J.L., QUARLES, C.L., HOLLIS, B.W. and GRAY, R.W. (1995) Comparison of dietary 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol and cholecalciferol in broiler chickens. Poultry Science 74: 1159-1167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
YEE, Y.K., CHINTALACHARUVU, S.R., LU, J. and NAGPAL, S. (2005) Vitamin D receptor modulators for inflammation and cancer. Mini Review in Medicinal Chemistry 5: 761-778.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed