Age features and reference intervals for the concentrations of some essential and toxic elements in laying hens

Abstract

Background and Aim: Micronutrient imbalances pose a severe threat to the health and productivity of livestock and poultry. In this regard, a further stage in feeding science development will control and optimize the intake of mineral substances, including determining the elemental composition in some biosubstrates. One of these biosubstrates can be a feather. However, the amount of available information on the content of trace elements in laying hens is limited, complicating the laboratory data interpretation. Therefore, this study established reference intervals for the concentrations of the main essential and toxic elements in laying hens in different periods of ontogenesis. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on clinically healthy Hisex Brown laying hens at the age of 10 (n=150), 30 (n=150), 120 (n=150), 150 (n=150), and 210 (n=150) days. All examined birds were born and raised on the territory of the South Ural biogeochemical province of Russia. The sampling of feathers was carried out by plucking the flight feathers of the wing. Inductively coupled plasma dynamic reaction cell mass spectrometry determined the elemental composition of the feather according to 25 parameters. Results: The results showed that at the minimum age (10 days), the highest concentrations of chemical elements were observed in laying hens. Subsequently, as they grew older, in the period from the 30th to the 120th day, there was a significant decrease in these indicators. Later, from the 120th to the 150th day, a statistically significant increase in concentrations was replaced. Little growth and relative concentration stability were observed in the last part of the experiment (150-210 days). Chemical element concentrations in feathers were computed in reference ranges for each age group. Conclusion: The calculated ranges of chemical element concentrations in laying hens can be used to compile norms for their content in the body; however, it is worth noting that these ranges can vary depending on the biogeochemical province of breeding and the bird's age.

ВОЗРАСТНЫЕ ОСОБЕННОСТИ НАКОПЛЕНИЯ ЭССЕНЦИАЛЬНЫХ И ТОКСИЧНЫХ ЭЛЕМЕНТОВ В ПЕРЕ ЦЫПЛЯТ-БРОЙЛЕРОВ (Gallus gallus L.) КРОССА ARBOR ACRES В УСЛОВИЯХ ЮЖНО-УРАЛЬСКОЙ БИОГЕОХИМИЧЕСКОЙ ПРОВИНЦИИ РОССИИ

“…Metallothionein levels, in turn, are regulated by sex hormones [24], the concentration of which depends on age [25]. It should be noted, however, that in our other study, toxic elements, on the contrary, accumulated with age in poultry (we believe, due to a longer intake of toxic metals with feed and drinking water) [11]. To assess the possibility of using bird feathers as a biosubstrate for elemental analysis, we compared the data obtained for feather and for blood samples (Table 4).…”

“…It is obvious that when monitoring and optimizing the intake of mineral substances, non-invasive methods for assessing metabolic status, including determining the elemental composition in biosubstrates, are most acceptable. Such work was carried out on beef [8] and dairy [9] cattle, in sports horse breeding [10], and in commercial poultry farming [11]. Currently, blood mostly serves as a biosubstrate to analyze the elemental status of poultry [12], but in long and low-sress monitoring feathers are preferable [13].…”

AGE-DEPENDENT ACCUMULATION OF ESSENTIAL AND TOXIC CHEMICAL ELEMENTS IN FEATHER OF ARBOR ACRES BROILERS (Gallus gallus L.) REARED IN THE SOUTH URAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL PROVINCE OF RUSSIA

“…Очевидно, что при контроле и оптимизации поступления минеральных веществ наиболее приемлемы неинвазивные методы оценки метаболического статуса, включающей определение элементного состава в биосубстратах. Такие работы выполнены на мясном (8) и молочном (9) скоте, в спортивном коневодстве (10), в промышленном птицеводстве (11). В настоящее время у птицы при анализе элементного статуса в качестве биосубстрата чаще всего используют кровь (12), но в случае, когда необходимо контролировать эти показатели в течение достаточно длительного времени и при минимальных негативных последствиях для организма, предпочтение отдается перу (13).…”

“…Уровень металлотионеина, в свою очередь, регулируется половыми гормонами (24), концентрация которых зависит от возраста (25). Следует, однако, отметить, что в другом нашем исследовании у птицы с возрастом токсичные элементы, наоборот, накапливались (как мы полагаем, из-за более длительного поступления токсичных металлов с кормом и питьевой водой) (11).…”