Effects of β-carotene supplementation in the diet of laying breeder hens on the growth performance and liver development of offspring chicks

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth performance, growth regulating factors, and liver morphology of chicks hatched from egg-laying breeding hens dietary supplemented with additives (β-carotene). Hy-line breeding hens were allocated into three groups with three replicates/group. The dietary treatments were as follows: basal diet as a control (Con), basal diet supplemented with 120 (βc-L) or 240 (βc-H) mg/kg of β-carotene diet. After 6 weeks, the eggs were collected and incubated. The hatched chicks were fed the same diet. The results showed that chicks in the βc-L group increased in body weight at 21 days (p < 0.01). At 42 days, chicks in the βc-H group showed a significant increase in tibia length (p < 0.05). The liver index increased in the βc-L and βc-H groups at 7 days (p < 0.05). Serum HGF (7, 14, 21, and 42 days) and leptin (14 days) were significantly increased in the group supplemented with βc. Hepatic GHR (14 days), IGF-1R (14 days), and LEPR (21 days) mRNA expression were significantly increased. In addition, there was an increase in PCNA-positive cells in the liver of chicks in the βc group. In conclusion, the addition of β-carotene to the diet of laying breeder hens was more advantageous in terms of growth performance and liver development of the offspring.