Effects of iron glycine chelate on laying performance, antioxidant activities, serum biochemical indices, iron concentrations and transferrin mRNA expression in laying hens

Abstract This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of iron glycine chelate (Fe‐Gly) on laying performance, antioxidant enzyme activities, serum biochemical indices and iron concentrations in laying hens. A total of 810 laying hens (Hy‐Line Variety White, 26 weeks old) were randomly assigned to six groups with five replicates of 27 layers. Hens in the control group received diet supplemented with 60 mg Fe/kg as FeSO 4 , while hens in other five groups received the diet supplemented with 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 mg Fe/kg from Fe‐Gly respectively. The results showed that dietary Fe‐Gly treatments significantly influenced ( p < 0.01) the laying rate and egg weight of layers, compared with the control group. Concerning to CuZn‐superoxide dismutase (CuZn‐SOD) and total superoxide dismutase (T‐SOD) activity, Fe‐Gly groups (60, 80 mg Fe/kg) were promoted significantly ( p < 0.01) compared with 0 mg Fe/kg group. The concentrations of Fe in serum, liver, kidney, spleen and ovary were increased significantly with the level dietary Fe‐Gly raised where Fe‐Gly groups (60, 80 mg Fe/kg) had observably higher Fe concentration than the control ( p < 0.01) in serum, kidney and spleen. There was a trend that transferrin mRNA expression was decreased with the increase of Fe as Fe‐Gly in diets, and compared with the control, the expression was lower in the group fed diet with 60 mg/kg Fe as Fe‐Gly. In conclusion, Fe‐Gly (60 mg Fe/kg) had improved laying rate, egg weight, SOD enzyme activity, Fe absorption and protein synthesis in body and promoted iron metabolism in laying hens. Moreover, Fe‐Gly (40 mg/kg Fe) had the similar effect with control group. It revealed that FeSO 4 could be substituted by lower concentration of Fe‐Gly and Fe‐Gly may be superior to FeSO 4 for iron fortification to laying hens.