In ovo vitamin D3 injection leads to a long-term improvement of bone development in laying chicks.

ABSTRACT: Laying hens are prolific egg producers, and the nutrient composition of breeder eggs critically influences the growth and development of offspring chicks. This study investigated the long-term effects of in ovo vitamin D3 injection (IOI-VD3) on bone development in chicks hatched from eggs laid during the late laying stage (68 weeks old, termed eggs-late). Compared to eggs from the peak laying period (44 weeks old, eggs-peak), eggs-late exhibited significantly lower phosphorus (↓7 %, P = 0.077) and vitamin D3 (↓26.9 %, P < 0.001). Consequently, chicks from eggs-late demonstrated inferior bone development at both 1 day (lower leg bone weight by 18 %, P < 0.05) and 4 weeks (reduced bone mineral content by 10 %; P < 0.05) of age relative to eggs-peak chicks. Notably, IOI-VD3 efficiently improv

SUBMITTER: Sun Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12362118 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature