Effect of maternal canthaxanthin and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation on the performance of ducklings under two different vitamin regimens.

This study investigated the effects of maternal canthaxanthin (CX, 6 mg/kg) and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-D , 0.069 mg/kg) supplementation on the performance of Cherry Valley ducklings under two different vitamin regimens. A total of 780 duck breeder females and 156 males were randomly allotted to two diets with or without the addition of the mixture of CX and 25-OH-D (CX+25-OH-D ) for 32 weeks. Ducklings (males and females separately) hatched from eggs laid at 24 weeks of the duck breeder trial were fed with a NRC vitamin regimen, and ducklings (males and females separately) hatched from eggs laid at 32 weeks of the duck breeder trial were fed with a HIGH vitamin regimen (had higher levels of all vitamins except biotin than NRC vitamin regimen), for 14 days. The results showed that, maternal CX+25-OH-D supplementation increased the shank pigmentation for 7-days post hatch in ducklings under a NRC vitamin regimen, and for 14-days post hatch in ducklings under a HIGH vitamin regimen. Growth performance, antioxidant status and serum phosphorus of ducklings under a NRC vitamin regimen were increased by maternal CX+25-OH-D supplementation; however, these positive effects were not observed in ducklings under a HIGH vitamin regimen. Males revealed increased growth performance in ducklings under both NRC and HIGH vitamin regimens. Sexual differences in shank pigmentation, antioxidant status, tibia strength and serum phosphorus were not consistent as they were dependent on maternal CX+25-OH-D status or dietary vitamin regimens. Data suggest that maternal CX+25-OH-D supplementation is important for starter ducklings under a NRC vitamin regimen, but not HIGH vitamin regimen.