Effects of vitamin K3 supplementation on growth performance and bone quality of broiler chickens

Abstract

Vitamin K is involved in blood clotting process and plays an important role in bone formation. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the supplementation of different levels of vitamin K₃ on growth performance and bone parameters of broiler chickens. For this purpose, 1,500 broiler chickens were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design. The treatments consisted of a control diet containing 1.6 mg of vitamin K₃/kg of diet and 5 levels of vitamin K₃ (11.6 mg/kg; 21.6 mg/kg; 41.6 mg/kg, 61.6 mg/kg and 81.6 mg/kg), with 5 replicates and 50 chickens per experimental unit. At 7, 21, and 40 days of age, growth performance (body weight, body weight gain, feed intake and feed:gain ratio) and bone parameters (bone length and diameter, Seedor index and bone strength) were evaluated. The increase in vitamin K₃ levels improved the feed intake, body weight and body weight gain in the pre-initial phase. At 40 days old, all performance parameters were similar among the different levels of vitamin K₃. At 21 and 40 days of age, bone parameters were impaired as dietary levels of vitamin K₃ increased. The results suggest that the recommended level of vitamin K₃ in broiler chicken diets is 1.6 mg/kg of diet.