1. Experiment Background 

Vitamin D₃ is a key nutrient for maintaining poultry health and production performance. It needs to be converted into its active form in the liver and kidneys to exert physiological functions. However, this conversion process is easily affected by factors such as liver and kidney function, stress, diet, environment, or diseases. As an active metabolite of vitamin D₃, 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ does not require hydroxylation in the liver, and has higher absorption efficiency and biological value, thus attracting much attention in the field of poultry nutrition. D-NOVO  25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ is independently developed and produced by our company using biosynthetic technology. It features high absorption efficiency (water-soluble active ingredients), good stability, excellent mixing uniformity, and environmental friendliness. 

2. Experiment Objective 

To study the effects of adding different doses of vitamin D₃ and 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ from different sources to the diet on the production performance of broiler breeders and their offspring broilers. 

3. Experiment Design 

A total of 640 42-week-old Wode 188 parent-generation broiler breeders were selected and divided into 4 treatment groups, with 8 replicates per group and 20 chickens per replicate. The pre-trial period lasted for 3 weeks, and the formal trial period lasted for 7 weeks. Hatched male chicks were selected for the offspring broiler feeding trial.

4. Experiment Results 

4.1 D-NOVO ^® Increases the Hatchability of Broiler Breeders 

Compared with different doses of vitamin D₃ and the competitor’s product, D-NOVO ^® 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ increased the hatchability of broiler breeders by 11.22%, 6.46%, and 5.56% respectively

4.2 D-NOVO ^® Increases 25-Hydroxyvitamin D₃ Content in Breeder Serum and Freeze-Dried Egg Yolk 

Compared with both low-dose and high-dose vitamin D₃, as well as the competitor’s 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃, D-NOVO ^® 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ extremely significantly increased the content of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ in breeder serum and freeze-dried egg yolk.

4.3 D-NOVO ^® 25-Hydroxyvitamin D₃ Reduces Mortality of Breeders and Offspring Broilers 

Compared with the other three groups, D-NOVO ^® 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ significantly reduced the mortality of breeders and offspring broilers aged 0-14 days. 

This indicates that D-NOVO ^® 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ improves the immunity and health of breeders, and at the same time enhances the health of offspring broilers through the mother-offspring integration effect.

4.4 D-NOVO ^® 25-Hydroxyvitamin D₃ Improves Feed Conversion Efficiency of Offspring Broilers 

Compared with the other three groups, D-NOVO ^® 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ reduced the feed-to-meat ratio of offspring broilers by 0.02-0.05. This shows that adding D-NOVO ^® 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ to the diet of broiler breeders is beneficial to improving the feed conversion efficiency of their offspring broilers.

5. Experiment Conclusion 

Adding D-NOVO ^® 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ to the diet of broiler breeders can increase their hatchability and immunity, and improve the health of offspring broilers through the mother-offspring transmission effect, while reducing the feed-to-meat ratio of offspring broilers.