An improvement in productive and reproductive performance of aged broiler breeder hens by dietary supplementation of organic selenium.

This study was conducted to determine the optimum level of home-made selenium-enriched yeast (SeY) in the diet of broiler breeder hens and to compare the effects of this product with sodium selenite (SS) or Selemax (SM) on their productive and reproductive performance. A total of 150 broiler breeder hens were divided to six groups and hens in each group were received a basal diet containing no selenium (CG), 0.15, 0.30, 0.45 mg SeY/kg diet (SeY-0.15, SeY-0.30 and SeY-0.45, respectively), 0.30 mg SM/kg diet or 0.30 mg SS/kg diet for 15 successive weeks. The results showed that egg weight and production and hatchability rate were higher in SeY-0.45 compared to other groups (P < 0.05). Also, SeY-0.45 group led to lower embryonic mortality rate compared to CG and SS groups. Fertility rate and chick quality parameters were not affected by selenium supplementation during this period (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the dietary supplementation of home-made selenium, as an organic selenium source, can be used to improve the productive and reproductive performance in aged broiler breeder hens at 0.45 mg/kg feed.