Feeding diets supplemented with zinc and vitamin A in laying hens: Effects on histopathological findings and tissue mineral contents

The effects of different dietary levels of zinc and vitamin A on tissue mineral accumulation and histopathological alterations were examined in laying hens. For this purpose, 130 Hisex brown laying hens aged 56 weeks were divided into two main groups. Each group of hens were fed on diets supplemented with two different levels of vitamin A (010 000 IU kg-1). Then, laying hens in both of the main groups were subdivided into five treatment groups given different levels of zinc (0, 25, 50, 100, and 200mg kg-1) for 12 weeks. Dietary additions of zinc and/or vitamin A did not significantly affect the zinc concentrations of the pancreas, liver, gizzard, thyroid, and copper concentrations of the pancreas, gizzard, and thyroid. The group fed the highest zinc (200 mg kg-1) in the diet had twofold iron concentration in their thyroid tissue compared to the concentration of the control group receiving no extra zinc. Histopathologically, there was slight oedema, degranulation, and vacuolation in exocrine cells and some fibrotic areas in the pancreas and reduced follicular size. Follicular cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia occurred in the thyroids, and gizzard erosions were seen in some cases. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.