Effect of iron nanoparticles and liquid methionine (Alimet) in ovo feeding and diet on broiler chicken performance

An experiment was conducted with 644 Ross strain fertilized eggs in 8 treatments and 4 replicates. Experimental treatments were: 1-(without any injection) control; 2-Injection of sodium chloride 0.9 percent) control; 3- Injection of 25ppm Iron sulphate (III); 4- Injection of 25ppm Iron nanoparticle; 5- injection of 10 ppm Alimet (liquid methionine); 6- Injection of 150ppm Iron-Alimet chelate; 7- Injection of 100ppm Iron nanoparticle and Alimet and 8- Adding of 0.002g/kg Iron nanoparticles to diet. On the day of incubation, the yolk sac of in ovo injection groups was identified by candling and 0.3 mL of each in ovo solution was injected. Treatments receiving iron nanoparticles+Alimet chelate significantly increased post-hatch chicken weight compared to treatments receiving iron, iron nanoparticles and Alimet (P<0.05). Also iron nanoparticles+Alimet increased chick weight to egg weight ratio compared to all other treatments except for two control treatments. All in ovo injection treatments except for iron nanoparticles+Alimet chelate significantly decreased percentage hatchability (P 0.05). There was a significant improvement in feed conversion ratio of in ovo iron nanoparticles+Alimet injected compared to other treatments during starter period (P<0.05). In ovo injection of iron nanoparticles+Alimet and dietary supplementation of iron nanoparticles significantly increased production index at 1-21 d of age (P<0.05). In total results indicated that injection of iron nanoparticles+Alimet in hatching fertile eggs improved performance parameters in broilers.