Table 2 Body weight, biomarkers of Fe status and feed consumption throughout the study.

From: Nicotianamine-chelated iron positively affects iron status, intestinal morphology and microbial populations in vivo (Gallus gallus)

Variable

Diet

Baseline

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Body Weight (kg)

Control

0.125 ± 0.007

0.158 ± 0.004

0.195 ± 0.007

0.236 ± 0.010

0.286 ± 0.013

0.355 ± 0.016

0.365 ± 0.029

Biofortified

0.122 ± 0.006

0.160 ± 0.004

0.191 ± 0.007

0.222 ± 0.010

0.260 ± 0.014

0.318 ± 0.018

0.353 ± 0.029

Hb (g/L)

Control

72.7 ± 2.3

96.5 ± 1.6

112.2 ± 1.2***

103.5 ± 3.5

99.6 ± 3.7

82.4 ± 3.7

94.9 ± 3.6

Biofortified

72.7 ± 2.3

93.2 ± 1.6

92.5 ± 1.5

97.8 ± 3.7

104.7 ± 4.0

91.4 ± 3.4

101.2 ± 3.5

Total Body Hb (mg)

Control

2.59 ± 0.14

4.26 ± 0.124

6.15 ± 0.17***

7.09 ± 0.35

7.87 ± 0.33

8.48 ± 0.67

9.83 ± 1.01

Biofortified

2.52 ± 0.13

4.20 ± 0.124

4.72 ± 0.17

6.21 ± 0.39

7.57 ± 0.36

7.74 ± 0.70

10.06 ± 0.98

HME (%)

Control

 

12.16 ± 0.879

13.80 ± 0.67***

10.21 ± 0.77

8.32 ± 0.50

4.36 ± 0.76

3.14 ± 1.02

Biofortified

 

11.17 ± 0.879

7.14 ± 0.71

8.56 ± 0.85

8.41 ± 0.55

4.65 ± 0.76

5.84 ± 1.00

FCR

Control

 

5.85 ± 0.738

4.82 ± 0.55

6.10 ± 0.52

7.98 ± 0.51

4.09 ± 0.24

22.30 ± 3.19

Biofortified

 

4.86 ± 0.736

5.98 ± 0.55

6.14 ± 0.57

6.89 ± 0.53

3.63 ± 0.25

19.81 ± 2.99

Feed Intake (g)

Control

 

180.6 ± 20.0

157.8 ± 13.3

251.0 ± 27.4

299.9 ± 41.9

284.5 ± 29.8

243.7 ± 25.2

Biofortified

 

171.0 ± 20.0

152.6 ± 13.3

201.3 ± 27.4

244.8 ± 41.9

190.8 ± 29.8

185.6 ± 21.8

Cumulative Feed Intake (g)

Control

  

338.5 ± 31.6

589.5 ± 50.7

889.4 ± 91.2

1174.0 ± 119.0

1333.0 ± 153.0

Biofortified

  

323.6 ± 31.6

524.9 ± 50.7

769.7 ± 91.2

960.0 ± 119.0

1096.0 ± 153.0

Cumulative FCR

Control

  

4.56 ± 0.38

5.00 ± 0.39

5.45 ± 0.63

4.92 ± 0.52

6.12 ± 0.85

Biofortified

  

5.15 ± 0.38

5.25 ± 0.39

4.73 ± 0.63

4.16 ± 0.52

4.66 ± 0.73

  1. Values represent mean ± SEM of at least nine biological replicates. Asterisks denote significant differences between diet treatments for p ≤ 0.001 (***) as determined by Student’s t-test. Hb: hemoglobin, HME: hemoglobin maintenance efficiency, FCR: feed conversion ratio.
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