ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2010, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (3): 371-376.doi:

• 研究简报 • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of Lutein on Reproductive Performance and Maternal IgG Transferring to Offspring of Quails

A Lun, DONG Xiaofang, TONG Jianming*, ZHANG qi, WU Yingying   

  1. State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Science,Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
  • Received:2009-01-14 Revised:1900-01-01 Online:2010-03-24 Published:2010-03-24
  • Contact: TONG Jianming

Abstract: This experiment was conducted to study the effects of lutein on reproductive performance and maternal IgG transferring to offspring of quails. 144 1dold parental generation North Korea Longcheng quails were randomly divided into four treatments groups with 3 replicates of 12 quails each. Wheatsoybean basal diet was used, and the treatment groups were supplied with 0, 50, 100 and 150 mg·kg-1 lutein. At 10 weeks old age, 2 quails each replicates were randomly selected and serum IgG levels were tested by ELISA. Then fertilized eggs were collected and hatched. Hatching rate, fertilization rate and death rate were calculated. Newly hatched birds were reared under the same condition, but without lutein in basal diet. On d 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21, 2 birds per replicate were selected and serum IgG levels were tested. The results showed that lutein could significantly improve fertilization rate and hatching rate of quails (P<0.05), significantly reduce death rate of embryos (P<0.05). Lutein had no significant impact on female quails serum IgG contents (P>0.05), but could significantly increase IgG deposition in egg yolk (P<0.05). Serum IgG levels of new hatched quails were correlated with lutein contents in the diet, and 150 mg·kg-1 lutein could significantly increase serum IgG levels of 1dold quails (P<0.05). Conclusion: Lutein could significantly improve reproductive performance of quails, and raise serum IgG level of offspring by promoting maternal IgG deposition in egg yolk.