β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin and violaxanthin in the eggs, whereas the BKT diet yielded eggs containing astaxanthin and other ketocarotenoids.


Study 2 In this study researchers showed that chickens raised on a diet enriched with an engineered corn variety containing very high levels of four key carotenoids (β-carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin and lutein) are healthy and accumulate more bioavailable carotenoids in peripheral tissues, muscle, skin and fat, and more retinol in the liver, than birds fed on standard corn diets (including commercial corn supplemented with colour additives).


Anticoccidial Birds were challenged with the protozoan parasite Eimeria tenella and those on the high-carotenoid diet grew normally, suffered only mild disease symptoms and had 75% lower faecal oocyst counts than birds on the control diet (commercial corn supplemented with colour additives). Enhanced resistance against oocysts was observed in chickens


fed the high carotenoid diet. Poultry reared on the high carotenoid- enriched corn diet exhibited a reduction in the severity of coccidiosis symptoms concomitant with a delay in the parasite life cycle, resulting


in reduced oocyst load in the faeces. Researchers suggested that the high-carotenoid diet appears to delay the E. tenella reproductive cycle as one of the mechanisms of enhancing the immune system.


Footpad dermatitis The incidences of footpad dermatitis and digital ulcers were significantly lower in animals fed the carotenoid-rich diet, suggesting that this diet protects against lesions in the presence but also in the absence of coccidiosis.


Remarks - The greater bioavailability of carotenoids in genetically engineered maize compared to feed with carotenoid supplements (such as vitamin A and colour additives) provides an additional incentive for the development of biofortification strategies to achieve nutritional improvement in poultry at a possibly lower production cost. - Carotenoid-enhanced corn could be used as a complementary strategy to boost resistance to coccidiosis and increase the efficacy of vaccines against coccidiosis and other diseases. - Overall, carotenoid-rich corn maintains poultry health and increases the nutritional value of poultry products without the use of common colour feed additives.


Flock health influences carotenoid deposition in the yolk By Fernando Cisneros, DSM Nutritional Products


Only healthy birds are able to deliver most of feed-derived carotenoids to the egg yolk, therefore a bright yolk colour can be considered an indicator of the good health and performance of the flock.


Colour is one of the most important factors affecting consumer choices through sensory evaluation of food, including egg yolks. In most countries, golden yolks have been traditionally associated with good health, and despite regional differences on the preferred shade of red and yellow, intense, bright colours are recognized as a sign of a healthy yolk. Moreover, eggs with vivid yolk colour can be used to cook attractive pasta, bakery products or sauces. The yolk consists of fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and carotenoids. Carotenoids are responsible for yolk colour, but also required for the development of other physiological functions. One of the most important of them is a competent immune system,


essential for laying hens. There is a trade-off between carotenoids transferred to the egg versus those used to support other functions.


Carotenoids – brief history and benefits Carotenoids are the most numerous and widespread group of pigments. In 1831, Wackenroder isolated from carrots the crystalline yellow carotenoid then called carotene and in 1837 Berzelius extracted the yellow carotenoids of autumn leaves and named them xanthophylls (Tee, 1992; Karnaukhov, 1990). 100 years later, the number of known naturally occurring carotenoids was about 15 in 1933, 80 in 1948, and rose sharply to about 300 over the next 20 years (Ong and Tee, 1992). Today, the carotenoid family is known to include over 750 compounds (Maoka, 2009) that provide different colours from light yellow to dark red. When complexed with proteins, they can produce green and blue colourations (Ong and Tee, 1992). Historically, carotenoids have been known for their egg yolk pigmenting properties and thought responsible to play specific roles in avian embryonic development (Surai, 2002). Nowadays, a growing body of research shows that when specific carotenoids such as canthaxanthin are added to the diet, they can improve the antioxidant capacity of eggs. (Rosa et al, 2012).


Original article published on DSM Feed Talks FEED COMPOUNDER MARCH/APRIL 2020 PAGE 23


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