About this Research Topic
The importance of trace minerals (TM) is continuously increasing in commercial poultry nutrition because of their implications in many metabolic processes and functions. Among essential trace minerals, those receiving particular attention in poultry nutrition are: copper, iron, manganese, zinc, cobalt, iodine and selenium.
Feedstuffs used in poultry feed generally contain inadequate concentrations of TM, which are added to broiler diets as inorganic salts. The limited knowledge of the TM requirements of modern hybrids, as well the high availability and low cost of these nutrients, have contributed to the adoption of large safety margins to avoid deficiencies. This approach leads to an excessive mineral excretion with severe implications on environmental pollution. Consequently, the use of organically complexed or chelated minerals has increased. Organic TM complexes are compounds constituted by a metal atom together with ligands such as proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates or lipids, that contribute to improve mineral bioavailability.
This Research Topic will focus on trace mineral requirements of modern poultry hybrids used for meat and egg production, bioavailability of TM sources, updating the role of TM in bird metabolism and physiology, optimize TM nutrition to reduce mineral excretion while improving product quality.
The scope of this Research Topic is to collect new information concerning TM nutrition and its implication on metabolism and physiology in modern poultry hybrids. Special emphasis will be given to studies dealing with the optimization of TM supplementation to improve animal performances, environmental sustainability and product quality.
Feedstuffs used in poultry feed generally contain inadequate concentrations of TM, which are added to broiler diets as inorganic salts. The limited knowledge of the TM requirements of modern hybrids, as well the high availability and low cost of these nutrients, have contributed to the adoption of large safety margins to avoid deficiencies. This approach leads to an excessive mineral excretion with severe implications on environmental pollution. Consequently, the use of organically complexed or chelated minerals has increased. Organic TM complexes are compounds constituted by a metal atom together with ligands such as proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates or lipids, that contribute to improve mineral bioavailability.
This Research Topic will focus on trace mineral requirements of modern poultry hybrids used for meat and egg production, bioavailability of TM sources, updating the role of TM in bird metabolism and physiology, optimize TM nutrition to reduce mineral excretion while improving product quality.
The scope of this Research Topic is to collect new information concerning TM nutrition and its implication on metabolism and physiology in modern poultry hybrids. Special emphasis will be given to studies dealing with the optimization of TM supplementation to improve animal performances, environmental sustainability and product quality.
Keywords: Trace mineral, Organic minerals, Inorganic minerals, Biovailability, Requirements, Poultry, Nutrition, Metabolism, Environment, Product quality
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