Vol. 10, Issue 8, Part E (2025)

Author(s): Anil Shinde, Vaibhav Solapure, Girraj Goyal, Bhavna Aharwal, Sahil Kumar and Laxmi Chouhan

Abstract: Over the past four decades, the poultry sector in India has transformed from a small-scale backyard enterprise into a large, organized, and commercially driven agro-industry. This progress has been fueled by the development of high-yielding layer strains (310-340 eggs) and fast-growing broilers (2.4-2.6 kg at 6 weeks), along with advancements in nutrition, housing, management, and health care practices. Breeder performance is central to sustaining chick supply in commercial production systems. While several factors such as genetics, age, management practices, reproductive health, microclimate, and biosecurity affect breeder productivity, nutritional status remains one of the most critical determinants. Fertility, a key driver of profitability, is strongly influenced by breeder nutrition. Balanced supplementation of energy, protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins (A, D, E), minerals (selenium, zinc), amino acids and their derivatives (L-carnitine, L-arginine, D-aspartic acid, guanidinoacetic acid), as well as functional additives like probiotics, phytochemicals (ginger, turmeric, lycopene, chrysin), and algae-based products has been shown to enhance reproductive efficiency. Ingredients such as dietary betaine (3 g/kg) improve egg production, semen quality, fertility, and hatchability while lowering embryonic mortality. Additionally, magnetized water has been reported to improve semen quality and hatchability in breeder flocks. In Conclusion, ensuring optimal quality and quantity of nutrients in breeder diets is essential for maximizing fertility, hatchability, and overall productivity in commercial poultry operations.