Effect of different levels and sources of iron supplementation on performance of WLH layers during summer and winter seasons

With an objective to study the effect of different levels and sources of iron supplementation on bird's performance, 280 WLH layers were randomly divided in 7 treatment groups i.e. T0 (Negative control, basal diet without iron), T1 (Positive control, inorganic feed grade iron with minimum availability of >15%), T2 (Inorganic Iron at concentration double than T1), T3 (Commercially available organic iron with minimum availability of >15%), T4 (Commercially available organic iron at concentration double than T3), T5 (Indigenously prepared organic iron with minimum availability of >15%) and T6 (Indigenously prepared organic iron at concentration double than T5), with two replicates in each. Different iron sources were supplemented through ration. The layers ageing 30 and 43 weeks during hot-humid summer (August-October) and winter (December-January) season, respectively, were reared under deep litter system. The final body weight was significantly (P<0.01) higher in T1 (during summer) and in T0 and T1 (during winter) than other groups. The percent HDEP and HHEP were significantly (P<0.05) affected both during summer and winter. There was no effect on FCR and PCR during summer but during winter FCR was better (P<0.01) in iron supplemented groups than control. It was concluded that organic iron sources in layers diet can improve their performances especially during winter season.