Biotin requirements of broiler breeders fed diets of different protein content and effect of insufficient biotin on the viability of progeny

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Abstract
Production of eggs or normal chicks was depressed when practical diets containing 168 g or 137 g of crude protein (CP)/kg were not supplemented with synthetic biotin. Overall egg production and hatchability of fertile eggs was significantly (P < 0.05) higher with the diets containing 137 g CP/kg. Biotin requirement was higher with the diet containing 168 g CP/kg and was about 100 .mu.g of available biotin/kg, equivalent to a daily intake of 16 .mu.g for food-restricted hens. Biotin concentrations in egg yolk and chick plasma were related to maternal intake and increased with maternal age. The minimum yolk biotin concentration indicative of adequate maternal status was about 550 .mu.g/g. Chicks from yound hens fed insufficent biotin had the poorest biotin status at hatching and their growth potential and viability were reduced.