Recently, the innovative team led by Prof. Luo Xugang in the Institute of Animal Science (IAS) of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) has made a new progress in the organic mineral elements research in the field of nutrition. The organic iron source as iron proteinate was found to be more absorbable compared with inorganic ferrous sulfate. Corresponding research paper entitled Relative Bioavailability of Iron Proteinate for Broilers Fed a Casein-dextrose Diet has been published on the Poultry Science in 2014 (issue 93).

As we know, China is the second largest producer and consumer of broilers in the world. Chicken, which contains high protein content, low fat level and easily absorbed features, is the second largest meat source following pork in the Chinese diet. Iron is an essential trace element in broilers’ growing process, especially the iron requirements of fast-growing broilers are high. However, there are many factors that limit dietary iron absorption and utilization, so the iron that broilers obtained from diets can’t meet the needs of optimum growth. In order to ensure better performance of broiler, usually we add exogenous iron in broiler diet. The frequently used form in broilers’ diet is inorganic iron. Currently, we have recognized the disadvantages of inorganic iron, such as hygroscopic, oxidative damage to vitamins and other feed components, low absorptive efficiency. Thus various kinds of organic iron have been developed and used in the feed industry, and some of them are more stable and similar with the forms in vivo.

In order to confirm the advantages of different organic iron sources, the team carried out a study on the utilization of new organic proteinate iron for broilers. The results indicated that the overall hemoglobin concentration and hemoglobin iron in chicken can sensitively reflect the differences between the broiler bioavailability of different iron sources. Iron proteinate use was significantly higher than inorganic ferrous sulfate in improving hemoglobin concentration and broiler chickens overall quantity of hemoglobin iron. The research results are expected to guide the broiler production, and provide a theoretical basis for the selection of additive iron feed for broiler.