The effects of maternal thiamine nutrition on thiamine status of the offspring in broiler chickens

The response of broiler chickens to a wide range of dietary supplementation of thiamine to broiler breeder diet was studied in order to understand the effects of maternal thiamine nutrition on the status of thiamine indices in the offspring. Thiamine, and thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) content, and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (KGDH) activity were measured in hearts from 20 day old chicken embryos and from chickens at 1, 7, 14, and 21 days of age and in blood at 21 days of age. Total thiamine content in the heart of day old chicks was higher in comparison to 20 day old embryos. Maternal supplementation of thiamine increased heart thiamine in the offspring (p < 0.001), and increased the activity of KGDH in the hearts of day old chicks (p < 0.001), but not in the embryo. The TPP content in the heart increased in response to both maternal and offspring thiamine supplementation (p < 0.001), however the effect of broiler thiamine supplementation was largely independent from the maternal effect. The effect of maternal thiamine nutrition on the offspring's heart KGDH activity was apparent, but the responses to broiler supplementation were dependent largely on the maternal effect. Blood TPP content was not affected by maternal thiamine supplementation (p = 0.39), but thiamine supplementation in the offspring diets increased blood TPP (p < 0.001). Both maternal and offspring thiamine supplementation increased blood free base thiamine content (both p < 0.001). It is concluded from this study that maternal thiamine nutrition affects thiamine status indices and thiamine metabolism of the offspring.