The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of sodium bentonite (Na-B) (0, 5 and 10 g/kg diet) and chromium picolinate (CrPic) (0,800 and 1200 µg/Cr /kg diet) in the diet on chicken productive and reproductive traits, some blood serum constitute, egg quality as well as the immune response. in this experiment 270 laying hens and 54 cocks of Matrouh local strain at 28 weeks of age were randomly distributed into 9 treatment groups (30 hens + 6 cocks / each treatment) in a factorial arrangement (3x3). Chicken fed diets were contaminated with Aflatoxin (AFB1),7.55 µg/kg dry matter (DM) during the laying period.
Rations with Na-B significantly (P≤0.05 or P≤0.01) improved body weight changes (BWC), egg weight, egg production and egg mass during the period from 28-40 wks of age. As well as, Haugh units, serum calcium and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) at 40 Wks of age. Likewise, results of cocks revealed improvement blood testosterone value, percentages of sperm motility and sperm cell concentration, fertility eggs % and hatchability/total eggs. Na-B supplementation significantly (P≤0.05 or P≤0.01) decreased feed intake, serum cholesterol, malonidialdehyde (MDA) values, dead spermatozoa (%) and seminal MDA.
CrPic supplementation diet significantly (P≤0.05 or P≤0.01) increased BWC, egg weight, production rate, egg mass, yolk index, Haugh unit, thickness of egg shell, albumen percentage, the titer of sheep red blood cells (SRBCs), serum total protein, albumin, insulin and Ca concentrations. CrPic improved blood testosterone, physical semen properties and seminal MDA. However, significant decreased yolk weight percentage and serum cholesterol.
Moreover, egg weight and egg mass, yolk index and Haugh unit, SRBCs concentrations, and blood testosterone of cocks, sperm motility, dead spermatozoa and sperm cell concentration, values of fertility eggs % and hatchability/fertile eggs (%) were significantly influenced by the interaction between dietary Na-B and CrPic.
It is clear that, supplementing the chicken diet with both 10 g Na-B and 1200 µg CrPic /kg diet alone or together is recommended for improving most of productive traits, including egg and semen quality, fertility and hatchability and serum biochemical traits as well as improved immune responses.