Turkey hen zinc source affects progeny immunity and disease resistance

Progeny immunocompetence and disease resistance from turkey hens receiving dietary supplemental zinc was investigated. Twelve hens received a diet tha t contained 82 mg/kg Zn. Diets were supplemented with 40 mg/kg Zn sulfate ( ZnSO4) or 40 mg/kg Zn methionine (ZnM) and analyzed to contain 122 and 118 mg/kg total Zn, respectively (six replications per treatment). Progeny rece ived a corn and soybean meal diet containing 92 mg/kg Zn. Hens supplemented with ZnM had progeny with heavier (P less than or equal to .05) bursa of F abricius as a percentage of poult body weight (BW). Blood monocytes were is olated from poults at 7 days of age, and hens receiving ZnM had progeny wit h higher (P less than or equal to .01) blood leukocyte Zn concentrations. C utaneous basophil hypersensitivity response elicited by phytohemagglutinin- P (PHA-P) was higher (P less than or equal to .05) in progeny from hens sup plemented with ZnM. Subsequent hypersensitivity measurements with PHA-P or pokeweed mitogen did not differ between Zn sources. Macrophage function of poults was evaluated after Bordetella avium inoculation. Poults from hens s upplemented with ZnM had higher (P less than or equal to .06) percentage ma crophages adhered to glass surfaces. However, poults from hens supplemented with ZnM had depressed 21-day BW (P less than or equal to .05) after B. av ium inoculation. Results indicate that dietary ZnM supplementation to hens may aid progeny immune organ development and enhance nonspecific immunity. However, progeny from hens supplemented with ZnM had a depressed BW after B . avium infection that may have been due to a heightened immune response.