title: Vitamin E hypervitaminosis in laying hens.
abstract: The aim of this investigation was to contribute to the problem of overdosing vitamin E. A total of 80 laying hens, divided into 5 groups, were fed diets supplemented with 0, 100, 1000, 10,000 and 20,000 mg/kg vitamin E over a period of 20 weeks within two brooding tests. Laying performance and hatching parameters were registered. All vitamin E doses did not significantly influence health and performances of hens. Vitamin E content of eggs increased from 1 to 4, 21, 46 and 51 mg per egg with vitamin E supplementation. High doses decreased oxidative stability of abdominal fat, vitamin A concentration of liver and egg yolk colour. In both tests vitamin E supplements of 10,000 and 20,000 mg/kg feed resulted in a decrease of living hatched chicken, which demonstrated an adverse effect. Further studies seem to be necessary to explain the effect.
authors.affiliation: Federal Agricultural Research Centre (FAL), Institute of Animal Nutrition, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sünder
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Halle
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Flachowsky
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005503:Food Additives / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary*; D010058:Oviposition; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005503:Food Additives; D014810:Vitamin E