Effect of Supplemental Cyanocobalamin on the Growth Performance and Hematological Indicators of the White Pekin Ducks from Hatch to Day 21

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Vitamin B12 plays a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system as well as creation and regulation of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). Furthermore, vitamin B12 plays a significant role in fatty acid metabolism and energy generation. Deficiency of vitamin B12 in animals may lead to weakness and anemia because it is involved in the formation of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen to body cells and red blood cells. Similarly, deficiency of vitamin B12 may also lead to hyperhomocysteinemia (increased level of homocysteine in the blood) which may depress immunity and cause cardiovascular diseases. There is no literature available regarding cyanocobalamin requirement for Pekin ducks. Therefore, the aim of our study is to determine its requirement. However, we find that cyanocobalamin has no influence on growth performance (weight gain), but it has more effect on hematological indicators (blood). On the basis of growth performance and hematological indicators we suggest that 0.02 mg cyanocobalamin/kg of feed is the dietary requirement of male Pekin ducks from hatch to day 21. ABSTRACT: The experiment was conducted to evaluate the requirement of cyanocobalamin of male Pekin ducks from hatch to 21 days of age. A total of three-hundred-eighty-four, one-day-old meat-type male Pekin ducks were randomly allocated to six treatments, i.e., dietary cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) concentrations of 0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08 and 1.00 mg/kg, respectively in their feed. Each treatment had eight replicated pens with eight ducks for each pen. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. The experiment was conducted for 21 days. Different growth parameters including average daily weight gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and hematological indicators were evaluated because, on the basis of hematological indicators, the health and nutritional status of an animal can be accessed. It is observed that supplemental cyanocobalamin has no significant effect on ADG, ADFI, and FCR but it improves hematological parameters such as white blood cells, red blood cells, and its indices and platelet counts compared to the control group (p < 0.05). On the basis of growth performance and hematological indicators it is concluded that 0.02 mg cyanocobalamin/kg of feed is the dietary requirement of male Pekin ducks from hatch to day 21 of age.