The Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Fe-methionine Chelate and FeSO4 on the Iron Content of Broiler Meat

A broiler experiment was conducted to compare the effects of supplementary iron sources and levels on the iron content of broiler meat. Two hundred and fifty hatched Ross broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments. Each treatment had 5 replicates of 10 birds (5 males and 5 females). Birds were housed in raised floor batteries and fed traditional broiler diets ad libitum for 5 weeks. Dietary treatments were as follows: Control, Fe-Met 100 (100 ppm iron as Fe-methionine), Fe-Met 200, $FeSO_4$ 100 (100 ppm iron as $FeSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$) and $FeSO_4\;200$. There were no significant differences among treatments in parameters related to production performance. Liver contained approximately 10 times more iron than the leg muscle which contained approximately 3 times more iron than either breast muscle or wing muscle. Significant differences in iron content in the broiler meat were observed. In the breast meat, Fe-Met treatments were significantly (p<0.05) higher than other treatments in iron content. In the leg meat, Fe-Met treatments and $FeSO_4\;200$ treatment were significantly higher than the control in iron content. In the wing muscle, Fe-Met 200 treatment was significantly higher than other treatments in iron content. Iron content in the liver was significantly influenced by source and supplementation level of iron. Fe-Met treatments were higher than $FeSO_4$ treatments and 200 ppm treatments were higher than 100 ppm treatments in iron content in the liver. It is concluded that iron-methionine chelate is more efficient than iron sulfate and 200 ppm iron supplementation as Fe-Met is recommended for maximum iron enrichment in broiler meat.