Vitamin D Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vitamin D, including details on sources, melanin, benefits, deficiency, supplements, calcium absorption.

Evaluation of the efficacy of vitamin D3 or its metabolites on thiram-induced tibial dyschondroplasia in chickens.

Rath NC, Kannan L, Pillai PB, Huff WE, Huff GR, Horst RL, Emmert JL

Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Poultry Science Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, United States. nrath@uark.edu

Two trials were conducted to determine if thiram-induced tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) in chickens was linked to a vitamin D deficiency and calcium homeostasis dysregulation, and whether feeding vitamin D fortified diets may prevent it. Day-old chickens were given grower diets containing different vitamin D products throughout the experiment until necropsy on day 16. Half of the birds in each feed group received thiram at levels of 100 ppm (trial 1) or 50 ppm (trial 2) between days 7-9 to induce TD. The birds were weighed, bled, and euthanized to determine TD incidences and severity by examining the growth plates. Tibial bones were used to measure biomechanical strength and ash content. Blood concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, Ca, P, alkaline phosphatase, and creatine kinase were measured in serum that showed no differences between different groups. Thiram reduced body weight and induced TD regardless of any vitamin D treatment to the same extent as untreated birds.

Published 2 July 2007 in Res Vet Sci, 83(2): 244-50.
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