{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,25]],"date-time":"2026-08-25T18:37:50Z","timestamp":1787683070218,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,12]],"date-time":"2020-04-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1586649600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"the earmarked fund for Modern Agro-industry Technology Research System","award":["CARS-41"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CARS-41"]}]},{"name":"Natural Science Foundation from Guangdong province","award":["2017A030310096"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2017A030310096"]}]},{"name":"the Scientific and Technological Project of Guangdong Province","award":["2017B020202003"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2017B020202003"]}]},{"name":"the Scientific and Technological Project of Guangzhou city","award":["201804020091"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["201804020091"]}]},{"name":"the Presidential Foundation of the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences","award":["201805"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["201805"]}]},{"name":"the National Key R &amp; D Program","award":["2016YFD0501210"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2016YFD0501210"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The objective of three trials was to investigate the effects of dietary Fe on growth performance, immune organ indices and meat quality of Chinese yellow broilers during the whole growth period. A total of 1440 1-day-old, 1440 22-day-old, and 1080 43-day-old Lingnan yellow male broilers were randomly assigned to one of six dietary treatments with six replicates per treatment (40 birds per replicate for both 1 to 21 d and 22 to 42 d, 30 birds for 43 to 63 d). Additional Fe (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 mg\/kg) was added as FeSO4 \u2022 H2O to the three basal diets (calculated Fe 50 mg\/kg, analyzed 48.3, 49.1, 48.7 mg\/kg, respectively). The calculated final dietary Fe concentrations in Starter, Grower and Finisher phases were 50, 70, 90, 110, 130, and 150 mg\/kg. The results showed that average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed conversion rate (FCR) of the broilers were not influenced by the different levels of Fe (p&gt; 0.05). Weight indices of the spleen, thymus and bursa of Fabricius were not influenced (p &gt; 0.05) by the different levels of Fe during three 21-day experimental periods. Hematocrit, and Fe contents of the liver and kidney were not affected by different levels of Fe (p&gt; 0.05). The diet with 150 mg\/kg of Fe increased the a* (relative redness) value of breast muscle compared to the 50 and 70 mg\/kg diets at 24 h post mortem (p&lt; 0.05). The diet with 90 mg\/kg Fe increased the pH of breast muscle compared to broilers fed 50 or 150 mg\/kg Fe (p &lt; 0.05) 45 min after slaughter. The diet with 90 mg\/kg Fe decreased drip loss of breast muscle compared to 150 mg\/kg Fe (p&lt; 0.05). These data suggest that feeding yellow-feathered broilers on a conventional corn-soy based diet satisfies their requirements without additional Fe at ages 1 to 21, and 22 to 42 d, while 90 mg\/kg in the finisher phase improved meat quality, and from the QP (quadratic polynomial) models of the key meat quality variables, pH of breast muscle and drip loss of breast muscle, the optimal dietary Fe level was 89 to 108 mg\/kg, and daily Fe fed allowance was 11 to 13 mg in the finisher phase (43 to 63 d).<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani10040670","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,13]],"date-time":"2020-04-13T10:41:52Z","timestamp":1586774512000},"page":"670","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":34,"title":["Effects of Dietary Iron Level on Growth Performance, Immune Organ Indices and Meat Quality in Chinese Yellow Broilers"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Xiajing","family":"Lin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangzhou 510640, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhongyong","family":"Gou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangzhou 510640, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yibing","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangzhou 510640, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Long","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangzhou 510640, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8539-1471","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Qiuli","family":"Fan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangzhou 510640, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fayuan","family":"Ding","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangzhou 510640, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1967-9477","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chuntian","family":"Zheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangzhou 510640, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9251-306X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shouqun","family":"Jiang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangzhou 510640, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"599","DOI":"10.1177\/0148607112459648","article-title":"Iron metabolism in man","volume":"37","author":"Von","year":"2013","journal-title":"JPEN-Parenter. Enter."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3920","DOI":"10.3382\/ps\/pex208","article-title":"Iron requirements of broiler breeder hens","volume":"96","author":"Taschetto","year":"2017","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"NRC (1994). Nutrition Requirements of Poultry."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2353","DOI":"10.1093\/jn\/112.12.2353","article-title":"Iron status of the chick as affected by Eimeria acervulina infection and by variable iron ingestion","volume":"112","author":"Southern","year":"1982","journal-title":"J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_5","unstructured":"Ma, X.Y. (2012). Study on Relative Bioavailability of Iron Proteinate and an Optimal Dietary Iron Level for Broilers. [Ph.D. Thesis, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences]."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"407","DOI":"10.1093\/jn\/94.3.407","article-title":"Iron Utilization and Metabolism in the Chick","volume":"94","author":"Davis","year":"1968","journal-title":"J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"448","DOI":"10.1093\/japr\/16.3.448","article-title":"Effect of organically complexed copper, iron, manganese, and zinc on broiler performance, mineral excretion, and accumulation in tissues","volume":"16","author":"Bao","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Appl. Poult. Res."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1249","DOI":"10.3382\/ps.0431249","article-title":"Effects of dietary calcium and phosphorus on the utilization of dietary iron by the chick","volume":"43","author":"Waddell","year":"1964","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"199","DOI":"10.1002\/ajh.2830100212","article-title":"Factors affecting iron balance","volume":"10","author":"Conrad","year":"1981","journal-title":"Am. J. Hematol."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"485","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1432-1033.1987.tb11155.x","article-title":"Iron storage and transport","volume":"164","author":"Crichton","year":"1987","journal-title":"Eur. J. Biochem."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3607","DOI":"10.1093\/jn\/132.12.3607","article-title":"Iron deficiency and marginal vitamin A deficiency affect growth, hematological indices and the regulation of iron metabolism genes in rats","volume":"132","author":"Strube","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3189","DOI":"10.2527\/2004.82113189x","article-title":"Effects of dietary iron supplementation on growth performance, hematological status, and whole-body mineral concentrations of nursery pigs","volume":"82","author":"Rincker","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3241","DOI":"10.1007\/s00018-009-0051-1","article-title":"Mammalian iron transport","volume":"66","author":"Anderson","year":"2009","journal-title":"Cell. Mol. Life. Sci."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1571","DOI":"10.1152\/japplphysiol.00207.2017","article-title":"Effect of adipose tissue thickness, muscle site, and sex on near-infrared spectroscopy derived total-[hemoglobin+ myoglobin]","volume":"123","author":"Craig","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Appl. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"737","DOI":"10.2527\/jas.2006-231","article-title":"Effect of supplemental iron on finishing swine performance, carcass characteristics, and pork quality during retail display","volume":"85","author":"Apple","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"747","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2621.1994.tb08118.x","article-title":"Dietary iron in swine rations affects nonheme iron and TBARS in pork skeletal muscles","volume":"59","author":"Miller","year":"1994","journal-title":"J. Food. Sci."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.3382\/ps.0620085","article-title":"Effect of high fat and iron levels on the growth and mortality of chickens","volume":"62","author":"Farrow","year":"1983","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"495","DOI":"10.3382\/ps.0750495","article-title":"Effect of dietary iron concentration, age, and length of iron feeding on feed intake and tissue iron concentration of broiler chicks for use as a bioassay of supplemental iron sources","volume":"75","author":"Cao","year":"1996","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"924","DOI":"10.1111\/jpn.12885","article-title":"Effects of oxidative stress induced by high dosage of dietary iron ingested on intestinal damage and caecal microbiota in Chinese Yellow broilers","volume":"102","author":"Gou","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Anim. Physiol. An. N."},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"Ma, C.Y. (2014). Study on an Optimal Dietary Iron Level for Broilers Fed a Corn-Soybean Meal Diet from 22 to 42 Days of Age. [Ph.D. Thesis, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences]."},{"key":"ref_21","unstructured":"Sun, X.X. (2009). Effects of Supplementing Copper, Iron, Zinc, and Manganese on Growth Performance, Meat Quality, and Inmmunity of Broilers. [Ph.D. Thesis, Northwest A & F University]."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sauvant, D., Perez, J.M., and Tran, G. (2004). Tables of Composition and Nutritional Value of Feed Materials: Pigs, Poultry, Cattle, Sheep, Goats, Rabbits, Horses and Fish, Wageningen Academic Publishers.","DOI":"10.3920\/978-90-8686-668-7"},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"31","article-title":"Specification of Chinese feed ingredients and nutritional value table","volume":"21","author":"Xiong","year":"2017","journal-title":"Chin. Feed"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"529","DOI":"10.1093\/ps\/77.4.529","article-title":"Effects of dietary vitamin E on the immune system in broilers: Altered proportions of CD4 T cells in the thymus and spleen","volume":"77","author":"Erf","year":"1998","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1108","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbrc.2017.11.148","article-title":"Repetitive restraint stress changes spleen immune cell subsets through glucocorticoid receptor or \u00ce\u00b2-adrenergic receptor in a stage dependent manner","volume":"495","author":"Li","year":"2018","journal-title":"Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"723","DOI":"10.2298\/ABS0904723K","article-title":"Basic indices of spleen immune activity in natural populations of Norway rats (RattusnorvegicusBerkenhout, 1769) in Serbia","volume":"61","author":"Kataranovski","year":"2009","journal-title":"Arch. Biol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_27","unstructured":"Guang, S., Xiao, M.F., Xue, W., Xiao, H., Lei, T., and Jian, L. (2011, January 19\u201322). Effects of organic acid in Folium Isatidis on the immune organ index and activity of enzymes involved in free radicals of immunosuppressed mice. Proceedings of the 2011 International Conference on Human Health and Biomedical Engineering, Jilin, China."},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"155","article-title":"Analysis on the characteristics of histological location of bursin in immune organ of chicken and duck","volume":"36","author":"Chen","year":"2003","journal-title":"Acta. Bio. Ex. Sinica"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"407","DOI":"10.1007\/s00005-010-0095-9","article-title":"Iron and immunity: Immunological consequences of iron deficiency and overload","volume":"58","author":"Cherayil","year":"2010","journal-title":"Arch. Immunol. Ther. Ex."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1079\/PNS19930048","article-title":"Iron, infection and immune function","volume":"52","author":"Hershko","year":"1993","journal-title":"P. Nutr. Soc."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anifeedsci.2008.07.004","article-title":"The effect of iron glycine chelate on tissue mineral levels, fecal mineral concentration, and liver antioxidant enzyme activity in weanling pigs","volume":"150","author":"Feng","year":"2009","journal-title":"Anim. Feed. Sci. Tech."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1648","DOI":"10.1093\/jn\/110.8.1648","article-title":"Target Organ Pathology in Iron-Deficient Suckling Rats","volume":"110","author":"Rothenbacher","year":"1980","journal-title":"J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_33","first-page":"19","article-title":"Studies on effects of dietary iron on performance and immune function in broiler chick","volume":"11","author":"Wu","year":"1999","journal-title":"Acta Zoonutrimenta Sin."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1016\/j.livsci.2015.03.004","article-title":"Supplemental dietary iron glycine modifies growth, immune function, and antioxidant enzyme activities in broiler chickens","volume":"176","author":"Sun","year":"2015","journal-title":"Livest. Sci."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"246","DOI":"10.1021\/jf60180a051","article-title":"Biological estimation of available iron using chicks or rats","volume":"20","author":"Amine","year":"1972","journal-title":"J. Agric. Food. Chem."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1016\/S0271-5317(88)80021-6","article-title":"The Relative Bioavailability of Iron from Feedstuffs of Plant and Animal Origin to the Chick","volume":"8","author":"Chausow","year":"1988","journal-title":"Nutr. Res."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1424","DOI":"10.1093\/ps\/76.10.1424","article-title":"Iron Bioavailability in Soybean Meal as Affected by Supplemental Phytase and 1\u03b1-Hydroxycholecalciferol","volume":"76","author":"Biehl","year":"1997","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"514","DOI":"10.3382\/ps.2009-00326","article-title":"Using the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus) as an in vivo model for iron bioavailability","volume":"89","author":"Tako","year":"2010","journal-title":"Poult. Sci."},{"key":"ref_39","first-page":"209","article-title":"Distribution of iron and copper in the liver and spleen of veal calves in relation to the concentration of iron in the diet","volume":"40","author":"Adbelrahim","year":"1986","journal-title":"J. Vet. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"283","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02213991","article-title":"Some aspects of extra iron supply in veal calf fattening","volume":"10","author":"Wensing","year":"1986","journal-title":"Vet. Res. Commun."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1501","DOI":"10.5713\/ajas.2008.80085","article-title":"The effect of level and period of Fe-methionine chelate supplementation on the iron content of boiler meat","volume":"21","author":"Seo","year":"2008","journal-title":"Asian. Austral. J. Anim."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"573","DOI":"10.2527\/jas1972.344573x","article-title":"Effect of elevated dietary levels of iron on iron store in liver, some blood constituents and phosphorus deficiency in young swine","volume":"34","author":"Furugouri","year":"1972","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_43","first-page":"1742","article-title":"Effect of Ultimate pH on Postmortem Myofibrillar Protein Degradation and Meat Quality Characteristics of Chinese Yellow Crossbreed Cattle","volume":"4","author":"Li","year":"2014","journal-title":"Sci. World J."},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chemolab.2016.03.011","article-title":"Prediction of the pH as indicator of porcine meat quality using Raman spectroscopy and metaheuristics","volume":"154","author":"Nache","year":"2016","journal-title":"Chemometr. Intell. Lab."},{"key":"ref_45","first-page":"50","article-title":"Harmonized methodology for evaluating the water-holding capacity of chicken breast and its correlation with meat color, tenderness and pH24h","volume":"35","author":"Xinru","year":"2014","journal-title":"Food. Sci."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"997","DOI":"10.1089\/ars.2007.1893","article-title":"Intracellular iron transport and storage: From molecular mechanisms to health implications","volume":"10","author":"Mackenzie","year":"2008","journal-title":"Antioxid Redox Sign."},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.14710\/jitaa.39.1.37-44","article-title":"Supplementation of vitamin E and C in feed on meat quality, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARs) and myoglobin level of muscovy duck meat","volume":"39","author":"Tugiyanti","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Indones. Trop. Anim. Agric."},{"key":"ref_48","unstructured":"Wensing, T., Miltenburg, G.A.J., and Breukink, H.J. (2019, December 28). Iron Status of New-Born Calves and Effects of Supplementation with Different Amounts of Iron in Veal Calf Fattening. Available online: http:\/\/agris.fao.org\/agris-search\/search.do?recordID=NL9107233."}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/10\/4\/670\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,13]],"date-time":"2025-10-13T13:30:38Z","timestamp":1760362238000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/10\/4\/670"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,12]]},"references-count":48,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,4]]}},"alternative-id":["ani10040670"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani10040670","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,4,12]]}}}