Role of minerals in disease prevention, pollution control, and productivity in chickens: review

Poultry require minerals in their feed for efficient poultry production. Minerals are responsible for supporting growth, bone development, and strength (e.g., Ca, P, Mg, and Cu); producing eggshells (e.g., Ca and P); activating enzymes (e.g., Zn, Cu, Mg, and Se); enhancing immunological functions of birds (e.g., Zn and Se); acting as a cofactor for digestive enzymes to efficiently digest nutrients to facilitate absorption; and promoting animal health in general. While previous studies have focused on mineral nutrition in poultry separately, this review has formulated a unified model that shows how proper mineral nutrition ensures disease resistance, heat tolerance, and environmental pollution control. Adequate mineral supplementation helps to improve resistance to infections, increase immunity, and support overall health. Balanced supplementation with minerals will also help birds that have been exposed to heat stress by helping them maintain an electrolyte balance, supporting enzyme activity, providing immunity, and preserving cell health. All these have a positive effect on the production of birds (i.e., growth rate, egg production, feed intake, etc.). Additionally, balanced minerals support improvements in both egg and meat quality and growth rate, demonstrating the advantages of mineral supplementation. However, inappropriate use of minerals in poultry feed comes with environmental issues, especially pollution from animal waste containing high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. To minimize this issue, it is important to understand poultry physiology and mineral metabolism so as to create balanced rations to meet their nutritional needs, maintain optimal health, improve production, and minimize the overall environmental effect of their operations including ammonia emissions. It has been suggested that appropriate use of minerals like Zn, Cu, Mn, and Mg can help to reduce emissions of ammonia. Therefore, supplying poultry with the appropriate amount and type of minerals is critical not only to optimize health and production but also promote sustainability, optimize nutrient digestion and feed efficiency, increase flock productivity and welfare, and increase farm economic efficiency.