Effect of hypovitaminosis on the frequency of the micronuclei in turkey's (Meleagris gallоpavo) peripheral blood erythrocytes

High productivity of poultry can be achieved only with the rational feeding of birds, which provides biochemical homeostasis, genome stability and normal functioning of epigenetic mechanisms. This article presents the results of an analysis of cytogenetic disorders in peripheral blood erythrocytes of 6-week-old turkeys of three groups that received different amounts of vitamins of groups A, D3, and E. Birds of the first group received a complete feeding ration containing the multivitamin supplement «Alphabet AD3E» from the 37th to the 41st day of development. Turkeys of the second group received the same diet, but the amount of multivitamin supplement in it was reduced by 50% from the norm. The multivitamin supplement was completely excluded from the diet of birds of the third group. Blood samples were taken from all birds and smears were made on the 43rd day. Slides were stained with azure-eosin according to Romanovsky. The frequency of erythrocytes with micronuclei and anomalies of the nuclei (budding, two-lobed, notched, caudate) was analyzed. The test results showed an increase in the frequency of nuclear abnormalities with a decrease of the multivitamin supplement amount in the diet. The frequencies of erythrocytes with micronuclei in the first, second, and third groups of birds were 0.85, 1.11, and 1.13‰, respectively. The micronucleus frequencies in the first and third groups had statistically significant differences (Р£0.05). The total frequencies of all other nuclear anomalies in the groups were 0.56, 1.19, and 1.49%, respectively. The last two values were statistically significantly different from the first value (Р£0.05). Based on the data obtained, it was concluded that a decrease in the amount of vitamins A, D3 and E in the diet reduces the level of stability of the turkey genome.