Adding Sodium Citrate in Water and Effect in Physiological Performance of Broiler Chickens Reared Under High-Density Condition

Abstract

This study was conducted on animal production farm in Collage Agriculture - University of Diyala from 1/10 to 4/11/2022 aimed to study the effect of sodium citrate as an anti-stress factor on the physiological performance of ROSS 308 broiler chickens reared under high densities condition. 405 one day unsexed hatched chicks will be distributed into 9 treatments T1 control treatment 12 birds / m2 without sodium citrate, T2: 15 birds / m2 without sodium citrate, T3: 18 birds / m2 without sodium citrate, T4, T5 and T6 12, 15 and 18 birds / m2 with 1.5 mg / L of sodium citrate drinking water while T7, T8 and T9 was 12, 15 and 18 birds / m2 with 3 mg/ L of sodium citrate drinking water. The statistical analysis revealed that raising broilers at high densities (15 and 18 birds/m2) caused physiological stress in the birds by increasing the concentrations of glucose, uric acid, AST and ALT enzymes in the blood serum while decreasing the concentrations of protein and cholesterol, while there are no significant differences between T1, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8 and T9 and that indicates the role of sodium citrate in reducing high-density stress.