Behavioral and rectal temperature responses of Black Harco pullets administered vitamins C and E and transported by road during the hot-dry season

Abstract

Abstract Experiments were performed with the aim of investigating the behavioral activities, rectal temperature (RT) responses, and mortality of pullets administered antioxidant vitamins C (ascorbic acid, AA), E (E), or their combination (AA + E) and transported by road for 8 hours during the hot-dry season. The pullets were 18 weeks old, and they were divided into 4 groups of 60 birds each. Group I pullets (control) were administered 2 mL/kg of body weight of sterile water per os, whereas groups II (AA), III (E), and IV (AA + E) pullets were administered orally 60 mg, 30 mg, and a combination of 60 mg + 30 mg/kg body weight of AA, E, and AA + E, respectively, before being loaded. The RT value; number of birds that panted and laid down during the journey; number of inductions of tonic immobility (TI); duration of TI; mortality; and the time spent lying down, drinking, and feeding recorded post-transport were higher ( P