EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTED SOME ANTIOXIDANTS TO BROILER DIETS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, IMMUNE RESPONSE AND ANTIOXIDANT STATUS DURING SUMMER SEASON

Abstract

The current experiment aimed to estimate some antioxidants ability mainly, selenium, vitamins B6 and C to overcome adverse effect of heat stress during summer months. Total of 360 one- day-old broiler chicks were randomly divided into 9 treatments with four replicates (10 chicks/each). The experiment period extended from 1 day to 40 days of age where ambient temperature ranged from 36 to 41°C and relative humidity ranged from 30 to 55%. The 1st group fed basal diet that satisfied strain requirement as control treatment. The 2nd group fed control basal diet supplemented with vitamin E (50 mg/kg diet) and acted as control plus to estimate efficiency of antioxidants. Experimental treatments from the 3rd to the 9th fed basal diet supplemented with 3 mg vitamin B6, 200mg vitamin C, 0.10 mg Se, 3 mg vitamin B6+ 200mg vitamin C, 3 mg vitamin B6 + 0.10 mg Se, 200 mg vitamin C + 0.10 mg Se, or 3 mg vitamin B6 +200mg vitamin C+ 0.10 mg Se respectively.. Parameters of growth performance, carcass characteristics, some plasma constituents, immunity and antioxidant status were investigated. Malondialdehyde was estimated in frozen (6 months at -20 °C) thigh muscles to determine antioxidant status. The results appeared significant improvement of growth performance and malondialdehyde were reduced in plasma and thigh muscles. Dressing, abdominal fat and giblets percentages did not affect. While, significant improvement was observed in some hematological parameters, cellular immunity and antioxidant status. In contrast antibodies titer against Newcastle Disease Virus and Avian flow Virus (H5N1) did not affect. Briefly, the overall experimental results showed that supplementing broiler diets with selenium combined with vitamin B6, vitamin C or both were more effective to improve growth performance, broiler meat quality, immunological and antioxidant status for broiler chicks reared during hot summer months.