EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTING DIET WITH SODIUM BENTONITE AND/OR ORGANIC CHROMIUM ON PRODUCTIVE, PHYSIOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE AND IMMUNE RESPONSE OF MATROUH CHICKENS STRAIN. 1- DURING GROWTH PERIOD.

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of sodium bentonite (Na-B) (0, 5 and 10 g/kg diet) and chromium picolinate (CrPic) (0, 800 and 1200 µg Cr /kg diet) in the diet on growth performance, the mortality rate; some blood serum constituents, as well as the immune response and economic efficiency of male chicks of local strain Matrouh during the growing period. 540 one-day old male chicks were randomly chosen from a flock reared on the floor and distributed into 9 treatment groups (60 males / each treatment) in a factorial arrange. Feed with Na-B supplementation (5 and 10 g /kg diet) had a significant positive effect (P≤0.05) on body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), and feed intake (FI), as well as, serum globulin, triodothyronine hormone (T3), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and decrease in mortality rate and malonidialdehyde (MDA) values. However, feed conversion ratio (FCR), total antibody responses against SRBCs, total protein, albumin, growth hormone (GH), cholesterol and calcium were insignificantly affected by these treatments, but they gave the highest net return and best economic efficiency (P≤0. 01) compared to their controls at 12 wks of age. Supplementation of 800 or 1200 μg CrPic /kg diet significantly increased BW, BWG and improved FCR, as well as, a titer of SRBCs, serum total protein, albumin, globulin, and GH concentrations. While, the mortality rate and serum cholesterol were significant (P≤0. 05) decreased. However, there were no significant differences among treatments in calcium, T3, MDA and GPX. Supplemented diets with CrPic gave the highest net return and best economic efficiency (P≤0. 01) compared to their controls. Moreover, BW, BWG, FI and FCR, mortality rate, serum globulin and calcium influenced by the interaction between dietary Na-B and CrPic. Whereas, SRBCs, total protein, albumin, GH, cholesterol, T3, MDA and GPX were not significantly influenced by their interaction. It is clear that, supplementing the chick’s diet with both 10 g Na-B and 1200 µg CrPic /kg diet alone or together is recommended for improving most of the growth performance, serum biochemical traits as well as improved immune responses and gave the highest net return and best economic efficiency during the growing period of Matrouh male chicks