INFLUENCE OF ACETYL CHOLINE LEVEL ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND IMMUNE RESPONSES IN BROILER CHICKS

Abstract

SUMMARY One hundred and twenty Hubbard broiler chicks at one day old of age were randomized and fed one of four dietary treatment diets differing in dietary acetyl choline (AC) levels (0, 5, 10 and 15 mg/ kg feed), broilers within each dietary treatment were randomized into 3 replicates of 10 chickens each for the whole experimental period (6 weeks) from 0 to 6 weeks of age. Response criteria included production parameters, measures of blood physiological and immunological measurements. Acetyl choline supplementation at 15 mg/kg diet significantly increased BW at 3 weeks of age by 9.56%, and numerically improved FCR by 8.0% as compared to those of control group. However, no significant effect of AC supplementation at 5 or 10 mg/kg feed on BWG, FI and FCR during all experimental periods. There were no statistical significant influences of the dietary choline level on serum glucose, cholesterol, and liver functions as judged by liver enzymes e.g. AST and ALT. On the other hand, choline dietary supplementation significantly increased serum total protein and was statistically similar to the un-supplemented controls (6.67, 6.79 and 6.70 g./ dl), respectively. Acetyl choline as at 10 or 15 mg/kg feed significantly increased serum globulin and were statistically similar, but different to the un-supplemented controls (4.80 and 4.85 vs. 3.51 g./ dl), respectively. Similarly, albumin to globulin ratio was found to be statistically similar between the control and 5 mg/ kg feed of acetyl choline, but differ significantly as compared to higher acetyl choline dietary levels of 10 and 15 mg/ kg feed, respectively. In conclusion, growing broiler chicks responded positively to acetyl choline supplementation of 10 mg/kg feed. Similar finding were noted with the same dietary acetyl choline inclusion with immunity parameters and blood physiological parameters within the study period from 0 to 6 weeks of age.