The influence of ascorbic acid on the occurrence of tibial dyschondroplasia in young broiler chickens.
Two distinctly different basal diets were used to test the influence of supplementary ascorbic acid on the occurrence of tibial dyschondroplasia. Addition of either .1 or .25% ascorbic acid to these diets did not alter the occurrence of tibial dyschondroplasia in 25-day-old broiler chickens. However, supplementary ascorbic acid did increase the amounts of ascorbic acid present in blood plasma. Also, individual differences in circulating ascorbic acid were not associated with this disease. Furthermore, two strains of chickens selected for high or low incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia had similar amounts of this vitamin in blood plasma. In contrast to the results reported for the Willow Ptarmigan, ascorbic acid does not appear to be involved in the development of tibial dyschondroplasia in the young broiler chicken.
D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism; D005527:Food, Fortified; D010009:Osteochondrodysplasias / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013977:Tibia
D001205:Ascorbic Acid