[Effects of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extracts on body temperature and weight gain of chickens in hot environment].
OBJECTIVE
To validate the decreasing body temperature effect of Semen Ziziphi Spinosae extracts (SZSE) on chickens in hot environment and study its functions of sunstroke and hot-stress prevention.


METHODS
Ninety 1-day-old San-huang chickens were randomly divided into air-conditioning group, hot-treatment group,and SZSE group. The feed for SZSE group was added SZSE as 1 g/kg. The recta temperatures were recorded when chickens were 1, 14, 35 and 42 days old, and chickens were weighed when they were 35 and 56 days old.


RESULTS
The body temperatures of SZSE group were remarkably lower than the hot-treatment group at 14th, 35th, 42th day (P<0.05), but the average daily weight gain was higher at 35th and 56th day.


CONCLUSIONS
SZSE can decrease body temperature and increase weight gain of chickens in hot environment.
Wu
Xiao-Lin
XL
The Third Affiliated Hospital of Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
Dai
Min
M
Chen
Wen-Si
WS
He
Zi-Shuang
ZS
Wei
Wen-Kang
WK
Yang
Hong-Zhi
HZ
D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects*; D002645:Chickens; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012007:Rectum; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*; D031957:Ziziphus / Q000737:chemistry
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010936:Plant Extracts