title: Effects of vitamin C supplementation on growth performance and antioxidant status of layer ducklings.
abstract: The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of increasing dietary vitamin C supplements on growth performance, antioxidant status and humoral immunity of layer ducklings. The results showed that the body weight and daily body weight gain of ducklings increased (p < 0.05) with increasing dietary vitamin C supplementations and reached a maximum at 400 mg vitamin C/kg feed. The dietary vitamin C supplementations reduced the malondialdehyde concentration (p < 0.05) and increased the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase (p < 0.05) in serum and liver of ducklings at day 5 and 28. Additionally, feeding 400 mg/kg or 800 mg vitamin C/kg feed increased IgM and IgA concentrations in sera (p < 0.05) and serum IgG concentrations increased (p < 0.05) following supplementation in concentrations of 150-800 mg vitamin C/kg feed. In conclusion, the results suggested that dietary vitamin C supplements of 400 mg/kg feed provide optimal effects on growth performance, antioxidant status and parameters of humoral immunity.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Nutrition, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China. wangan451@yahoo.cn
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004372:Ducks / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000097:blood; D010058:Oviposition
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D001205:Ascorbic Acid