Effects of low ambient temperatures and dietary vitamin C supplement on growth performance, blood parameters, and antioxidant capacity of 21-day-old broilers.
The study was conducted to determine the effects of low ambient temperature (LAT) and a vitamin C (VC) dietary supplement on the growth performance, blood parameters, and antioxidant capacity of 21-d-old broilers. A total of 400 one-day-old male Cobb broilers were assigned to 1 of 4 treatments as follows: 1) LAT and a basal diet; 2) LAT and a basal diet supplemented with 1,000 mg of VC/kg (LAT + VC); 3) normal ambient temperature (NAT) and a basal diet; 4) NAT and a basal diet supplemented with 1,000 mg of VC/kg (NAT + VC). All birds were fed to 21 d of age. Broilers in groups 1 and 2 were raised at 24 to 26°C during 1 to 7 d, and at 9 to 11°C during 8 to 21 d, whereas groups 3 and 4 were raised at 29 to 31°C during 1 to 7 d and at 24 to 26°C during 8 to 21 d. The LAT increased the feed conversion ratio during the whole experimental period (P < 0.01), whereas it increased heart index at 21 d (P < 0.05) and hematocrit and hemoglobin level at 14 d (P < 0.05). Supplementing the diet with VC increased hematocrit, hemoglobin, and red blood cell count at 21 d (P < 0.05). At 21 d, LAT conditions decreased total antioxidant capacity in the serum, liver, and lungs (P < 0.05), and it also increased the levels of VC in the serum and liver, the amount of protein carbonylation in liver and lungs, and the malondialdehyde level in the lungs (P < 0.05). The addition of VC tended to increase the total antioxidant capacity level in serum (P < 0.1). Low ambient temperature resulted in oxidative stress for broilers that were fed from 1 to 21 d of age, whereas no significant effect was found on the antioxidant activity by dietary VC supplementation.
Institute of Animal Nutrition, Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan, Ya'an 625014, China.
X
X
Yang
Y H
YH
Luo
Q F
QF
Zeng
K Y
KY
Zhang
X M
XM
Ding
S P
SP
Bai
J P
JP
Wang
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000975:Antioxidants; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
antioxidant capacity; ascites; blood parameter; low ambient temperature; vitamin C