Effects of enzymatically treated Artemisia annua L. on growth performance and some blood parameters of broilers exposed to heat stress

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of enzymatically treated Artemisia annua L. (EA) on growth performance and some blood parameters of broilers exposed to heat stress (HS), 320 22-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly allotted into five groups with eight replicates of eight birds each. Broilers in the control group were housed at 22 ± 1°C and fed the basal diet. Broilers in the HS, HS-EA , HS-EA and HS-EA groups were reared under HS (34 ± 1°C for 8 h/day and 22 ± 1°C for 16 h/day), and fed basal diet with 0, 0.75, 1.00 and 1.25 g/kg EA, respectively. The experiment ended at 42 days. Dietary 1.00 and 1.25 g/kg EA decreased blood pH and elevated body weight gain, feed intake and carcass yield compared to the HS group. Broilers fed EA diets had lower serum concentrations of malondialdehyde and corticosterone and activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, and higher serum total superoxide dismutase activity, tri-iodothyronine concentration and tri-iodothyronine/thyroxine than the HS group. Serum catalase activity in HS-EA and HS-EA groups and activity to inhibit hydroxyl in the HS-EA group were higher than the HS group. In conclusion, dietary 0.75-1.25 g/kg EA addition alleviated HS induced impairments in broilers.

Effect of resveratrol on growth performance, rectal temperature and serum parameters of yellow‐feather broilers under heat stress

“…Similarly, Wan et al. () reported broilers subjected to 21 days cyclic heat stress had significantly increased the rectal temperature at 42‐day‐old. Bernabucci et al.…”

“…Abnormal activities of ALP, ALT, AST, and LDH in serum are also indicators of tissue damage, particularly in liver and muscle (Nyblom, Berggren, Balldin, & Olsson, ; Xue et al., ). Some studies reported that serum ALT and AST activities were increased under heat stress (Hosseini‐Vashan, Golian, & Yaghobfar, ; Wan et al., ). Recently, Luo et al.…”

“…(). Most times, heat stress–induced oxidative stress is mainly reflected by increased MDA content and lower levels of T‐SOD, CAT, GSH‐Px, and GSH, indicating that lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense against ROS and RNS were destroyed (Liu et al., ; Wan et al., ; Zhang et al., ). Several phytochemicals have demonstrated antioxidant properties in poultry under heat stress, and detailed review has been done by Akbarian et al.…”

“…Birds exposed to high‐temperature conditions alter their behaviors and physiological homeostasis attempting to reduce body temperature through thermoregulation. Heat stress is generally associated with high body temperature and lower production performance (Wan et al., ), which induces oxidative stress (Liu et al., ), mitochondrial damage (Gu et al., ), and energy metabolic disturbance, all of which results into health problem and huge economic losses (Luo et al., ). Exposure of chickens to extreme heat stress induces change in the activity of neuroendocrine system, such as activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, producing higher concentration of corticosterone, which is an effective heat stress indicator in chicken.…”

“…lower production performance (Wan et al, 2017), which induces oxidative stress (Liu et al, 2014), mitochondrial damage (Gu et al, 2015), and energy metabolic disturbance, all of which results into health problem and huge economic losses (Luo et al, 2018). Exposure of chickens to extreme heat stress induces change in the activity of neuroendocrine system, such as activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, producing higher concentration of corticosterone, which is an effective heat stress indicator in chicken.…”