Improving Some Physiological Characteristics of Broilers Exposed to Heat Stress by Diet Fortifying with Rumex vesicarius Powder and Vitamin C

Abstract

This experiment was carried out in the poultry field in the Department of Animal Production, College of Agriculture / University of Kufa for the period 9/24/2023 to 10/28/2023 to study the effect of adding bladder dock (Rumex vesicarius) plant powder and vitamin C to the diet on the productive characteristics of broilers (Ross 308) exposed to heat stress. A 300 unsexed broiler chicks from the Ross308 cross were used, one day old, with an average weight of 42 gm/chick. The chicks were fed three diets from the age of (1-10) days, the second diet from the age of (11-24) days, and the third diet from the age of (25-35) days. The energy level of the three diets was 3010, 3081, and 3210 kcal/kg, respectively, and the protein level was 23.11, 21.51, and 19.58, respectively. One-day-old chicks were randomly distributed into 5 treatments, 60 chicks for each treatment with three replicates, 20 chicks for each replicate. The treatments were as follows: T1: control, standard diet, T2: standard diet with 5 g R. vesicarius plant powder/Kg diet, T3: standard diet with 10 g R. vesicarius powder/Kg diet, T4: standard diet with 300 mg vit. C/Kg diet, T5: standard diet supplemented with 150 mg vitamin C +5g R. vesicarius plant powder/Kg diet. The findings showed a significant improvement (P≤0.05) in the cholesterol concentration in the birds blood serum for the treatments (T5, T3, and T2 compared to the control treatment (T1). A significant improvement in red blood cell volume was detected in T3 and T4 treatments over the control treatment. A significant improvement was obtained in the rate of glomerular hemoglobin and the rate of circulating hemoglobin concentration for birds of all treatments compared to the control treatment. Blood content of GPX enzyme concentration was significantly (P≤0.05) increased in the T2 treatment compared to the control treatment. the results also found a significant improvement (P≤0.05) in the concentration levels of the MDA compound in all experimental treatments compared to the control treatment.