Effect of Vitamin E and Vitamin C Supplementation to Coloured Chicken on Growth and Serum Lipid Profile during Heat Stress

The effect of Vitamin E and/or vitamin C supplementation on growth and serum cholesterol and triglycerides status of coloured broiler chicks during summer was studied. A total number of five hundred forty (n=540) day-old coloured broiler chicks were distributed into nine (9) groups with three replicates having 20 chicks and were supplemented with two doses of Vitamin E (250mg & 500mg/kg) and Vitamin C (250mg & 500mg/kg) either alone or in combinations including a control group for 8 weeks during summer. The average maximum and minimum temperature during the eight weeks experimental period was 37.98°C & 26.30°C and relative humidity was 87.9% & 47% respectively. Weekly group replicate average body weight, feed consumption and FCR were calculated. Blood samples were collected from 15 birds of each treatment (5 birds from each replicate) after 4th and 8th week days of age for triglycerides and cholesterol estimation. Significantly higher body weight and better FCR (P<0.05) was recorded after 4 week in the four groups those were supplemented with the both vitamins at both the doses than individual supplementation and control but no effect on feed intake was seen among different groups. Significant decrease (P<0.05) of serum cholesterol and triglyceride was observed in antioxidant vitamins supplemented five groups at 4th week and at 8th week. From the result and economics it was found that colored broilers supplementing antioxidant vitamin E@ 250mg/kg and C @250mg/kg to the basal feed in summer stress condition improved growth performance and decreased lipid profile of the birds.