Effect of dietary antioxidants on performance, oxidation and immumocompetance in chickens

The experiment was carried out to study the effect of antioxidant and different forms of selenium on performance of broilers through feed for a period of 6 weeks. The total 375 day old straight run broiler chicks were procured and divided into five different dietary treatments viz. A, B, C, D and E, respectively with three replicates each. The analysis of variance revealed highly significant (P<0.01) influence of antioxidant and selenium on body weight of broilers at the end of 1^st week. Similarly, significant effect (P<0.05) at 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th week was observed. The highly significant differences observed in the present study for weekly cumulative feed consumption at 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd week. The higher mortality in control groups as compared to treatment group was observed. Significantly (P<0.01) lower TBA values at 28^th day of refrigerated storage for antioxidants supplemented groups were observed compared to control. The Purge loss values of broiler carcasses at 28^th days of storage were showed non-significant differences among treatment groups. Higher RD titer values were observed on 42^nd days for BHT and selenium supplemented groups. Supplementation of antioxidant and different forms of selenium significantly enhanced the net profit per Kg of live weight. The highest profit was observed for treatment C followed by treatment group D. The supplementation of antioxidants improved meat quality and meat stability substantially against the oxidative detoriation during refrigerated storage conditions.