1Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, NDVSU, Jabalpur (M.P), India
2Division of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Jammu, India
3Division of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Jammu, India
4Division of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Jammu, India
*Corresponding author: AA Sheikh; E-mail: amirsheikh3468@gmail.com
Online Published on 21 September, 2022.
Poultry production suffers huge losses due to heat stress, which is caused by high temperatures in many areas during the summer. Therefore, maximum production requires the elimination of the deleterious impacts of environmental stressors. The aim of this study was to check the amelioration of heat stress in commercial broilers by ascorbic acid supplementation on biochemical parameters viz., effect on plasma ascorbic acid, plasma albumin, plasma glucose, breast muscle pH, thio-barbituric acid value. A total number of 96 birds were randomly divided into 8 groups, 4 groups of birds were kept at (37±5.0°C) in heat stress conditions, while 4 other groups of birds were kept at 26±1.0°C (comfort temperature) using an air conditioner and each group consist of 12 birds. G1 was taken as control whereas G2, G3 and G4 were supplemented with 100 mg, 200 mg and 300 mg of ascorbic acid respectively. G4 group supplemented with 300 mg of ascorbic acid showed better results with overall plasma ascorbic acid values (6.84 ± 0.14) as compared to other supplemented and non-supplemented groups. However, G3 group supplemented with 200 mg of ascorbic acid showed better results with overall plasma glucose (310.39± 3.60) and plasma albumin (4.07±0.14) values. On 45th day, G3 group supplemented with 200 mg of ascorbic acid showed better results with respect to Breast muscle pH (6.2) and thiobarbituric acid (2.18) values. This shows Vitamin C/Ascorbic acid has potential antioxidant effect able to modulate physiological adjustments to mitigate the undesirable effects of exposure of broilers to high temperatures.
• Supplementation with 300 mg of ascorbic acid showed better results with overall plasma ascorbic acid values as compared to other supplemented and non-supplemented groups.
• Supplementation with 200 mg of ascorbic acid showed better results with overall plasma glucose and plasma albumin values.
• On 45th day, supplementation with 200 mg of ascorbic acid showed better results with respect to Breast muscle pH and thiobarbituric acid.
Ascorbic acid, Biochemical parameters, Broilers, Heat Stress
