|
Abstract
|
This studywasconductedtostudytheeffectof Withania coagulans (WC)fruitpowderand
vitaminC(VC)ongrowthperformanceandsomebloodcomponentsinheatstressed
broilers. Theexperimentwasconductedasa23 factorialarrangementoftreatments
with2concentrationsofVC(0and250mg/kgofdiet)and3concentrationsofWC(0,2.5,
and 5g/kgofdiet).Eachof6dietarytreatmentswasfedto4replicatepens(9broiler
chickens/pen)from25to42dofage.Thehousetemperaturewassetat34 1C72 (from
0900to1700h)throughouttheexperiment.Feedintake(FI),bodyweightgain(BWG),
and feedtogainratio(F:G)werecalculatedattheendoftheexperiment.Atd42ofage,
the bloodsampleswerecollectedfrom1broilerchickenperpen,andglucoseand
cholesterolconcentrations,whitebloodcell(WBC)count,andactivityofglutathione
peroxidase(GPX)weredetermined.TheFIandBWGincreasedby5.5%and12.7%,
respectively,andF:Gdecreasedby6.5%withVCsupplementation(Pr0.01).Asdietary
inclusionofWCincreasedfrom0to5g/kg,bothFIandBWGincreasedby5.6%(linear,
Pr0.023).TheactivityofGPXincreased(Pr0.05) by20.57%withadditionofVCtothe
diet, whereasnoeffectofWCwasobserved.NeitherVCnorWChadeffectonblood
cholesterolandglucoseconcentrations,WBCcounts,relativeweightofbursaofFabricius,
spleen,andliver,andrelativelengthoftheduodenum,jejunum,andileum.Itisconcluded
that dietarysupplementationof250mgVC/kgor5gWCfruitpowder/kgimprovedthe
growth performanceofheatstressedbroilerchickens.
|