Effect of dietary vitamin C on ascites in broiler chicks

A total of 480 day-old broiler chicks were divided randomly into 4 equal groups, each of 4 replicates, and reared for two weeks. To their rations, which contained sodium chloride at 2.5% ascorbic acid was added at the rate of 0, 150, 300 and 450 mg/kg for groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Incidences of ascites cases were 20.8, 10.8, 7.5 and 7.5% for the groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. When vitamin C was added to their rations body weights were increased significantly, but feed consumption remained unchanged. There were no significant differences in water consumption or body moisture. The total serum protein was significantly increased. The packed cell volume was only increased in the chicks that had received 450 mg vitamin C/kg of feed and there were no significant differences in the ascorbic acid content of the plasma. It was concluded that the addition of vitamin C to the chicks' rations reduces the incidence of ascites caused by toxic dietary levels of sodium chloride.