A comparative study on feeding timing and additive types of broilers in a high-temperature environment

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Nutritional Biochemistry
• Poultry Physiology

Background:

• Antioxidants like vitamin C (VC) and green tea extract (GTE) are used to mitigate heat stress (HS) in chickens.
• Optimal timing for administering these antioxidants for maximum benefit remains under-investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of different feeding timings of VC and GTE on alleviating heat stress in broiler chickens.
• To evaluate the effects of these antioxidants on meat quality, blood parameters, and intestinal health under high-temperature conditions.

Main Methods:

• 880 one-day-old male broiler chickens were divided into five groups: control (CON), VC added from day 1 (VC1), GTE from day 1 (GTE1), VC from day 22 (VC22), and GTE from day 22 (GTE22).
• Broilers were exposed to a heat stress environment (33 ± 1 °C) for two weeks starting from day 22.
• Measurements included broiler production, meat quality (color, pH), blood characteristics (cholesterol, AST, IgM), and intestinal morphology.

Main Results:

• Both VC and GTE supplementation affected meat color and pH.
• Green tea extract (GTE) improved antioxidant capacity and quality preservation of breast meat.
• Early vitamin C (VC1) supplementation positively influenced intestinal morphology, reduced rectal temperature, and lowered cholesterol, AST, and IgM levels, indicating significant stress alleviation.

Conclusions:

• Supplementation with VC and GTE effectively alleviates heat stress in broiler chickens.
• Early administration of VC (from day 1) appears more effective in mitigating stress compared to later supplementation.
• Strategic timing of functional feed additive administration is crucial for managing livestock stress effectively.