EVALUATION OF CHANGES IN CLOACAL TEMPERATURE, TONIC IMMOBILITY, VIGILANCE AND PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS ADMINISTERED WITH PROBIOTIC AND FISETIN DURING THE EARLY RAINY SEASON

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EVALUATION OF CHANGES IN CLOACAL TEMPERATURE, TONIC IMMOBILITY, VIGILANCE AND PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS ADMINISTERED WITH PROBIOTIC AND FISETIN DURING THE EARLY RAINY SEASON

Abstract:

High ambient temperature and high relative humidity occurring during the early rainy season cause oxidative stress, adversely affecting broiler chicken production. The aim of the study was to evaluate the changes in cloacal temperature, tonic immobility and performance indices of broiler chickens, administered with probiotic and fisetin during the early rainy season. Sixty Arbo Acre breed of broiler chickens at day-old, allotted into four groups of 15 birds each, were used. Group I (Control) was given only distilled water; Group II, fisetin (5 mg/kg); Group III, probiotic (4.125 106 cfu/100 mL); and Group IV, fisetin and probiotic (5 mg/kg and 4.125 106 cfu/100 mL, respectively), for the first seven days of life. All administrations were done orally through a gavage. Cloacal temperature of the broiler chickens, dry-bulb temperature, relative humidity and temperature-humidity index in the pen were obtained bi-hourly, from 07:00 – 07:00 h, at days 21, 28 and 35 of the study period. Tonic immobility and vigilance were evaluated at 7:00, 13:00 and 18:00 h at days 21, 28 and 35 of the study period. Body weight of each broiler chicken was recorded at days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42. Feed and water intake were measured on daily basis beginning from day 1-42 of the experiment. Absolute feed and water intakes were calculated. The dry-bulb temperature, relative humidity and temperature-humidity index (30.57 ± 0.36 °C, 79.22 ± 1.26% and 30.10 ± 0.34, respectively) recorded were predominantly outside the thermoneutral zone, indicating that the broiler chickens were subjected to heat stress. At day 21, the cloacal temperature recorded in probiotic (40.32 ± 1.90 °C) group was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in the control group (41.39 ± 0.03 °C). At day 28, the cloacal temperature in broiler chickens administered with fisetin + probiotic (40.40 ± 0.03 °C) was significantly lower (P < 0.05), when compared with that of the control group (41.58 ± 0.03 °C). Tonic immobility duration in broiler chickens administered with fisetin + probiotic (99.90 ± 9.43 s) was lower than that of the controls (139.70 ± 11.69 s). The vigilance behavioural ranking was highest (1.64 ± 0.06) in the control group, while the lowest value (1.45 ± 0.06) was obtained in fisetin + probiotic group. Broiler chickens administered with probiotic alone, and fisetin + probiotic had higher (P < 0.05) feed intake at days 35 and 42, when compared respectively with those of the control and fisetin groups. Water intake was higher (P < 0.05) in the probiotic administered group than in any other group only at day 42. The feed conversion ratio was lower (P < 0.05) in the probiotic supplemented group (0.42 ± 0.13) than that of the control group (1.20 ± 0.08). The live weight gain of the broiler chickens was highest (P < 0.05) in the probiotic group. It was concluded that the administration of probiotic and/or fisetin ameliorated the adverse effects of heat stress on broiler chickens during the thermally stressful early rainy season, and the best performance was obtained in broiler chickens administered with probiotic alone.

EVALUATION OF CHANGES IN CLOACAL TEMPERATURE, TONIC IMMOBILITY, VIGILANCE AND PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS ADMINISTERED WITH PROBIOTIC AND FISETIN DURING THE EARLY RAINY SEASON

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