Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Recovery from adverse effects of heat stress on slow-growing chicks in the tropics 1: Effect of ascorbic acid and different levels of betaine

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Tropical Animal Health and Production Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Three hundreds, 21 d-old slow-growing chicks were randomly divided among 5 treatments, of 5 replicates each. Each replicate contained 12 unsexed chicks housed in (1 × 1) a floor pen. A group was kept under thermoneutral condition at 28 ± 4°C and RH was 55 ± 3% during 21–84 d of age (positive control) and fed corn-soybean meal diet. The other four groups were kept for three successive days per week under heat stress (HS) at 38 ± 1.4°C and 49 ± 2% RH from 12.00 to 16.00 pm. Chicks in HS treatments were fed corn-soybean meal diet without (negative control) or with 250 mg AA/kg diet and Bet at 0.5 and 1 g/kg diet. HS decreased productive performance, increased (P < 0.05) meat dry matter, plasma triglyceride and serum calcium whereas decreased (P > 0.05) plasma glucose, serum total protein and water holding capacity (WHC) of meat. AA and 1 g of Bet/kg diet was equally potent for partial relief (P < 0.05) of the negative effect of HS on growth, increased (P < 0.05) feed intake, protein digestibility (P < 0.05), dressing out percentage, liver and giblets, whilst improved (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR). Also, a complete recovery from the negative effect (P < 0.05) of HS shown on plasma glucose and partial recovery (P < 0.05) observed in total protein, triglyceride, blood pH, packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hgb), rectal temperature (RT) and respiration rate (RR) and improved humoral immune competence to sheep red blood cell (SBRCs) test.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

AA:

ascorbic acid

BWG:

body weight gain

Bet:

Betaine

Ca:

calcium

CA:

crude ash

CP:

crude protein

CF:

crude fibre

D:

day

DM:

dry matter

EE:

ether extract

FCR:

feed conversion ratio

Hgb:

hemoglobin

hr:

hour

HS:

heat stress

LSD:

least significant difference

NRC:

National Research Council

OM:

organic matter

pH:

hydrogen power

P:

probability level

RT:

rectal temperature

RR:

respiration rate

SAA:

sulphur amino acid

SD:

standard deviation

SRBCs:

sheep red blood cells

wk:

week

WHC:

water holding capacity

References

  • Al-Ghamdi, Zahraa, H., 2008. Effects of Commutative heat stress on immunoresponses in broiler chickens reared in closed system. International Journal of Poultry Science 7, 64–968.

  • AOAC. 1995. Official methods of Analysis, 15th edn, Association of Official Analytical Chemists Washington, DC, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Armstrong, W. D. and Carr, C. W. 1964. Physiological Chemistry Laboratory Direction, 3rd Bursus Publishing Co. Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Attia, Y. A., 2003. Performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and plasma constituents of meat type drakes fed diets containing different levels of lysine with or without a microbial phytase. Archiv of Animal Nutrition 66, 39–48. doi:10.1080/0003942031000086635

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Attia, Y. A., Hassan, R. A., Shehatta, M. H. and Abd El-Hady, S. B., 2005. Growth, carcass quality and blood serum constituents of slow growth chicks as affected by betaine additions to diets containing 2. Different levels of methionine, International Journal of Poultry Science, 11, 856–865.

    Google Scholar 

  • Attia, Y. A., Bohmer, Barbara M. and Roth-Maier, Dora A., 2006. Responses of broiler chicks raised under constant relatively high ambient temperature to enzymes, amino acid supplementations, or diet density, Archiv Für Geflügelkunde, 70, 80–91.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chendrimada, T. P., Neto, M. G., Pesti, G. M., Davis A. J. and Bakalli, R. H. I., 2002. Determination of the betaine content of feed ingredients using high-performance liquid chromatography, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 82, 1556–1563. doi:10.1002/jsfa.1214

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daghir, N. J., 2008. Poultry production in hot climates, 2nd edn. Ed. N. J. Daghir, CAB International.

  • Eilers, R. J., 1967. Notification of final adoption of an international method and standard solution for hemoglobinometry specifications for preparation of a standard solution. American Journal of Clinical Pathology, 47: 212–214.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Esteve-Garcia, E. and Mack, S., 2000. The effect of DL-methionine and betaine on growth performance and carcass characteristics in broilers, Animal Feed Science and Technology, 87, 85–93. doi:10.1016/S0377-8401(00)00174-7

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garcia N. M.; Pesti, G. M. and Bakalli, R. I., 2000. Influence of dietary protein level on the broiler chickens response to methionine and betaine supplements, Poultry Science, 79, 1478–1484.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gous, R. M. and Morriss, T.R., 2005. Nutritional interventions in alleviating the effects of high temperatures in broiler Production, World’s Poultry Science Journal, 61, 463–475. doi:10.1079/WPS200568

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graham, H., 2002. Betaine-Combating heat stress in poultry, Afma Matrix, December, 15, 16–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hassan, R.A., Attia, Y. A. and El-Ganzory, E. H., 2005. Growth, carcass quality, and blood serum constituents of slow growth chicks as affected by betaine additions to diets containing 1. Different levels of choline, International Journal of Poultry Science, 4, 840–850.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kai, O.H., Nagase, N., Ishikawa, M., Suzuki, K. and Sato, K., 1988. Effects propylthiouracial PTU on the immunological status of the chickens, Development comparative Immunology, 12, 145. doi:10.1016/0145-305X(88)90032-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kettunen, H., Tiihonen, K., Peuranen, S., Saarinen, M.T. and Remus, J. C., 2001. Dietary betaine accumulates in the liver and intestinal tissue and stabilizes the intestinal epithelial structure in healthy and coccidia-infected broiler chicks, Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, A 130, 759–769. doi:10.1016/S1095-6433(01)00410-X

    Google Scholar 

  • Kutlu, H. R., 2001. Influences of wet feeding and supplementation with ascorbic acid on performance and carcass composition of broiler chicks exposed to a high ambient temperature, Archive Für Tierernahrung, 55: 127–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, H., Du, R. and Zhang, Z. Y., 2000. The peroxidation in tissues of heat-stressed broilers, Asian-Australian Journal of Animal Science, 13, 1373–1376.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, H., Buyse, J., Sheng, Q. K., Xie, Y. M. and Song, J. L., 2003. Effects of ascorbic supplementation on the immune function and laying performance of heat-stressed laying hens, Journal Feed Agriculture and Environment, 1, 103–107.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, H., Jiao, H. C., Buyse, J. and Decuypere, E., 2006. Strategies for preventing heat stress in poultry, World’s Poultry Science Journal, 62, 71–85. doi:10.1079/WPS200585

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mahmoud, K. Z., Edens, E. W., Elsen, E. J. and Havenstein, G. B., 2004. Ascorbic acid decreases heat shock protein 70 and plasma corticosterone response in broilers Gallus gallus domesticus subjected to cyclic heat stress, Comparative Biochemical Physiology, B 137, 35–42. doi:10.1016/j.cbpc.2003.09.013

    Google Scholar 

  • Mashaly, M. M., Hendricks, G. L., Kalama, M. A., Gehad, A. E., Abbas, A. O. and Patterson, P. H., 2004. Effect of heat stress on production parameters and immune responses of commercial laying hens, Poultry Science, 83, 889–894.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mujahid, A., Yoshik, Y., Akiba, Y. and Toyomizu, M., 2005. Superoxide radical production in chicken skeletal muscle induced by acute heat stress, Poultry Science, 84, 307–314.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • National Research Cauncil NRC, 1994. Nutrient Requirements of Poultry, 9th revised Edition, National Academy Press. Washington DC., USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pardue, S. I., Thaxton, J. P. and Brake, J. T., 1985. Influence of supplemental ascorbic acid on broiler performance following exposure to high temperature, Poultry Science, 64, 1334–1338.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Puthpongsiriporn, U., Scheideler, S. E., Sell, J. L. and Beck, M. M., 2001. Effects of various E and C supplementation on performance, in Vitro lymphocyte proliferation, and antioxidant status of laying hens during heat stress, Poultry Science, 80, 1190–1200.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Remus, J. C., Pierson, E. E. M. and Hruby, M., 2004. The evaluation of betaine and enzymes in coccidian challenged broilers, XXII Poultry Congress, Istanbul, Turkey 8–13 June, 2004.

  • Sahin, K., Sahin, N., Onderci, I., Gursu, M. F. and Cikim, G., 2002. Optimal dietary concentration of chromium for alleviating the effect of heat stress on growth, carcass qualities and serum metabolites of broiler chickens, Biological Trace Elements Research, 89, 53–64. doi:10.1385/BTER:89:1:53

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sahin, K., Sahin, N., Onderci, I., Gursu, M. F. and Kucuk, G., 2003. Dietary vitamin C and folic acid supplementation ameliorates the detrimental effects of heat stress in Japanese quail, Journal of Nutrition, 133, 1882–1886.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute 1990 SAS-User’s Guide, Statistics, Version 6, 4th edn. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC., USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swain, B. K. and Johri, T. S., 2000. Effect of supplemental methionine, betaine and their combinations on the performance and immune response of broilers, British Poultry Science, 41, 83–88. doi:10.1080/00071660086457

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trinder, P., 1969. Determination of glucose in blood using glucose oxidase with an alternative oxygen acceptor, Animal Clinical Biochemistry, 6, 24.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Türker, M., Alp, M. and Kocabacli, N., 2004. Performance of broiler chicks fed on reduced methionine diets supplemented with betaine, XXII Poultry Congress, Istanbul, Turkey 8–13 June, 2004.

  • Virtanen, E. and Rosi, L., 1995. Effects of betaine on methionine requirement of broilers under various environmental condition, pp. 88–92 in proceeding of the Australian Poultry Science, Symposium, Sydney, Australia.

  • Waldroup, P.W. and Fritts, C. A., 2005. Evaluation of separate and combined effects of choline and betaine in diets for male broilers, International Journal of Poultry Science, 4, 442–448.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y. Z., Xu, Z. R. and Feng, G., 2004. The effect of betaine and DL-methionine on growth performance and carcass characteristics in meat ducks, Animal Feed Science and Technology, 116, 151–159. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2004.05.003

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Whitehead, C. C. and Keller, T., 2003. An update on ascorbic acid in poultry, World’s Poultry Science Journal, 59, 161–184. doi:10.1079/WPS20030010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yahav, S., Shinder, D., Tanny, J. and Cohen, S., 2005. Sensible heat loss, the broiler’s paradox, World’s Poultry Science Journal, 61,463–475. doi:10.1079/WPS200568

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour Branch, Alexandria University, Damanhour, 22516, Egypt

    Y. A. Attia

  2. Department of Poultry Nutrition, Animal production Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Land reclamation, Damanhour, Egypt

    R. A. Hassan & E. M. A. Qota

Authors
  1. Y. A. Attia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. A. Hassan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E. M. A. Qota
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Y. A. Attia.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Attia, Y.A., Hassan, R.A. & Qota, E.M.A. Recovery from adverse effects of heat stress on slow-growing chicks in the tropics 1: Effect of ascorbic acid and different levels of betaine. Trop Anim Health Prod 41, 807–818 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-008-9256-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-008-9256-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation