Effect of Dietary Electrolyte Balance on Performance and Immune Responses of Broiler Chickens Reared in the Heat Stress Environments

Document Type : Scientific - Research Articles

Authors

Behnaz Ashrafi

Alireza hessabi nameghi

Reza Vakili

Department of Animal Science, Kashmir Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kashmir, Iran

10.22067/ijasr.v3i4.12545

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of electrolyte dietary balance (DEB) on
performance and immune function of broiler chickens reared under the heat stress condition. Three hundred oneday
chickens were distributed randomly in 25 separate Pens with 12 chicks in each. This experiment was in the
form of a completely randomized design with five treatments and five replications and different levels of
electrolyte dietary balance (EDB), including 50, 150, 250, 350 and 450 meq/kg dedicated on corn - soybean
based diets . To study immune responses , 0.5 ml intramuscular injection of sheep red blood cells (5%) on days
18 and 30 and antibody response against Newcastle and Bronchitis was used. In 28 to 42 days, chickens for 4
hours under 35 ° C heat stress were studied. The average weight of chickens in the fourth week in DEB 250 was
higher while sixth week the highest mean weight in chickens was DEB 350. maximum feed intake in the third
week in 250 DEB, but the fourth to sixth weeks greatest amount of feed intake in 350 EDB were observed.
Effect of different levels of EDB on feed conversion ratio was not significant. Effect of EDB on primary and
secondary immune responses was significantly in 6 and 12 days after inoculation (primary immune response),
most SRBC antibody response in 450 EDB . Similarly, in 6 and 12 days after injection (secondary immune
response), the highest antibody, respectively, 350 and 450 EDB was observed. Equilibrium level of 350 DEB
was highest antibody titer against Newcastle and bronchitis (P

Keywords

Dietary electrolyte balance

Immune response

Heat stress

Broiler Chickens

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