Abstract: (16 Views)
Background: By increasing the number of birds per square meter, the space in the breeding hall can be used more optimally. Increasing density can cause stress, which also reduces the growth performance and welfare of the bird. With increasing density, the air flow on the bird's body surface decreases, causing heat stress. High density causes oxidative stress in broilers. Adding some vitamins such as E, C and D3 can reduce the negative effects of stress related to the egg and improve the carcass quality and performance of birds. Vitamin E prevents the destruction of cell membranes and the leakage of substances inside the cell to the outside and the loss of cell uniformity by eliminating free radicals. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and causes the regeneration of vitamin E, collagen production, improvement of bone condition, weight gain and feed consumption at high density. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of adding vitamins C and E at different hatching densities on performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters and intestinal microbial population of broilers.
Materials and methods: This study was conducted using a 2×2 factorial methods in a completely randomized design with 240 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks with 4 treatments and 4 replications with a density of 14 and 16 birds in each experimental unit. The treatments in this study are: 1- Treatment with a density of 14 chicks per square meter without adding vitamins C and E 2- Treatment with a density of 14 chicks per square meter with adding vitamins C and E 3- Treatment with a density of 16 chicks per square meter without adding vitamins C and E 4- Treatment with a density of 16 chicks per square meter with adding vitamins E and C. Also, at the end of the experiment, carcass characteristics, blood parameters, intestinal microbial population, and bird performance were periodically examined during the experiment.
Results: The results showed that increasing the density to 14 pieces in the initial period increased feed consumption and weight gain (P<0.05). Adding vitamins in the initial period caused weight loss (P<0.05). The interaction effects of density and vitamin addition in the initial period on feed consumption and in the initial and growth periods on weight gain were significant (P<0.05). The highest amount of feed consumption and weight gain was observed in the treatment with a density of 16 pieces with the addition of vitamins C and E in the initial period. During the growth period, the highest weight gain was related to the treatment with a density of 16 pieces with the addition of vitamins C and E. Density of 14 pieces caused a decrease in the weight percentage of the bursa of Fabricius (P<0.05). Increasing the density to 16 pieces caused an increase in glucose concentration at 21 days of age (P<0.05) and also the effect of adding vitamins at 21 days of age caused an increase in LDL concentration (P<0.05). The interaction effects of density and vitamin supplementation at 21 days of age increased glucose concentration in treatments with a density of 16 pieces with vitamin supplementation (P<0.05). The effect of density at 39 days of age increased HDL concentration and decreased LDL concentration (P<0.05). The interaction effects of density of 16 pieces and the addition of vitamins C and E increased HDL concentration in densities of 14 and 16 pieces with vitamin supplementation (P<0.05). The effect of vitamin supplementation increased the population of coliform bacteria (P<0.05). The interaction effects of density and vitamin supplementation increased the population of coliforms in treatments that consumed vitamins (P<0.05). The effect of density and vitamin supplementation and their interaction effects on body scores (foot pad ulcers, rabbit joint, breast and intestinal ulcers) of broilers was not significant. Increasing density to 14 pieces decreased the pH of the litter on day 38 of rearing (P<0.05). The interaction effect of density and vitamin supplementation in the treatment with density of 16 birds and addition of vitamins C and E at 38 days of age caused a decrease in litter pH (P<0.05). Increasing density to 16 birds and adding vitamins C and E did not show negative effects on performance, carcass characteristics (carcass weight, thigh, breast, abdominal fat), organs, health (body scores) of broilers.
Conclusion: A density of 16 birds per square meter is recommended for male broilers of the Ross 308 strain from 1 to 42 days of age.
Materials and methods: This study was conducted using a 2×2 factorial methods in a completely randomized design with 240 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks with 4 treatments and 4 replications with a density of 14 and 16 birds in each experimental unit. The treatments in this study are: 1- Treatment with a density of 14 chicks per square meter without adding vitamins C and E 2- Treatment with a density of 14 chicks per square meter with adding vitamins C and E 3- Treatment with a density of 16 chicks per square meter without adding vitamins C and E 4- Treatment with a density of 16 chicks per square meter with adding vitamins E and C. Also, at the end of the experiment, carcass characteristics, blood parameters, intestinal microbial population, and bird performance were periodically examined during the experiment.
Results: The results showed that increasing the density to 14 pieces in the initial period increased feed consumption and weight gain (P<0.05). Adding vitamins in the initial period caused weight loss (P<0.05). The interaction effects of density and vitamin addition in the initial period on feed consumption and in the initial and growth periods on weight gain were significant (P<0.05). The highest amount of feed consumption and weight gain was observed in the treatment with a density of 16 pieces with the addition of vitamins C and E in the initial period. During the growth period, the highest weight gain was related to the treatment with a density of 16 pieces with the addition of vitamins C and E. Density of 14 pieces caused a decrease in the weight percentage of the bursa of Fabricius (P<0.05). Increasing the density to 16 pieces caused an increase in glucose concentration at 21 days of age (P<0.05) and also the effect of adding vitamins at 21 days of age caused an increase in LDL concentration (P<0.05). The interaction effects of density and vitamin supplementation at 21 days of age increased glucose concentration in treatments with a density of 16 pieces with vitamin supplementation (P<0.05). The effect of density at 39 days of age increased HDL concentration and decreased LDL concentration (P<0.05). The interaction effects of density of 16 pieces and the addition of vitamins C and E increased HDL concentration in densities of 14 and 16 pieces with vitamin supplementation (P<0.05). The effect of vitamin supplementation increased the population of coliform bacteria (P<0.05). The interaction effects of density and vitamin supplementation increased the population of coliforms in treatments that consumed vitamins (P<0.05). The effect of density and vitamin supplementation and their interaction effects on body scores (foot pad ulcers, rabbit joint, breast and intestinal ulcers) of broilers was not significant. Increasing density to 14 pieces decreased the pH of the litter on day 38 of rearing (P<0.05). The interaction effect of density and vitamin supplementation in the treatment with density of 16 birds and addition of vitamins C and E at 38 days of age caused a decrease in litter pH (P<0.05). Increasing density to 16 birds and adding vitamins C and E did not show negative effects on performance, carcass characteristics (carcass weight, thigh, breast, abdominal fat), organs, health (body scores) of broilers.
Conclusion: A density of 16 birds per square meter is recommended for male broilers of the Ross 308 strain from 1 to 42 days of age.
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