1- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Fisheries, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran
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Extended Abstract
Background: Today, stocking density in breeding houses is one of the most important issues in the broiler chicken breeding industry, which can affect the health and performance of broilers. The space in the breeding farm can be used more optimally by increasing the number of birds per square meter, provided that the increase in density does not have a negative impact on the health, welfare, and performance of the birds. To reduce stress, the density of the chicks in the house should be reduced with the age and weight of the chicks. Increasing the density of the flock reduces the weight, feed consumption, and performance of broilers. Increasing density can cause stress, which also reduces the growth performance and welfare of the bird. The airflow on the bird's body surface decreases by increasing density, causing heat stress. Increasing the number of birds per square meter reduces their activity, which causes swelling of the footpads, sores on the scrotum, and skin on the chest. The prevalence of burns, inflammation of the footpads, and scrotum in broilers at high density is due to the lack of sufficient space and reduced bird mobility, and the quality of the litter also decreases rapidly. High density causes oxidative stress in broilers. Adding some vitamins, such as E, C, and D3, can reduce the negative effects of stress 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 alleviates the negative effects of free radicals, causes vitamin E and collagen production, and improves physical bone status, weight gain, and feed consumption at high density. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of adding vitamins C + E at different stocking densities on the performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters, and intestinal cecum microbial population of broilers.
Methods: This research was conducted at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources of Sari in the spring of 1403 using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design with 240 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks with four treatments and four replications at densities of 14 and 16 birds in each experimental unit. The treatments in this study were 1) a density of 14 chicks per square meter without adding vitamins C + E, 2) a density of 14 chicks per square meter with adding vitamins C + E, 3) a density of 16 chicks per square meter without adding vitamins C + E, and 4) a density of 16 chicks per square meter with adding vitamins E + C. Carcass characteristics, blood parameters, and intestinal microbial population were examined at the end of the experiment, and birds’ performance was periodically examined during the experiment.
Results: 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 were significant in the initial period on feed consumption and in the initial and growth periods on weight gain (P < 0.05). The highest amount of feed consumption and weight gain was observed in the treatment with a density of 16 pieces with adding vitamins C + E in the initial period. During the growth period, the highest weight gain belonged to the treatment with a density of 16 pieces, by adding vitamins C + E. The 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 plasma concentration at 21 days of age (P < 0.05). Adding vitamins E + C at 21 days of age caused an increase in LDL plasma 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 plasma concentration and decreased LDL plasma concentration (P < 0.05). The interaction effects of the density of 16 pieces and adding vitamins C and E increased HDL plasma concentration in densities of 14 and 16 pieces with vitamin supplementation (P < 0.05). Vitamin supplementation increased the population of coliform bacteria (P < 0.05). The interaction effects of density and vitamin E + C 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 was not significant on body scores (footpad ulcers, rabbit joint, and breast and intestinal ulcers) of broilers. Increasing the 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 the density of 16 birds and adding vitamins C + E at 38 days of age caused a decrease in litter pH (P < 0.05). Increasing density to 16 birds and adding vitamins C + E did not show negative effects on the performance, carcass characteristics (carcass weight, thigh, breast, and abdominal fat), organs, and health (body scores) of broilers.
Conclusion: A density of 16 birds per square meter with or without supplementation vitamins C+E is recommended for male broilers of the Ross 308 strain until 42 days of age.
Background: Today, stocking density in breeding houses is one of the most important issues in the broiler chicken breeding industry, which can affect the health and performance of broilers. The space in the breeding farm can be used more optimally by increasing the number of birds per square meter, provided that the increase in density does not have a negative impact on the health, welfare, and performance of the birds. To reduce stress, the density of the chicks in the house should be reduced with the age and weight of the chicks. Increasing the density of the flock reduces the weight, feed consumption, and performance of broilers. Increasing density can cause stress, which also reduces the growth performance and welfare of the bird. The airflow on the bird's body surface decreases by increasing density, causing heat stress. Increasing the number of birds per square meter reduces their activity, which causes swelling of the footpads, sores on the scrotum, and skin on the chest. The prevalence of burns, inflammation of the footpads, and scrotum in broilers at high density is due to the lack of sufficient space and reduced bird mobility, and the quality of the litter also decreases rapidly. High density causes oxidative stress in broilers. Adding some vitamins, such as E, C, and D3, can reduce the negative effects of stress 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 alleviates the negative effects of free radicals, causes vitamin E and collagen production, and improves physical bone status, weight gain, and feed consumption at high density. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of adding vitamins C + E at different stocking densities on the performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters, and intestinal cecum microbial population of broilers.
Methods: This research was conducted at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources of Sari in the spring of 1403 using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design with 240 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks with four treatments and four replications at densities of 14 and 16 birds in each experimental unit. The treatments in this study were 1) a density of 14 chicks per square meter without adding vitamins C + E, 2) a density of 14 chicks per square meter with adding vitamins C + E, 3) a density of 16 chicks per square meter without adding vitamins C + E, and 4) a density of 16 chicks per square meter with adding vitamins E + C. Carcass characteristics, blood parameters, and intestinal microbial population were examined at the end of the experiment, and birds’ performance was periodically examined during the experiment.
Results: 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 were significant in the initial period on feed consumption and in the initial and growth periods on weight gain (P < 0.05). The highest amount of feed consumption and weight gain was observed in the treatment with a density of 16 pieces with adding vitamins C + E in the initial period. During the growth period, the highest weight gain belonged to the treatment with a density of 16 pieces, by adding vitamins C + E. The 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 plasma concentration at 21 days of age (P < 0.05). Adding vitamins E + C at 21 days of age caused an increase in LDL plasma 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 plasma concentration and decreased LDL plasma concentration (P < 0.05). The interaction effects of the density of 16 pieces and adding vitamins C and E increased HDL plasma concentration in densities of 14 and 16 pieces with vitamin supplementation (P < 0.05). Vitamin supplementation increased the population of coliform bacteria (P < 0.05). The interaction effects of density and vitamin E + C 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 was not significant on body scores (footpad ulcers, rabbit joint, and breast and intestinal ulcers) of broilers. Increasing the 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 the density of 16 birds and adding vitamins C + E at 38 days of age caused a decrease in litter pH (P < 0.05). Increasing density to 16 birds and adding vitamins C + E did not show negative effects on the performance, carcass characteristics (carcass weight, thigh, breast, and abdominal fat), organs, and health (body scores) of broilers.
Conclusion: A density of 16 birds per square meter with or without supplementation vitamins C+E is recommended for male broilers of the Ross 308 strain until 42 days of age.
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