Amelioration of heat stress induced disturbances of the antioxidant defense system in broilers

V. Sujatha¹, Jayant Pandurang Korde¹, Sunil K. Rastogi¹, Shivi Maini²*, Kotagiri Ravikanth² and Dhananjay Shyamrao Rekhe³

¹Department of Animal Physiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Gobind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT), Pantnagar, Uttaranchal, India.

²Research and Development, Ayurvet Limited, Baddi, H. P., India.

³Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, MAFSU, Nagpur, India.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: drshivi29@yahoo.com. Tel: +91-9649103324. 

Accepted 15 January, 2010

   Abstract

A comparative study on antistressor and antioxidative effects of synthetic vitamin C and polyherbal feed premix supplementation in broilers was conducted during the summer months of June-July when the mean temperature-humidity index was 84.74 ± 2.51. Day old broiler chicks (n = 60) were randomly divided into three groups. Control group I was given basal diet and treatment groups (II and III) were supplemented with synthetic vitamin C (100 g/tonne of feed) and polyherbal feed premix (1 kg/tonne of feed) from day 0 to 6 weeks of age. Biochemical parameters were analysed after the 3^rd and the 5^th week and erythrocytic antioxidant enzymes were analysed after the 3^rd and the 6^th week of experiement. Hormonal and immunological parameters were analysed after the 6^th week of the study. After the 3^rd week, mean plasma glucose, cholesterol and antioxidant enzyme glutathione reductase (GSSG) were significantly (P ≤ 0.01) lower in treated groups (II and III) than control (I); however total protein, albumin to globulin ratio and antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) different in group II and III compared to group I. After the 5^th week, mean plasma glucose, total protein, albumin globulin ratio were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) different in both the treatments compared to control. Erythrocytic GSSG were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) different in both the treatments than control, as observed after the 6^th week. Stress hormones namely cortisol and thyroxine (T₄) were observed to be significantly (P ≥ 0.05) higher in the untreated controls than the treated groups. Mean total immunoglobulin (Ig) level was significantly (P ≥ 0.01) higher in polyherbal premix and vitamin C treated birds than control birds after the 6^th week of study. It can be concluded from the results that oxidative stress in broilers during summer could be ameliorated using antioxidant synthetic vitamin C and the polyherbal antistressor, immunomodulator and adaptogenic feed premix.

Key words: Antioxidants, glutathione, herbal, hormones, hypolipidaemic, immunity, stress.