| Summary, etc |
Farmers all over the world suffer profit loss, as a result of unmanaged heat stress problems. This<br/>research project therefore, aims to investigate the effect of antioxidant feed supplementation on<br/>nephrological and hepatic biochemical indices in broiler birds exposed to heat stress and.<br/>60 broiler chickens were completely randomized into four (4) groups of fifteen (15) birds each.<br/>They were exposed to varied temperatures of which group 1 to 4 were exposed to 25c, 30°c, 35°c<br/>and 40°c respectively. Each group was thereafter randomly re-classified into three (3) sub groups<br/>of five (5) birds each and assigned to A, B, and C based on treatment with un-supplemented feed<br/>(UF) supplemented feed with vitamin C/ascorbate (AF) and supplemented feed with cabbage juice<br/>(CF). The temperature exposure was for 12 hours daily from 7am to 7pm while the feed<br/>supplementation treatments was continuous for the twenty-eight (28) days exposure. Biochemical<br/>parameters such as: Nitric Oxide (NO), Total Cholesterol, High Density Lipoprotein (HDL),<br/>Triglyceride, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), Lipid Peroxidation, Total Protein, Superoxide<br/>Dismutase (SOD), and Catalase, were assayed for using standard procedure, and statistical analysis<br/>using SPSS.<br/>Results for the analysis showed significant increases (p < 0.5) in the concentration of<br/>Malondialdehyde (MDA), and Triglyceride. As well as significant reductions (p < 0.5) in the<br/>concentration of NO, HDL, Total Protein, and in the activity of SOD and Catalase for birds<br/>exposed to high temperatures (35℃ - 40℃), compared to the control birds (25℃). While there<br/>wasn’t any significant difference (p > 0.5) in Total Cholesterol, and LDL in the heat stressed birds<br/>compared to the control birds. Birds that were administered Vitamin C and cabbage juice, in<br/>addition to heat stress exposure however, had significantly reduced (p < 0.5) concentrations of<br/>MDA, Total Cholesterol, and Triglyceride, and significantly increased concentration of NO, HDL,<br/>Total Protein, and in the activity of SOD and Catalase in comparison to heat stressed birds (35℃<br/>- 40℃) and control birds (25℃).<br/>In conclusion, cabbage juice shows a better ameliorative effect on heat stress in broilers compared<br/>to Vitamin C, therefore its therapeutic potentials can be explored in heat stress management. |
