Effect of lactobacillus, vitamin C and E supplementation on performance : carcass traits and blood constituents in broiler chick

Abstract EN

This study was carried out to evaluate the influence of lactobacillus acidophilus (LB) and vitamins C, E and C plus E on the productive performance, relative weights of some organs, blood constituents and economical return of broiler chicks.

A total of 360 Arbor Acres chicks, one-day old, were divided randomly into 8 equal groups.

Each group was subdivided into 3 equal pens of 15 chicks each.

The first four groups served as control and were not supplemented with LB.

The second four groups received diets supplemented with 1.5g LB/kg.

Both the first and the second groups were supplemented with 0.0, 1500mg vit.

C, 2000IU vit.E and a mixture of 1500mg vit.

C + 2000IU vit.

E/kg Results obtained showed that body gain, feed intake and feed conversion of chicks fed 1.5g LB were not significantly influenced during starting period.

Whereas, supplementing vits.

C and E resulted in a significant decrease in feed intake as compared to the control group.

Adding vit.

C exposed pronouncing reducing effect on feed conversion than vit.

E.

Neither LB nor vits supplements had obvious effects on mortality of chicks.

During finishing period, there was also no significant effect of adding LB to chick diet on performance.

Whereas supplementing vit.

C caused a significant (P<0.05) increase in body gain and feed intake with a better feed conversion as compared with control, vit.

E and vits C + E fed groups.

Percentages of dressing, liver, heart and spleen were not affected by LB, while gizzard, intestinal tract and bursa % increased.

The relative weight of thymus gland was significantly (P<0.05) lower in chicks fed LB diets than those fed the control diets.

Supplementing vit.

C tended to insignificantly increase dressing, liver, spleen and bursa percentages.

Both LB and vitamins supplements increased the plasma contents of total protein, albumin, globulin and total lipids.

LB had no beneficial effect in broiler diets during winter season.

Vitamin C achieved similar economic return as compared to the control group.

It is concluded that supplementing broiler diets with vit, C maintained the economical return as the control group, while vit.

E, and lactobacillus acidophilus did not during winter conditions.