Studies on dietary supplementation of triiodothyronine in runting and stunting syndrome chicks

Abstract EN

One hundred and five (105) day old chicks Sasso broiler were divided into 7 equal groups.

Three groups were experimentally infected with 1 ml field strain reovirus suspension containing 104.5 TCID50 (Median Tissues Culture Infected Dose).

The broiler chicks were fed with ba-lanced starter diet, without any hormonal supplements till the end of the 2nd week old age.

Chickens in all groups were inspected daily for signs of disease.

The triiodothyronine hormonal treatment was supplemented at a dose of 0.1, 0.5 and 1 ppm in the diet at the first day of the 3rd week old age. Growth performance was determined at the 4th, 6th and 8th week's old age.

Random blood samples were collected from six chickens at the end of the 6th and 8th week's old age for complete blood picture and some biochemical parameters investigation. The study revealed that the addition of the thyroid hormones with low doses is better to improve the feed conversion rate and the weight gain than higher doses.

The erythrogram results appeared to normocytic normochromic anemia in either infected or non-infected high dose hor-monal treated groups in comparison to control.

Low dose non-infected treated groups showed higher hemoglobin concentrations and total leu-kocytic count in comparison with control and high dose hormonal treated ones.

Slight elevations in the Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Aspartate aminotranseferase (AST) and Creatine kinase (CK) levels were observed.

Meanwhile, hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, hypocho-lesterolemia as well as hypotriglycridemia were observed in infected high hormonal doses allover the experiment in comparison with control and low dose hormonal treated one. In conclusion the dietary supplementation with low dose of triiodothy-ronine enhanced growth performance in runting and stunting syndrome chicken.