EFFECT OF HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURE ON BROILER PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS FED ON EXTRA VITAMINS SUPPLEMENTED DIET
JAFFAR, G.H., BLAHA, I, SKARKOVA, L.
Abstract
The acute heat stress tolerance of broiler chicken
may be modified by dietary vitamins supplementation. Day old broiler chicks
were fed adlibitum on a standard or extra vitamin supplemented starter and finisher
diets. The chicks were divided into three groups. The control group (Gl) was
kept under normal required temperature whereas, groups G2 and G3 were subjected
to an environment of 30-43oC for the period of 42 days. G2 received the same
diet as that of control while, G3 was fed on an extra vitamin supplemented diet.
Increasing ambient temperature decreased weight gain, feed consumption and feed
efficiency with high mortality in G2. Birds in G3 consumed less feed to reach
slaughter weight than those reared under normal required conditions (Gl). The
birds were killed at the end of experiment. The carcass weights of broilers
receiving dietary vitamins were 0.8, and 10.4% more than in Gl and G2. Birds
in G3 consumed 0.7% more feed with 18.7% better feed efficiency and gain 16.1%
more weight with better breast meat, thigh muscles than those reared under acute
heat stress fed on standard diet (G2).
Key words:
Dietary vitamins, mortality, carcass trait, heat stress,
broiler chickens.