A 30-day experiment involving 720 White Leghorn layer hens was carried out to evaluate the effects of vitamins C and E on leukocyte and heterophil/lymphocytes ratios of the layer hens during the natural summer conditions. The birds were divided into 4 groups, one control with basal diet and three experimental with diet supplemented with vitamin C, vitamin E, or combination of both vitamins. Each group was divided into 4 subgroups. Exposure of layer hens to 31 ± 3 °C and 33 ± 0 °C ambient temperature and 84.6% and 81.5% relative humidity during the experiment caused an increase in the value of temperature humidity index of 15.5 above the threshold value of 70 established for this species. Total white blood cells, lymphocytes, and eosinophil levels were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in all treated groups compared to control. Similarly, heterophil/lymphocyte ratios of 0.51, 0.52, and 0.50 for groups with diet supplemented with vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamins C + E, respectively, were significantly (p < 0.001) lower compared to 0.59 recorded in the control group. However, heterophil, basophil and monocyte values were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in the control group compared to all treated groups. The results of the present study showed that dietary supplementation of vitamins C and E, or their combination, reduces the harmful effect of high ambient temperature and humidity on the leukocyte indicators of exposed layer hens, thereby alleviating the stress imposed on their thermoregulatory mechanism and physiological status. Heat stress, antioxidant vitamins, white blood cells, laying birdsAll over the world, farmers have to solve a problem of heat stress in poultry during the summer period. Global warming as a result of increased industrialization and environmental degradation has led to continuous increase in ambient temperature, thereby making heat stress a major problem of livestock farming, particularly in the poultry sector (Daghir 2009). This is because poultry are particularly sensitive to high ambient temperature (AT), more than to cold. Heat stress interferes with the birds' comfort and suppresses production efficiency. In birds, high ambient temperature leads to increased endogenous heat production, since convective transfer of heat is the major thermoregulatory mechanism of birds and depends on air movement by natural or fan-powered ventilation (Shane 2005). As a response, birds have to make major thermo-regulatory adaptations to prevent death from heat exhaustion. As a result, the genetic potential of layer hens is often compromised (Holik 2009). The responses of poultry to high ambient temperatures have been studied several times, but the effect of relative humidity (RH) on intensifying or modifying these responses has received little attention. Relative humidity is rarely included as an experimental variable or measured for information purposes. Such information is important because in poultry-producing regions high temperature can often be accompanied by a range of RH, which can marked...

Abstract. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of vitamins C and E on some plasma metabolites and production performance of layer chickens reared under hot tropical climate. 720 White Leghorn (L33) layer chickens and 39 weeks old were divided into four groups of 180 birds. One group was fed with basal diet (control) and treatment groups were fed with basal diet supplemented with 150 mg of vitamin C/kg of diet, 150 mg of vitamin E/kg of diet, while the last group was supplemented with 150 mg of vitamin C/kg of diet plus 150 mg of vitamin E/kg of diet. Separately or as a combination, supplemental vitamin C and E decreased plasma concentrations of cholesterol, glucose and creatine phosphokinase (P<0.001) compared to control. There were no significant (P>0.05) effects of supplemental vitamin C and E on plasma metabolites of alanine phosphatase and aspartate transaminase. The single supplementation of vitamin E and its combination with vitamin C considerably increased the plasma metabolite of protein (P<0.01). Egg/bird were significantly (P<0.05) higher in all treatment groups compared to control, but P value was highest in vitamin E treated group. The laying index showed a significant (P<0.05) increase in all treatment groups compared to control. Similarly, feed consumption and conversion were significantly (P<0.05) different in treatment groups compared to control. It is concluded that supplementation of vitamins C and E maintained the stability of some plasma metabolites concentration, thereby, sustained production performance and facilitated adaptation of chicken to stressful hot-humid condition.

One of the problems that most affect humanity today is the wastewater discharge into different water bodies. It was estimated that more than 7 million tons of wastewater are generated worldwide and are discharged into rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. Among the most dangerous wastewaters are those from inorganic chemistry research laboratories, mainly due to heavy metals. These problems have become a highly relevant topic, and numerous researchers have tried to design wastewater treatment systems that will deal more efficiently with heavy metals elimination. In this work, the synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of hydrated aluminium silicate were performed as alternative wastewater treatment from chemistry research and teaching laboratories. The compound obtained was Al 2 O 3 3SiO 2 H 2 O , which was characterized by the determination of its physicochemical properties. These revealed a low density, very porous material, with low crystallinity, strong chemical resistance, a large surface area, and a high apparent ionic exchange capacity. Absorption kinetics studies of heavy metals in aqueous solutions, through more widespread models, have demonstrated that Al 2 O 3 3SiO 2 H 2 O has excellent properties as absorbents of this material. The amorphous hydrated aluminium silicate achieves a decrease in the concentration of all the metal ions studied, reducing them to discharge levels permissible. The discharge of large wastewater volumes into the environment is currently one of the major environmental pollution concerns 1-4. Among the more common and harmful pollutants are heavy metals, which produce a vast amount of emissions worldwide (just considering the industrial facilities of the European Union member countries, 3,598 tons of heavy metals were discharged into the water in 1 year) 5,6. Discharges of wastewater from various industrial activities such as electroplating, paint production, plastics, metal materials, mining, some energy producers, and welding materials are the main sources of discharges of heavy metals content into the environment 7-10. Thus the great importance of identifying, evaluating and knowing more about the effects of the species present in these residues in order to avoid present and future damage through responsible, safe, efficient, legal and low-cost wastewater management 11-14. The toxicity of metals depends on the chemical species in which it is part, the routes of administration, and the optimal concentration levels above which they are toxic 15,16. Usually, results when an organism is subjected to an excessive concentration of the metal for an extended period, when it appears in a specific biochemical form or when the organism absorbs it by an unusual route 17,18. Since both the deficiency and the elevated levels of many metallic species can lead to adverse effects for health and the environment; Various studies have been documented on the need for them to be discharged at adequate levels. From this problem on the protection of the environment and human health; Considerable attent...

The experiment was carried out in two stages with the objective of determining the effect of parenteral supplementation of 50 mg Cu on the reproductive behaviour of both hypo-and normocupremic cyclic female cattle. In the first stage, 62 hypocupremic, cyclic animals were selected, 32 heifers (16 in the control group and 16 in the treatment group) and 30 cows (12 in the control group and 18 in the treatment group). In the second stage, 98 normocupremic, cyclic heifers were selected (49 in the control group and 49 in the treatment group). 50 mg of Cu were administered to the animals in the treatment groups parenterally (subcutaneously) every two months until three successive applications were completed, while the control animals were not given copper supplementation. The effects of the copper therapy on cupremia and the percentage of heat and gestations presented were determined. The relative risk of treated animals of presentating anoestrus and service repetition was evaluated by the formation of a 2 × 2 contingency table and the application of a χ² test. The levels of serum copper were compared using a t-test, while heat and gestations were compared using a proportion comparism test. The parenteral administration of 50 mg Cu in hypocupremic, cyclic heifers and cows led to significant increases of cupremia (P<0.001) and the percentages of heat presentations and gestations (P<0.01); in the normocupremic animals, there were significant increases in the values of serum copper (P<0.0001), heat presentations (P<0.01) and gestations (P<0.001), especially in animals with cupremia values below 14 mmol/L. The treatment reduced the relative risk of reproductive disorders. It is concluded that the parenteral administration of 50 mg Cu in female cattle with Cu blood serum level <14 mmol/L increased cupremia and the percentages of heat presentations and gestations, and reduced the relative risk of reproductive disorders.

A 30-day experiment involving 720 White Leghorn (L33) layer chickens of 39 weeks of age and average live weight of 1.8 ± 0.04 kg was carried out in a completely randomized design to evaluate the effects of vitamins C and E on erythrocyte parameters of layers during natural summer conditions. Birds were allotted to 4 treatments containing 0, 150 mg vitamin C, 150 mg vitamin E, and 150 mg vitamin C plus 150 mg vitamin E/kg feed. Each treatment was replicated four times. The exposure of layers to 31±3 °C and 33±0 °C ambient temperature and 84.6% and 81.5% relative humidity, inside and outside the experimental pen, during the study period caused an increase in temperature humidity index 15.5 above the threshold value of 70 established for this species. Total erythrocytes counts were not affected by treatment. However, hematocrit and hemoglobin were significantly (p<0.001) different in vitamin-C and E treated groups, individually or in combination, as compared to the control birds. Also, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration of the birds fed vitamins C or E, or vitamins C+E were significantly (p<0.001) higher than those in control group. The results of the present study showed that the dietary supplementation of vitamin C and E, particularly as a combination, alleviated the counterproductive effects of high ambient temperature and humidity on the birds.