A Technical Report on the Potential Effects of Heat Stress on Antioxidant Enzymes Activities, Performance and Small Intestinal Morphology in Broiler Chickens Administered Probiotic and Ascorbic Acid during the Hot Summer Season

Abstract

Oxidative stress negatively affects the welfare of broiler chickens leading to poor productivity and even death. This study examined the negative effect of heat stress on antioxidant enzyme activities, small intestinal morphology and performance in broiler chickens administered probiotic and ascorbic acid during the hot summer season, under otherwise controlled conditions. The study made use of 56 broiler chickens; which were divided into control; probiotic (1 g/kg); ascorbic acid (200 mg/kg) and probiotic + ascorbic acid (1 g/kg and 200 mg/kg, respectively). All administrations were given via feed from D1 to D35 of this study. Superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were highly significant (p < 0.0001) in the treatment groups compared to the control. Performance indicators (water intake and body weight gain) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the probiotic and probiotic + ascorbic acid group. The height of duodenal, jejunal and ileal villi, and goblet cell counts of broiler chickens were significantly different in the treatment groups. In conclusion, the study showed that heat stress negatively affects the levels of endogenous antioxidant enzymes, performance and the morphology of small intestinal epithelium, while the antioxidants were efficacious in ameliorating these adverse effects.

Dietary Moringa Leaf Supplementation Affects Heat-Stressed Broilers: II-Blood Metabolites, Antioxidant Activity and Meat Quality

“…In the current study, plasma total antioxidant capacity, SOD, and catalase activities decreased whereas ceruloplasmin concentration increased. The harmful changes in blood antioxidant activities reflect the induction of oxidative stress mediated by heat exposure (Xue et al, 2017;Sumanu et al, 2023). Moringa leaf supplementation elevated antioxidant enzyme activity and TAC, which illustrates an oxidative stress relief property (Nandave et al, 2009;Cui et al, 2018;Mohamed et al, 2022).…”