The Effect of Cold Water and Stocking Density on Oxidative Metabolism in Broiler Chickens During Hot Dry Season

OpenAlex English

The present experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of drinking water temperature and stocking density (SD) on oxidative metabolism in the heart, liver, bursa fabricius, and thymus in broiler chickens raised under heat stress. The experiment comprised of 360 one-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chickens randomly divided to 6 experimental groups with 4 replicates in each group. Experimental treatments included three different SD (low = 12 birds/m2, medium = 15 birds/m2 or high = 18 birds/m2) and two different drinking water temperature (10oC or 31oC) in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement. At the end of the experiment (42 days of age), two birds per replicate were euthanized for sample collection. The results indicated high SD increased oxidative damage and caused an increase in MDA formation in the heart, liver and thymus. On the other hand, cold water ameliorated the oxidative damage due to the high SD in the thymus. In the study, the statistically non-significant interaction was generally determined between cage stocking density and cold drinking water on the antioxidant system. Besides, while cold water administration increased CAT activity in heart and thymus tissues, decreased GSH activity. In conclusion, drinking water temperature and stocking density are key environmental factors effecting oxidative metabolism when broilers under high temperature conditions; however, more studies are needed in terms of the interactive effects of water temperature and stocking density on antioxidant enzymes under current conditions.