Heat stress relief for broiler chickens: organic selenium and a vitamin C and E blend can enhance growth, nutrient digestibility, and blood parameters

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with organic selenium (OR-Se) and/or vitamins C and E on the rectal temperature (Rectal-T), growth performance, carcase yield, intestinal morphology, plasma thyroid hormone levels, and antioxidant status of broilers reared in hot environmental conditions. Under heat stress conditions (29.4 to 33.6 °C), 360 Arbour Acres chicks were fed in a (2 × 3) factorial design with two dietary levels of organic selenium (0 and 0.6 mg/kg) and three dietary levels of a mix of vitamins C and E (0, 200 and 250 mg/kg). Chicks were randomly assigned to six treatments (T) with three replicates of 20 birds each: the 1st group (T1): basal diet with no supplementation (control group); the 2nd group (T2): basal diet supplemented with 0.6 mg OR-Se/kg; the 3rd group (T3): basal diet with a mixture of vitamins C and E, 200 mg of each/kg diet (Vita-Mix A); the 4th group (T4): basal diet with a mixture of vitamins C and E, 250 mg of each/kg diet (Vita-Mix B); the 5th group (T5): basal diet with (Vita-Mix A) + 0.6 mg OR-Se/kg diet; the 6th group (T6): basal diet with Vita-Mix B and 0.6 mg OR-Se/kg diet for a five-week feeding period. Results showed that chicks fed diets supplemented with OR-Se and/or vitamins (C, E) had lower (p < 0.01) rectal-T, growth performance indicators (except feed intake). Also, compared to un-supplemented birds, the carcase yield, digestibility of ether extract, and antioxidant indices were significantly improved. In conclusion, dietary 0.6 mg OR-Se/kg and/or a mixture of vitamins C and E (both at 200 or 250 mg/kg) improved growth performance, carcase yield, nutrient digestibility, and antioxidant capacity under heat-stress conditions. In addition to the previously mentioned results, it would be more reliable when applied to a large number of chicks to ensure data robustness and reliability for productive performance indices.

Highlights

• Adding 0.06 mg of organic selenium plus a mixture of vitamins C and E to the broiler’s diet (per 1 kg diet) improved growth performance.

• Including 0.6 mg of organic selenium plus a mixture of vitamins C and E (per 1 kg diet) in the broiler led to a better average feed conversion ratio throughout the rearing period and boosted the FCR of broiler chicks.

• Vita-Mix plus organic selenium supplementation led to better antioxidant status (GSH-px, SOD, and MDA) of broiler chicks.

Keywords:

• Broiler
• organic selenium
• digestion
• blood biochemical
• haematology

Ethical Approval

All studies were approved by the Faculty of Agriculture, Minia University ethics committee under approval No. MU/FA/015/12/22.

Acknowledgments

The authors extend their appreciation to the Deputyship for Research and Innovation, “Ministry of Education” in Saudi Arabia for funding this research work through project no. (IFKSUOR3-560-2).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the Deputyship for Research and Innovation, “Ministry of Education” in Saudi Arabia, project no. [IFKSUOR3-560-2].