The effects of dietary supplementation of grape seed extract (GSE) and vitamin C on carcass characteristics, gut morphology and ileal microflora in broiler chickens exposed to chronic heat stress were examined. Experimental diets included a control diet (without additive), 3 levels of GSE (150, 300, 450 mg/kg of diet), and vitamin C (300 mg/kg of diet). Each of the five diets was fed to 5 repli...

Heat stress is an effective factor on immune responses, body weight, egg production and egg quality of chickens. The major effect of heat stress is due to decreased food intake and alteration in acid-base balance. During the recent years, efforts to improve laying performance at high temperatures have been relatively successful. Supplementation of the diet or drinking water with special nutrien...

In semi-arid areas of Southern Africa, dehydration can compromise the performance and welfare of local chickens, particularly during the growing period when confinement is curtailed and birds are left to scavenge for feed and water. The effect of water restriction on the growth performance was compared in Naked Neck (NNK) and Ovambo (OVB) chickens that are predominant in Southern Africa. A tota...

Natural antibody (NAb) levels and survival rates were evaluated in 4 breeds of laying hens in Ethiopia: indigenous, improved indigenous, exotic layer, and crossbred. Titers of NAb isotypes IgG and IgM binding keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) in serum were measured at 20, 26, 35, and 45 wk age. Repeated-measure ANOVA showed that IgG and IgM levels vary with time within each breed (P < 0.05). Indi...

the effects of dietary supplementation of grape seed extract (gse) and vitamin c on carcass characteristics, gut morphology and ileal microflora in broiler chickens exposed to chronic heat stress were examined. experimental diets included a control diet (without additive), 3 levels of gse (150, 300, 450 mg/kg of diet), and vitamin c (300 mg/kg of diet). each of the five diets was fed to 5 repli...