Effect of supplementing ascorbic acid, vitamin E and betaine on the performance, immune response and blood parameters in broiler

In order to investigate the effects of vitamins C and E and betaine on performance, immune response and blood parameters of broiler chickens, an experiment was conducted with completely randomized block design consisting of 6 treatments and 5 replicates with 30 chicks in each replicate. The groups were assigned to receive the treatment diets as follows: diet with no feed additive (control); diet supplemented with vitamin C; diet supplemented with vitamin E; diet supplemented with betaine; diet supplemented with vitamin E and betaine; diet supplemented with vitamin E, vitamin C and betaine. Body weight, feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and mortality were determined over the course of the experiment. At 35 days of age, two birds per replicate were randomly selected and 2 ml blood sample was collected to measure plasma concentration of T3 and T4 hormones. IgM and IgG antibody response to SRBC were also determined at 28 days of age. Body weight, FI and FCR were not affected by different treatments over the course of the study. Broilers fed diet supplemented with vitamin C, vitamin E and betaine showed the highest survival percentage and production index as compared with the other treatments. But it was not significantly different with the control group. IgM and IgG antibody response to SRBC, hematocrit percentage and plasma concentration of T3 and T4 also were not affected by different dietary treatments. The results of this experiment showed that there were no significant differences among the treatments in the performance, immune response and blood parameters of broiler chicken