Effect of Pb-induced oxidative stress on performance, antioxidant status and behavioral responses in broiler chicken

Lead (Pb) induced oxidative stress is known to suppress growth performance in broiler chickens. The current study was carried out in an attempt to describe the specific underlying mechanisms of such phenomenon.
The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Pb-induced oxidative stress on performance, antioxidant status and behavioral responses of broiler chicken.
Eighty day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatment groups of 4 pen replicates, namely i) basal diet containing no lead supplement (control) and ii) basal diet containing 200 mg Pb/kg of diet.
The results showed that addition of lead decreased body weight gain (p Our data conclude that Pb-induced oxidative stress adversely suppressed feed conversion ratio and growth performance. The proposed underlying mechanism for such phenomenon is Pb-induced oxidative stress by impaired antioxidant status and feeding behavior decreased the growth performance.