Effect of feed additives on performance, immunity and ascites related parameters in broiler chickens

A study was designed to investigate the effect of different feed additives on performance، immune response and ascites - related parameters in broiler chicken. A total of 900 day-old Ross broiler chicks were randomly allocated into six equally major groups with five replicates of 30 chicks each. The groups were assigned to receive the treatment diets as follows: diet with no feed additive (control); diet supplemented with vitamin; diet supplemented with choline chloride; diet supplemented with vitamin C and probiotics; diet supplemented with choline chloride and probiotics; diet supplemented with choline chloride، vitamin C and probiotics. Body weight، feed intake، body weight gain، feed conversion ration and mortality were determined over the course of the experiment. Hematocrit percentage was also measured as an indicator of ascites. 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 (P > 0. 05) by different treatments over the course of the study. Broilers fed diet supplemented with choline chloride، vitamin C and probiotic showed the highest survivability 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 (P > 0. 05).