Effect of injection of diazepam, melatonin, methocarbamol and glucose on physiological responses of neonate chicks subjected to road transportation stress

Transportation causes stress in chicks that may make numerous physiological changes with a negative impact on their production and health. This study was conducted to examine the effects of injection of diazepam, melatonin, methocarbamol and glucose on Serum biochemical parameters include: glucose, total protein, albumin, uric acid, cholesterol, triglycerides, Ca, P, Zn, Fe, Na and K in neonate chicks subjected to road transportation stress.

The research was carried out in the form of factorial experiment (9×5) based on a completely randomized design with 4 replications. A total of 940 one-day old Ross 308 Male-sex broiler chicks were bought from a commercial hatchery. Immediately after the hatching, broiler chicks were traveled to about 1200 km far from the hatchery. At hatchery (40 samples) and after 300, 600, 900, and 1200 km journey, a random sample (From each treatment 8 birds) were sampled for blood collection.

The mean concentration of glucose, protein, albumin, cholesterol, triglyceride, calcium, phosphorus, iron, sodium, and potassium was not affected by the treatments (P>0.05), but concentration of uric acid and plasma Zn was influenced (P<0.05). The effect of road distance on all serum parameters except Zn was significant. Furthermore, the mean concentrations of uric acid, Zn, Sodium and Potassium in serum showed an interaction between treatments and transport distance (P<0.05).

These results clearly show the physiological responses of chickens under long-distance transport and the effect of some treatments on stress indicators.