Growth Performance and Electrolytes Responses of Broiler Chickens Fed Vitamins A, C and E

Abstract

Growth parameters, namely average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency (FE) and electrolytes responses in broiler chickens fed vitamins A, C and E, were investigated. Ninety day old chicks were used in the study. Chicks were brooded and similarly reared for 4 weeks to fully pre-condition them to their new environment. At the end of this, animals were weighed to obtain their initial body weights (BW) and randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments of 30 birds/treatment and 3 replicates of 10 birds/replicate: T₁ (control diet, contained vitamins at basal levels of 30mg/kg of diet), T₂ (diet 2, contained vitamins A and E at 100mg of vitamin A + 100mg of vitamin E/kg of diet) and T₃ (diet 3, contained vitamins C and E at 100mg of vitamin C + 100mg of vitamin E/kg of diet). The animals received their respective diets for 4 weeks. On the last day of study, animals were weighed to obtain their final BW. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in the ADFI amongst dietary treatments. ADG showed significant (P < 0.05) differences as T₁, T₂ and T₃ groups gained approximately 41g, 68g and 86g/day, respectively. Significant (P < 0.05) differences were observed in the FE: T₁, T₂ and T₃ showed FE of 25%, 42% and 53%, respectively. The vitamins had no effects (P > 0.05) on the electrolytes studied. It was concluded that dietary vitamins A, C and E improved ADG and FE but had no effect on electrolytes.