Hematological Responses of Broiler Chickens to Vitamins A, C and E

Abstract

Ninety day old chicks were used to investigate hematological responses of broiler chickens to vitamins A, C and E. Chicks were brooded and similarly managed for 4 weeks to fully adapt them to their environment. After this, animals were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments with 30 birds/treatment and 3 replicates of 10 birds/replicate as: T₁ (control diet, contained the 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 diets for 4 weeks. 9 birds from each treatment group consisting of 3 birds from each replicate were sacrificed and their blood collected for analyses: packed cell volume (PCV), haemoblobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC) and their differentials: neutrophil (NEU), lymphocytes (LYM), monocytes (MON), oenophile (EON) and basophile (BAS). PCV of the T₁ animals was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those of T₂ and T₃ groups. Hb concentration of T₁ group was significantly (P < 0.05) lower compared with T₂ and T₃ groups. No differences (P > 0.05) in the RBC amongst treatment groups. WBC was significantly (P < 0.05) higher with the T₃ group than T₁ and T₂. No differences (P > 0.05) in the NEU amongst treatments. The LYM of T₂ and T₃ groups had were significantly (P < 0.05) higher compared with the control (T₁). T₁ animals had significantly (P < 0.05) higher EON compared with animals of T₂ and T₃. The trend observed with the EON was also similar with the BAS. It was concluded that antioxidant vitamins A, C and E can improve the quality of lives for broiler chickens, especially vitamins C and E during their growth process.