Effects of heat stress on antibody levels against newcastle disease in broiler and native chickens

Date

2023

Abstract

There is a dearth of information on the health implications of heat stress on local poultry production. The present study was conducted to assess the effects of heat stress exposure on the major adaptive stress responses of chickens, specifically: 1)antibody levels; 2)corticosterone levels; 3)plasma glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides; 4)heterophil; lymphocyte ratio; 5)absolute and relative weights of the liver and lymphoid organs; and 6)histophatology of the liver and lymphoid organs. Broiler and native chickens were divided into three treatment groups. The group control (T1) was subjected to ambient environmental temperature (AET) from day (d) 29 to 35 (AET=29.8 deg C) and 43 to 49 (AET=31.7 deg C). Treatments 2(T2) and 3 (T3) were exposed to temperatures higher than the AET by 7 hours daily. T2 was exposed to AET + 0.94 deg C from d29 to 35, and AET + 0.73 deg C from d 43 to 49. T3 was exposed to AET + 3.30 deg C from d 29 to 35, and AET + 2.85 deg C from d 43 to 49. Data comparisons were made among treatment groups of combined native and broiler chickens (NBC), and among treatment groups in each breed. Results suggest adverse health implications of exposure to subacute and intermittent episodes of high temperature in chickens. This was shown by the significantly higher corticosterone levels in T3 of NBC and increased plasma glucose levels in T3 of corticosterone concentration (T3), lower absolute weights of the liver (T2 and T3), and histopathological changes in lymphoid organs that were indicative of exposure to stress (T2 and T3). The magnitude of response to heat stress was apparently breed-dependent with native chickens demonstrating a better adaptive capacity to withstand heat stress than broiler chickens.

Language

English

Document Type

Article

Pages /Collation

20 leaves

En – AGROVOC descriptors

BROILER CHICKENS; POULTRY; INDIGENOUS ORGANISMS; HEAT STRESS; NEWCASTLE DISEASE; IMMUNE RESPONSE; WARM SEASON; BREEDS (ANIMALS)

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