Ameliorative effects of betaine and ascorbic acid on erythrocyte osmotic fragility and malondialdehyde concentrations in broiler chickens during the hot-dry season

Abstract

The study evaluated the effect of betaine and ascorbic acid (AA) administration on the erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration of broiler chickens during the hot-dry season. Eighty day-old broilers were divided into four groups: Group I (control) given sterile water; Group II, betaine (250 mg/kg); Group III, AA (50 mg/kg); and Group IV, betaine (250 mg/kg) + AA (50 mg/kg) orally for 42 days. Blood samples were collected from each bird with and without anticoagulant, sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, on days 21 and 42, for the determination of EOF and serum MDA concentrations. The dry-bulb temperature (DBT), relative humidity and temperature-humidity index (THI) recorded were 28.33–35.67°C, 69.00–93.00% and 28.18–34.82, respectively. The results showed that betaine + AA (7.78 ± 1.66%) significantly (P < .05) reduced EOF, compared to control birds (16.27 ± 9.35%) at 0.7% on day 21. MDA concentrations of broiler chickens in the betaine (1.37 ± 0.038 nmol/L), AA (1.41 ± 0.039 nmol/L) and betaine + AA (1.41 ± 0.040 nmol/L) groups during the experimental period were significantly (P < .05) lower when compared with that of the control group (1.54 ± 0.043 nmol/L). It is concluded that the co-administration of betaine and AA to broiler chickens decreased EOF and MDA during the hot-dry season.

Keywords

• Heat stress
• erythrocyte osmotic fragility
• lipoperoxidation