Control of Acute Thermal Stress in Broilers Ross Line 308 by Inclusion of Betaine in the Water and its Economic Analysis

Abstract

This study evaluated different concentrations of inclusion of betaine supplied in the drinking water for the control of acute heat stress in broiler chickens Ross 308 Line and its effect on the productive parameters and economic benefit in two production cycles. In two poultry houses, the experiment began with 2672 and 2304 broiler chickens that were distributed in the third week in 16 quadrants with four pseudo-replicates of 167 and 144 chickens each quadrant. Three treatments of betaine (1.5, 2 and 2.5 g/l) and one control treatment (without betaine) distributed at random were supplied in the drinking water during the last week of breeding (seven week). The supply of 1.5 g/l (T2) of betaine level showed the highest average weight (2441 ± 52.2 g) and lowest mortality (2.96%) during the first cycle, whereas T4 exhibited highest average weight (2925 ± 60.2 g) and lowest mortality (3.43%) during the second cycle. All treatments revealed acute thermal stress with no significant differences in body temperature. In the economic analysis T2 and T4 showed the highest net income with about 60.44% and 67.36% with reasonable cost-benefit ratio (1.42 and 1.93) during first and second cycle, respectively. This study suggests the supply of betaine between 1.5-2.5 g/l in the water during the last week of rearing period in Mediterranean areas along with good management practice to mitigate the acute thermal stress in commercial chicken broilers Line Ross 308.

Keywords

• Betaína
• broiler
• análisis económico
• parámetros productivos
• estrés térmico