Effects of Dietary Inclusion of Seaweed, Heat Stress and Genetic Strain on Performance, Plasma Biochemical and Hematological Parameters in Laying Hens

This study was planned to investigate the effects of seaweed supplementation, genetic strain, heat stress and their interactions on laying hen performances, blood chemistry and hematology. In a short-term trial, laying hens of the two genetic lines Lohman LSL-Lite (White) and Lohman Brown-Lite (Brow...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Animals (Basel) 2020-09, Vol.10 (9), p.1570
Main Authors: Borzouie, Shima, Rathgeber, Bruce M, Stupart, Cassie M, MacIsaac, Janice
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age
Albumins
Algae
Ascophyllum nodosum
Birds
blood biochemistry
Body weight gain
Cholesterol
Chondrus crispus
Egg production
Eggs
Feeds
Food and nutrition
Genetic aspects
Globulins
Heat
Heat stress
Heat tolerance
Hematology
Layers (Chickens)
Lymphocytes
Physiological aspects
Plasma
Poultry
Prebiotics
Proteins
Seaweeds
γ-Glutamyltransferase
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Summary:This study was planned to investigate the effects of seaweed supplementation, genetic strain, heat stress and their interactions on laying hen performances, blood chemistry and hematology. In a short-term trial, laying hens of the two genetic lines Lohman LSL-Lite (White) and Lohman Brown-Lite (Brown) were supplemented with Chondrus crispus (CC) at 3% for 21 days, while a control group was not. In a long-term trial, the same two strains were assigned to control (0%), 3% red seaweed Chondrus crispus (CC) or 0.5% brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (AN)-supplemented diets for 41 weeks, concluding with a four-week control or heat-stress period. The White hens displayed higher egg production and a lower feed/egg ratio. The short-term inclusion of CC significantly reduced the feed intake, weight gain and feed/egg ratio. The long-term seaweed intake affected the plasma albumin and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (p < 0.05), and there were significant strain-heat stress interactions; heat stress in the Brown birds was associated with reduced protein, globulin and glucose and increased cholesterol and GGT levels and higher heterophil-to-lymphocyte (H/L) ratios (p < 0.05) in response to heat stress (p < 0.05). In conclusion, a long-term seaweed supplementation affected the plasma protein and enzyme profiles, yet had little effect on hen leukocyte counts and the overall performance.
ISSN:2076-2615
2076-2615
DOI:10.3390/ani10091570