Relative organ weights and serum biochemical indices of heat-stressed broilers given in ovo injection of Tomato extract at maturity

Abstract

Two hundred and forty fertile eggs were randomly assigned to five treatment groups consisting of 3 replicates of sixteen birds each in a completely randomized design. In ovo injection of tomato extract (ToE) was carried out per treatment as follows: Treatment one (T1) control group (no injection), Treatment two (T2) injected with 0.5mls saline water only, Treatment 3 (T3) injected with 0.125mg lycopene/ 0.5mls of saline water, Treatment 4 (T4) injected with 0.25mg of lycopene/ 0.5mls of saline water and Treatment 5 (T5) injected with 0.25mg of Vitamin C, immediately after candling on the 18^th day. After hatching, the birds in each replicate were housed in a separate pens, till the 42^nd day. Selected birds were then slaughtered and organs were excised for further evaluation. Result showed that kidney and GIT weights were significantly raised in T1, except for T4 which was also elevated in GIT. The relative lung weight was significantly increased in T3 and decreased across all other treatments. The serum ALP was significantly raised in T1 and decreased in T2 and T4. AST significantly increased at T4 and T5 similar to the control and T2 value was decreased. Significantly highest relative organ weight values of the kidney and GIT were recorded in T2 with statistically similar values with control group for kidney, and T5 for GIT respectively with the significantly lowest value for GIT noted in T3. Inclusion of oral or dietary inclusion of ToE from week 3 of rearing should be recommended.