Effects of Stocking Density on Early Growth Performance, Immune and Antioxidant Function of Broilers

  • XING Yuanyuan ,
  • XU Yuanqing ,
  • JIN Xiao ,
  • SHI Binlin
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  • College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China

Received date: 2020-03-20

  Online published: 2020-09-17

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of stocking density on early growth performance, immune and antioxidant function of broilers. A total of 192 Arbor Acres (AA) broilers (1 day of age) were randomly divided into two groups, named the low stocking density group (LSD group) and the high stocking density group (HSD group), with 12 replicates in each group and 8 chickens in each replicate. The low stocking density was 10 birds/m2 and the high stocking density was 20 birds/m2. The experiment lasted for 21 days. The initial weight of broilers was recorded on day 1, and broilers were weighed and fed on day 21. Then the average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed to gain ratio (F/G) were calculated. On day 21, one chicken in each replicate was randomly selected and blood was collected from the wing vein to prepare the serum samples for measuring the immune and antioxidant function indices, then the live weight of selected broilers was weighed and broilers were slaughtered, the spleen, thymus and bursa were taken and weighed and the immune organ index was calculated. The results showed as follows:1) the ADG and ADFI of broilers in the LSD group were extremely significantly higher than those in the HSD group (P<0.01); 2) the serum catalase activity of broilers in the LSD group was extremely significantly higher than that in the HSD group (P<0.01), the serum total antioxidant capacity of broilers in the LSD group tended to be higher than that in the HSD group (P=0.09), while the serum reactive oxygen species content of broilers in the LSD group was extremely significantly lower than that in the HSD group (P<0.01); 3) the serum contents of interleukin-10 and immunoglobulin A of broilers in the LSD group were significantly higher than those in the HSD group (P<0.05), and the serum interleukin-2 content of broilers in the LSD group tended to be higher than that in the HSD group (P=0.08). In conclusion, compared to 20 birds/m2, 10 birds/m2 is a more favorable stocking density for early growth of broilers (1 to 21 days of age) under the condition of net rearing.

Cite this article

XING Yuanyuan , XU Yuanqing , JIN Xiao , SHI Binlin . Effects of Stocking Density on Early Growth Performance, Immune and Antioxidant Function of Broilers[J]. Chinese Journal of Animal Nutrition, 2020 , 32(9) : 4116 -4122 . DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-267x.2020.09.020

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