Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of supplementing powder, oil and aqueous extract of clove to diet and drinking water to alleviate heat stress of broiler exposed to cyclic temperature 28-35-28°C. One hundred and sixty one day old unsexed Ross broiler chickens were used. They, reared on litter for 4 weeks, and fed a starter diet containing 22.7% crud protein and 2935.7 Kcal ME/ Kg diet. From 4-8 weeks they were reared in five batteries, and fed a finisher diet containing 20.2% crud protein and 3034.8 Kcal ME/ Kg diet. Management and health instruction for rearing Rose broiler were applied.  Five treatments (four replicate each treatment) were carried out. Treatment T0 without supplementing clove to diet and drinking water; treatments T1, T2 supplementing 0.8, 0.4% of clove powder to diet respectively; treatment T3 supplementing 0.8% of clove oil to diet; treatment T4 supplementing 0.4% of clove aqueous extract to drinking water, this supplementation of clove to diet and drinking water was given to broiler daily for 9 hours from 900-1800 hours birds were subjected to cyclic temp. During which the highest environmental temperature 35°C from 1200-1800 hours. Records were taken during experiment period 4-8 weeks of age. The relative humidity was 45-50%. The results revealed that there were a significant increase in live body weight and weight gain in periods 4-8 weeks of age in T1 compared with T3, meanwhile feed consumption reduced in T1 compared with other treatments while that in T4 was increased compared with other treatments. Feed efficiency ratio improved in T1 compared with treatment T3. No significant effects in pattern of feed and water consumption at 6, 8 weeks of age except at 8 week of age since the pattern of feed consumption at 900 hour reduced significantly in T2 compared with T0. Body temperature decrease at 8 week of age at 900, 1200 hours in T1 compared with other treatments.T1, T2, T3, T4 reduced significantly at 1500 hour and increase at 1800 hour. Heat shock test at 8 week of age revealed a reduction in T3 compared with T1 at 26 ◦ C.No significant effects were observed in dressing, liver, gizzard, heart, spleen, abdominal fat percentage, however thigh protein content at 8 week of age increased significantly in T3 compared with other treatments. From this study we can conclude that there was some improvement in clove supplementation to diet and drinking water of broilers exposed to heat stress and that T1 (0.8% clove supplementing to diet) was the best treatments.