Effect of Potassium Chloride Supplementation in Drinking Water on Broiler Performance Under Heat Stress Conditions
2008
Ahmad, T. | Khalid, T. | Mushtaq, T. | Mirza, M.A. | Nadeem, A. | Babar, M.E. | Ahmad, G.
The effect of water supplementation of KCl on performance of heat-stressed Hubbard broilers was evaluated in the present experiment. The 3 experimental treatments (i.e., control, 0.3 and 0.6% KCl) were allocated to 3 replicates of 15 birds each. The control group was kept on dugout tap water, whereas the other 2 groups were supplied water supplemented with 0.3 and 0.6% KCl (wt/vol) by supplementing 3 and 6 g of KCl, respectively, per liter of drinking water. Broilers were provided ad libitum access to feed and water for the experimental period of 7 to 42 d of age and kept in open-sided house. The birds were reared under continuous thermostress (minimum 28.2 ± 1.02 and maximum 37.5 ± 0.78°C) environment. Supplementing drinking water with 0.6% KCl reduced panting-phase blood pH to 7.31 and significantly increased live BW gain by 14.5 (P = 0.036) and 7.9% (P = 0.029) at 28 and 42 d of age, respectively, relative to control. An improved (P = 0.04) feed:gain and lowered body temperature were noted in groups supplemented with 0.6% KCl as compared with control and 0.3% KCl. Enhanced physiological adaptation with 0.6% KCl was evidenced by a more favorable pH during the panting phase in the present study. These findings demonstrated a possibility of better broiler live performance through KCl supplementation under conditions of severe heat stress (35 to 38°C).
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