GROWTH, HAEMATOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE RESPONSES OF THE DOMESTIC CHICKEN (GALLUS GALLUS DOMESTICUS) TO DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION OF ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID (ASA)

Abstract

High environmental temperature and humidity increasingly affect the production of poultry species which are highly sensitive to heat stress. Hence, the need to find possible ways to alleviate this problem in poultry production. To this end, this research work investigated the effect of dietary supplementation of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on growth, haematology and reproductive performance of the domestic chickens. In the first phase of the experiment, one hundred and ninety two point of lay (96 Isa Brown and 96 Harco Black breeds) of 13 weeks old were used for this study. Four treatment diets were formulated, Diet 1 (T1) had no supplementation of Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), Diet 2 (T2) contained 0.025% ASA, Diet 3 (T3) contained 0.050% ASA and Diet 4 (T4) had 0.075% supplementation of ASA. The layers were randomly divided into four dietary treatments. The result of the morphometric examination of the layer’s reproductive tract showed that Harco Black breed and layers fed 0.075% ASA had significantly (P<0.05) higher weight of the tract, weight of the ovary, length of the magnum, length of isthmus, length of shell gland and length of vagina. In the second phase of the experiment, forty-eight (48) Barred Plymouth Rock breeder cocks of 24 weeks old were used, the cocks were randomly allotted into four dietary treatments. The result of the morphometrics of the gonads showed that cocks fed 0.075% ASA had a significantly (P<0.05) higher paired testicular weight of 29.17±0.65g and higher testicular volume of 25.87±3.91cm3. The biochemical analysis showed that cocks fed 0.075% ASA had significantly highest alkaline phosphatase, arspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase values of 154.65±32.31IU/L, 112.22±20.30IU/L and 17.93±4.09IU/L respectively. In the third phase of the experiment, artificial insemination was carried and the percentage fertility and hatchability of Isa Brown and Harco Black Layers crossed with Barred Plymouth Rock cocks were investigated. The result revealed that eggs from Harco Black breed and layers fed 0.075% ASA had significantly (P<0.05) higher percentage fertility and hatchability of total egg set, with significantly (P<0.05) lower percentage embryonic mortality of total egg set. In the fourth and fifth phase of the experiment, one hundred and ninety two (192) day old broiler chicks (ANAK) were used respectively. The experiments were carried out during the two peaks of dry season in Nigeria; during the transition from rainy to dry season (October - December) and transition from dry to rainy season (February - April). The result showed that broilers fed ASA supplemented diets had significantly (P<0.05) highest final weight and total weight gain values at the two peaks of dry season. It could therefore be concluded that feeding dietary supplementation of ASA at graded levels up to 0.075% is tolerable for broilers and 0.050% for layers and breeders, while supplementation above these levels could have detrimental effects on domestic chicken’s health.