EFFECT OF THE ADDITION OF HUMIC ACID AND L-CARNITINE TO THE DIET ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER

Abstract

This study was aimed to identify the effect of the individual and combination addition of Humic acid and L-carnitine to the diet on physiological and immunological characteristics of broiler. Three hundred one- day old Ross308 strain unsexed chicks at initial weight 34.52 g were used in this experiment , the chicks were randomly distributed into four treatment groups. Each group was designed with three replicates. The birds were fed starter , grower and finisher diets containing (23.04 ، 21.31 ، 20.06) % crude protein and (3027.10 ،3068.40 ،3194.92) kcal metabolizable energy/kg of feed respectively. The treatments were as follows : T1:(control)without any addition,T2 included 2gm humic acid /kg diet, T3 included 0.3gm L-carnitine /kg diet, T4 included 2gm humic acid + 0.3gm L-carnitine /kg diet.The results showed that no significant differences in blood glucose concentration was found among the four groups but dietary supplementation with humic acid reduced serum cholesterol.While significant improvement (p<0.05)in total protein concentration for all addition treatments compared with control group. Significant improvement(p<0.05)in cocentration of Aspartate Aminotransferase(AST)for birds in T1,T2 and T3 as compared with T4,also in the activity of Alanine Aminotransferase(ALT)for birds in T2,T3,T4 as compared with those in T1. Results showed significant decrease in Bursa of Fabricius Index but no significant difference in titer of antibodies against ND as compared with T1.There was significant decrease in logarithmic number of E-coli counts of the small intestine of the birds in for T2,T3 and T4 comparing with those in T1,while mean no significant differences among the four treatments in logarithmic number of Lactobacili counts of small intestine. It can be concluded from this study that the addition of Humic acid and L-carnitine to the broiler diet improved some of physiological and immunological characteristics of broiler.