Effect of Different Water Quality with and Without Vitamin C on Some Physiological Parameters of Broiler Chickens

The current study was designed to investigate the effect of different water quality with and without vitamin C on some blood parameters and the relative weight of the heart, liver, gizzard, spleen and bursa gland of broiler chickens. A total of 252 one day old, unsexed chicks of broiler chicken (ROSS 308), average body weight 42 g were used in this study. The birds were randomly distributed into seven treatment groups (each group 36 birds), with three replicates per each (12 birds per replicate) based on completely randomized design for 35 days. The first group drank reverse osmosis (R.O) without any addition containing 28.16 total dissolved solids mg.l-1 (TDS), whereas the second, third and fourth groups drank water containing 1849.6, 1452.8 and 1356.8 TDS mg.l-l respectively. The fifth, sixth and seventh group drank water containing 1849.6, 1452.8 and 1356.8 TDS mg.l-1 with 100 mg.l-1 vitamin C respectively. The birds fed ad libitum a starter diet for 21 days and thereafter, on a grower diet. Increasing water TDS resulted in a significant increase in AST and ALT enzymes. On the other hand, increasing water TDS causing a decrease in the total protein and globulin. Addition vitamin C to different water quality causing a significant decrease in AST and ALT enzymes and increase in the total protein and globulin. Different water quality with or without vitamin C had no effect on albumin in serum and relative weight of heart, liver, gizzard and spleen. Increasing water TDS resulted in a significant increase in the relative weight of bursa gland. On the other hand, addition vitamin C to different water quality causing a significant decrease in the relative weight of bursa gland. It can be concluded that an increasing the level total dissolved solids (TDS) in broiler chickens drinking water caused stress for birds. The addition of vitamin C by 100 mg per liter led to a reduction in the stress of birds.