Nadlex Animal Nutritions

Most of the Asian region is an agro-livestock based economy with a poultry share of 55% in total agricultural GDP (37%). The environment in Asia and Middle-east remains hot and humid during May to August, which renders the survival of poultry critical during these months, as birds are more susceptible to changing environments than other domestic animals. Heat stress is a combination of high environmental temperature and humidity hindering proper thermo-regulatory processes. It diminishes immunity, feed intake, weight gain, egg production, number of chicks per hen, hatch-ability of fertile eggs, egg and carcass quality, mineral balance, and increases panting and mortality and affects semen quality and fertility in male birds.   Ascorbic acid (vitamin C), a white crystalline compound (also known as L-ascorbic acid) is primarily synthesised in the chicken by the kidneys, however, during heat stress, endogenous ascorbic acid becomes insufficient to meet the bird’s requirem...