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Effect of warm drinking water on the performance and immunological responses of broiler breeder hens raised at low air temperatures |
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| Authors: | M Spinu A A Degen A Rosenstrauch |
| Institution: | 1. Isan Center for Comparative Medicine and Desert Animal Research, Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research , Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev , Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel;2. Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine , Cluj‐Napoca, 3400, Romania;3. Isan Center , Ben‐Gurion University of the Negev , Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel;4. Poultry Extension Service , Ministry of Agriculture , PO Box 48, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel |
| Abstract: | 1. The effect of warmed drinking water on the performance and immunological responses of broiler breeder hens maintained at low air temperatures (5.0° to 12.9°C) was tested. From 22 weeks of age hens (mean body mass = 2.4 kg) were offered either warm water (27.7°C; WARM; n=24) or tap water (12.7°C; CONR; n=24) twice daily for a total time of 2.5 h or tap water ad libitum (CONA; n = 16). Food was restricted for all hens. 2. Daily water intake in the WARM hens (103 ml/kg) was similar to that of the CONR (93 ml/kg) and CONA hens (106 ml/kg). 3. There were no significant differences in either body mass change or egg production among treatment groups. 4. There was no difference among groups in heterophil/lymphocyte ratios. Similarly, there was no difference among groups in either phagocytic activity or wattle index after phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) injection. Total and IgG antibody titres to SRBC tended to be highest in the WARM hens and these titres were significantly higher than in CONR hens 14 d after challenge. |
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