Effect of ascorbic acid, acetylsalicylic acid, sodium bicarbonate, and potassium chloride supplementation in water on the performance of broiler chickens exposed to heat stress

This study investigated the effects of continuous supplementation of ascorbic acid (62.5 mg/L), acetylsalicylic acid (ASA; 62.5 mg/L), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃; 75 mg/L), and potassium chloride (KCl; 125 mg/L) in water on heat-exposed broilers. A total of 225 female Ross broiler chickens, 35 d of age, were randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups, with 3 replicates of 25 birds each. The birds were exposed to cyclic temperatures (30 to 33°C for 12 h, and 21 to 23°C for 12 h) and supplemented with ascorbic acid, ASA, KCl, and NaHCO₃ [heat-stress supplemented (HS-SUP) group], or were exposed to cyclic temperatures (30 to 33°C for 12 h, and 21 to 23°C for 12 h) but not supplemented [heat-stress nonsupplemented (HS-NON) group]; the other birds were kept under thermoneutral conditions (21 to 23°C) and not supplemented (control group). The duration of the experiment was 7 d. Birds in the control group had better (P < 0.05) live BW and gain, total feed consumption, FCR, and mortality rate (%) than birds in the HS-SUP and HS-NON groups, whereas birds in the HS-SUP group had better (P < 0.05) live BW and gain, total feed consumption, FCR, and mortality rate (%) than birds in the HS-NON group. The results of this study suggest that ascorbic acid, ASA, KCl, and NaHCO₃ in combination offer a potential protective management practice for preventing heat stress-related depression in the performance of broiler chickens.