Abstract

Heat stress remains the most important stressor, especially across the tropical regions of the world. In the current study, effects of ascorbic acid were investigated for its impact on summer-induced heat-stress in ducks. A total of 60 twelve weeks old White Pekin ducks were randomly distributed into 3 experimental with replicates having 10 birds in each group. The ducks under the therapeutic trial groups were supplemented with vitamin C of 250mg or 500 mg per kg of feed along with a basal diet. This experimental feeding, ad libitum, continued for 7 weeks period. The maximum and minimum temperature along with relative humidity in the pen was recorded on daily basis, throughout the experiment. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for haemato-biochemical and oxidative stress parameters.Vitamin C treatment improved the haemato-biochemical and oxidative parameters alteration caused by summer-induced heat stress in ducks. Therefore, dietary supplementation by vitamin C have significant role in mitigating the summer-induced heat-stress.

Key words: Heat stress, Vitamin C, ducks, H/L ratio, biochemical and oxidative parameters