Effect of Metabolic Excesses from Dietary Proteins on Blood Profile of Heat-stressed Broilers

Although, dietary proteins play a crucial role in poultry profit maximization, through the sustenance of birds` welfare, growth and development, yet metabolic excesses from crude protein (CP) degradation is detrimental to broiler chickens (BC) affected by heat stress. This study evaluated the effect of dietary protein levels on blood profile of heatstressed BC at starter phase (SP) and finisher phase (FP). Arbor Acre BC (n=288) were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments (T1- 23% CP; T2- 21% CP; T3- 19% CP; and T4- 17% CP) with six replicate groups in a completely randomized design. Data were subjected to descriptive analysis, analysis of variance (p=0.05) and correlation statistics. Protein intake (PI) was not significantly affected by varying CP in diets at SP, but not at FP, where PI significantly increased with increasing dietary CP. PER had a negative correlation with PCV (r= -0.89, p<0.01), Hb (r= -0.88, p<0.01), RBC (r= -0.93, p<0.01) and PI (r= -0.78, p<0.01). Metabolic excesses including heat dissipation from dietary proteins influenced PCV, Hb, platelets and glucose of heat-stressed broilers