PRODUCTIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO VITAMIN 03 AND C SUPPLEMENTATION IN . BANoARA HENS

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary vitamin 03
(0, 300 or 600 IU) and vitamin C supplementation (0, 250 or 500 mg / kg of ration) on
some physiological responses and productive performance of Bandara strain. A total
number of 270 hens of Bandara local strain aged 22 weeks were selected and divided
randomly into 3 experimental groups (each of 90 hens) according to vitamin 03
supplementation (0, 300 or 600 lUI kg of ration) and each group was divided into 3
subgroups (each of 30 hens) according to vitamin C supplementation (0, 250 and 500
mg/kg of ration). Results obtained could be summarized as follows: Pullets fed
combination of 300 IU vitamin 03 and 250 mg of vitamin C /Kg ration increased
significantly egg Shell weight percentage and thickness (13.51 % andO.34 mm,
respectively) than those of control (11.85% and 0.31 mm, respectively).
Pullets fed 600 IU of vitamin 03 and 500 mg vitamin C /Kg ration improved
significantly feed conversion (3.07 g feed/g egg), rate of egg production
(67.8%/hen/day), egg mass (33.03 gm/hen/day), fertility percentage (94.79%),
Calcium balance (68.53%), total calcium absorption, absorption/cm length or per gram
dry matter / hour through the intestinal parts (22.89 mg/hr, 0.467 mg/cm and 8.33
mg/gm, respectively) and increased significantly plasma calcium and inorganic
phosphorus (21.75 and 5.80 mg/dl, respectively) compared with those of other
treatments or control (18.74 and 5.65 mg/dl, respectively). Pullets fed 300 IU
vitamin03 and 500mg vitamin C had significantly the highest percentage of
hatchability (94.59%) compared with those of control (88.90%). Pullet's age had
significant effect on feed intake, feed conversion, egg production, egg weight, mass,
proportional shell weight, shell thickness, plasma calcium and inorganic phosphorus.
Supplemented diet with Vitamins 03 and C at a level of (600 IU and 500 mg/kg,
respectively) seemed to be adequate to achieve the favorable results and may be
recommended for the economic point view.