Physiological Responses of Ross 308 Broilers to Aspirin Supplementation and Feed Deprivation Under Cyclic Heat Stress

• Tamara AL. H. ALkhuzaie1 Aqeel, Y. A, Al -Shukri2

  Author

Heat Stress (HS) poses a significant constraint on broiler production, compromising physiological performance, immune function, and antioxidant capacity. This study investigated the combined effects of aspirin supplementation and feed deprivation as an integrated strategy to mitigate the adverse physiological impacts of cyclic heat Stress in Ross 308 broilers. A total of 240 one-day-old chicks were randomly allocated to four treatments: T1 (control, ad libitum feed and water), T2 (feed deprivation 11:00–17:00 h), T3 (aspirin 100 mg L⁻¹ in drinking water 11:00–17:00 h), and T4 (combined feed deprivation 11:00–17:00 h followed by aspirin 17:00–23:00 h). At 35 days of age, hematological and serum biochemical parameters were assessed. Results indicated that the combined treatment (T4) significantly reduced the heterophil-to-lymphocyte (H/L) ratio (P ≤ 0.01), elevated red blood cell count and hemoglobin concentration (P ≤ 0.01), and improved packed cell volume (P ≤ 0.05) compared with the control. Serum total protein and globulin concentrations increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05), whereas glucose and uric acid levels decreased (P ≤ 0.01) in all treated groups. Antioxidant markers, including superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and total antioxidant capacity, were significantly enhanced in T3 and T4 (P ≤ 0.05). Body temperature was markedly reduced at peak heat hours (1400 h and 2200 h) in T2, T3, and T4 (P ≤ 0.01). These findings demonstrate that the synergistic application of feed deprivation and aspirin supplementation effectively alleviates cyclic heat stress in broilers by attenuating inflammatory responses, enhancing hematological function, and improving antioxidant status.

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