Influence of Graded Levels of Sodium Butyrate Supplementation on Growth Performance, Economic Efficiency, and Carcass Traits of Turkey Poults under Heat Stress
Y. Singh
Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura, India.
P. K. Shukla
Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura, India.
A. Bhattacharyya *
Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura, India.
J. K. Sharma
Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura, India.
R. Kushwaha
Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura, India.
M. K. Patel
Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura, India.
R. Sahu
Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura, India.
T. S. Mathuria
Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura, India.
A. Pandey
Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura, India.
S. Sahithi
Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Heat stress markedly impairs growth performance and carcass yield in turkeys, leading to substantial economic losses in hot climates. Nutritional strategies such as organic acid supplementation are increasingly being explored to mitigate these adverse effects. We evaluated the impact of using sodium butyrate (SB) at rates of 0.01, 0.05, and 0.1% on performance traits, economics, and carcass traits in turkey poults under heat stress. We divided seventy-two straight-run CARI VIRAT turkey poults into four treatment groups (Three replicates and six turkey poults in each). The poults were wing banded, weighed individually, and distributed randomly on a uniform body weight basis in the treatment groups. Poults were reared for 56 days (8 weeks) and kept on a basal diet. The first group (T1) received a basal diet, while the other three groups received a basal diet with sodium butyrate (SB) at a rate of 0.01% (T2), 0.05% (T3) and 0.1% (T4). THI values ranged from 83.60 to 85.81 during the experiment due to temperature variations between 29.59°C and 32°C and relative humidity between 77.6 and 91.2%. Poults of T3 and T4 showed significantly higher (P=0.045) body weight than T1 poults at the 1st week of age, while T2, T3, and T4 poults had significantly higher body weight at 4th (P=0.015) and 8th (P=0.025) week of age. Poults of T3 and T4 showed significantly higher (P=0.049) body weight gain than T1 at 1st week of age, while T2, T3 and T4 poults had significantly higher body weight gain at 7th (P=0.025) and 8th (P=0.032) week of age compared to T1. No significant difference was found in feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and feed cost per kilogram of live weight gain of turkey poults. Poults of T3 showed significantly higher (P = 0.015) yield of wings (%) and defeathered weight (%) compared to T2 and T4, and were apparently higher than the control group. SB-fed groups showed improved body weight and body weight gain, with @0.1% SB showing significant effects during the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 8th weeks, while 0.05% SB improved wing and defeathered weight percentages in turkey poults reared during heat stress.
Keywords: Carcass quality traits, growth performance, heat stress, sodium butyrate, temperature humidity index (THI), Turkeys.