Rectal temperature, heart rate, packed cell volume and differential white blood cell count of laying pullets to honey supplemented water during hot – dry season

Abstract

Honey has medicinal properties which may help ameliorate adverse effects of heat stress in laying chickens. It has antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-oxidant properties. This study investigated the use of honey in drinking water as a natural alternative to help alleviate heat stress in laying pullets during hot-dry season (December – April) in the tropics. One hundred and twenty Isa Brown layers at 28 weeks old weighing 1.5 ± 0.1 kg were used in a 16 week experiment. The birds were randomly allotted to 3 treatments of 4 replicates containing 10 birds each. The treatments were 0 ml honey per 1 L of water (0 H), 10 ml honey per 1 L of water (10 H) and 20 ml honey per 1 L of water (20 H). Data on heart rate, rectal temperature and haematological parameters were collected and subjected to one way analysis of variance. Rectal temperature was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in honey treated groups compared to control group. However, heart rate was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in 20 H birds (300.9 ± 1.70 bpm) compared to 0 H birds (313 ± 1.70 bpm). Honey supplementation did not significantly (p > 0.05) affect packed cell volume, heterophil, monocyte, eosinophil and heterophil-lymphocyte ratio. Birds given 20 H had a significantly (p < 0.05) higher lymphocytes count (50.6 ± 0.79 %) while birds that received 10 H had a significantly (p < 0.05) lower basophil count (3.1 ± 0.39 %). These findings indicate that the use of honey supplemented in drinking water reduced HR and basophil count.