Ndazo Salka Minka and Joseph Olusegun Ayo
The present study investigated the effects of antioxidants Vitamin E (VE) and C (ascorbic acid, AA) on erythrocytes osmotic fragility (EOF), haemoglobin index (HI), colonic temperature (CT) and recovery times of transported Japanese quails during the hot-dry conditions. Two hundred male Japanese quails were used. The birds were randomly and equally divided into four groups: VE and AA groups, administered with 0.5 mg/kg and 200 mg/ kg body weight of VE and AA, respectively, control transported group (control group), administered with 0.5 ml of sterile water, and sedentary non-transported group (S). One hour after the administration of the antioxidants, the birds were transported by road for 2 h. The EOF, HI and CT were recorded before transportation, immediately after transportation (0) and on 3rd and 7th day of post-transportation period. The results showed that transportation induced hyperthermia, increased EOF and hypochromic erythrocytes in the quails, the effects of which were mitigated by antioxidants VE and AA. Base-line values for EOF were returned to normal in the control, AA and VE quails on days 7, 3 and 0, respectively post-transportation. The findings showed that recovery time after transportation in quails should be 7 days; but the duration may be reduced to 3 days if treated with AA or eliminated completely if the quails are treated with VE before transportation. The ameliorating effect was more pronounced in quails administered with antioxidant VE. The EOF may be employed as a biomarker and additional diagnostic tool for the assessment of transport-induce oxidative stress in quails.
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