The effect of using low protein diets with vitamin E, L-carnitine and purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) powder on the prevention of ascites in cold stress conditions in broilers

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of vitamin E (VtiE) and L-carnitine (L-Car) supplements with purslane powder (PP) in reduced-protein diet to prevention of ascits in broiler chickens. 576 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to six treatments: 1) normal-protein diet (negative control; NC), 2) a reduced- protein diet (20 g kg-1 lower protein) as a control diet (C), 3) C + 2 g kg-1 of PP, 4) C + PP diet supplemented with 250 mg kg-1 VitE, 5) C + PP diet supplemented with 150 mg kg-1 of L-Car and, 6) C + PP diet supplemented with 250 mg kg-1 VitE + 150 mg kg-1 L-Car. Feed intake and body weight gain was (P<0.05) increased by purslane powder, vitamin E and L-carnitine treatment. purslane powder + VitE and purslane powder + L-Car treatments reduced (P<0.05) mortality due to ascites and the RV/TV ratio. These supplemented improved antioxidant activity. (P<0.05) and increased the level of NO and UA. Liver enzyme activities were decreased (P<0.05) by dietary supplementation with PP, VtiE and L-Car. It could be concluded that addition of VtiE and L-Car in combination with purslane in low protein diets induced beneficial synergetic effects to reduce the susceptibility of birds to ascites.