Betaine and Antioxidants Improve Growth Performance, Breast Muscle Development and Ameliorate Thermoregulatory Responses to Cyclic Heat Exposure in Broiler Chickens

The physiological and metabolic responses of broiler chickens to control thermoregulation during heat stress divert energy from efficient production in addition to increasing morbidity and mortality. Therefore, heat stress amelioration strategies may improve the productivity of poultry meat production over the summer months and in tropical regions. Increasingly, low-cost feed additives are being investigated as potential amelioration strategies against heat stress. Scholars have investigated the effects of betaine alone on growth performance and gut physiology, while a small number of studies have been made regarding the impacts of the combination of betaine and antioxidants. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of the osmolyte betaine and selenium and vitamin E supplementation on growth performance, physiological responses, and gut physiology in broiler chickens exposed to cyclic heat stress