Effect of in ovo feeding of vitamin C on antioxidation and immune function of broiler chickens

Hypoimmunity and numerous stresses are two major challenges in broiler industry. Nutrient intervention at the specific time of embryonic stage is a feasible way to improve animal performance. This study was conducted to investigate the possible effects of in ovo feeding (IOF) of vitamin C at embryonic age 15 th day (E15) on growth performance, antioxidation and immune function of broilers. A total of 240 broiler fertile eggs were randomly divided into two groups (0 and 3 mg injected dose of vitamin C at E15), and new-hatched chicks from each treatment were randomly allocated into six replicates with 10 chicks per replicate after incubation. The results indicated that in ovo vitamin C injection improved the hatchability ( P st day, D1), IgG and IgM concentrations (D21), as well as lysozyme activity (D21, P P γ , ten-eleven translocation protein 1 and thymine-DNA glycosylase were down-regulated ( P in ovo vitamin C injection up-regulated splenic expression levels of DNMT1, DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) and growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible protein beta ( P α and methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 4 ( P