Ameliorative effects of betaine and ascorbic acid administration to broiler chickens during the hot-dry season in Zaria: A review

This review highlights the huge challenges heat stress pose to profitable production of broiler chickens during the hot-dry season. It also enumerates the negative effects of heat stress due to excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in broiler chickens. It emphasizes that administration of betaine and/or ascorbic acid is highly beneficial to broiler chickens, subjected to high ambient temperature and high relative humidity, characteristic of hot-dry season in the Northern Guinea Savannah zone of Nigeria. In conclusion, supplementation of betaine and ascorbic acid to broiler chickens during the hot-dry season may improve health and production, decrease mortality and increase their productivity. Keywords: Broiler chickens, lipid peroxidation, betaine, ascorbic acid African Journal of Biotechnology , Vol 13(23) 2295-2306