Role of Spirulina platensis and Humic Acid in Mitigating Acute Cyclic Heat Stress: Effects on the Growth Performance, Meat Quality, Immunological Responses, and Tissue Histomorphology in Broiler Chickens
poultry; dietary addition; stress; growth; immunity; meat quality
Elevated ambient temperature is the primary abiotic element that possibly diminishes production
and economic profitability in the chicken industry. The current study evaluated
the role of dietary addition of Spirulina platensis (SP) and humic acid (HA) in mitigating
the effects of acute cyclic heat stress on growth performance, meat quality, immune status,
and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens. Five hundred three‑day‑old male Ross
308 broiler chicks (average body weight 101.42 ± 3.22 g) were assigned to five experimental
groups, each with 10 replicates (10 birds per replicate). The chicks in the first group received a basal diet and were maintained in thermoneutral conditions (NEG CON). The
remaining four groups received either a basal diet only (POS CON) or a basal diet added
with SP (2 g/kg of feed; SP group), HA (5 g/kg of feed; HA group), or a mix of SP and
HA by the same doses (SP+HA group). The four groups were exposed to acute cyclic heat
stress (36 ◦C ± 2 ◦C) from the 22nd to the 25th day of age for 6 h/day. The HA group
showed increased body weight and body weight gain, and improved feed conversion ratio
compared with other groups (p < 0.001). The addition of SP and HA improved sensory
characteristics and reduced the dripping losses of the breast muscles. The phagocytic %
and phagocytic index were higher in the SP group compared with the NEG and POS CON.
The serum levels of triiodothyronine and thyroxine were higher in the HA and SP+HA
groups compared with the control groups. The serum concentrations of interleukin‑10,
complement 3, and lysozymes, as well as the liver concentrations of HSP90A and HSP90B,
were higher in the SP, HA, and SP+HA groups compared with the NEG and POS CON. The
duodenal villous height and width were significantly greater in the HA group compared
to the other groups. Spleen histomorphology in the SP and HA groups was better than that
of the POS CON. The HA group showed up‑regulation in the immune expression of clusters
of differentiation 3 (CD3) and 20 (CD20) proteins in the spleen tissues. In conclusion,
both HA and SP, individually but not in combination, mitigated the detrimental effects of
acute cyclic heat stress on growth and immunity. Humic acid addition provided the most
pronounced improvements in performance and intestinal morphology. Further studies
are warranted to clarify the biochemical interactions between SP and HA under different
stress intensities.
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