F.Z.  Liu, Z.Y.  Niu, Y.N.  Min, X.H.  Wang, F.X.  Wei, P.X.  Jiao, 
    Effects of Dietary Vitamin C on Growth Performance, Meat Quality, Immune Function and Anti-Oxidative Capacity of Broilers,
    Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances,
    Volume 12,Issue 24,
    2013,
    Pages 1690-1699,
    ISSN 1680-5593,
    javaa.2013.1690.1699,
    (https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=javaa.2013.1690.1699)
    Abstract: This study was intended to assess effects of dietary vitamin 
  C supplementation on growth performance, meat quality, immune function as well 
  as anti-oxidative capacity of broilers. A total of 240, 1 day old Avian broiler 
  chicks divided randomly into three treatments, each of which was composed of 
  eight replicates with ten birds and birds fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet 
  supplemented with 0, 150, 300 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP> vitamin C, respectively. Results 
  showed that dietary vitamin C addition could significantly increased average 
  daily weight gain and feed intake of the broilers (p&lt;0.05) but did not have 
  significant effects on their feed to gain ratio; compared with the control treatment, 
  dietary vitamin C addition at 300 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP> could significantly increased 
  the pectoral muscle percentages, abdominal fat percentages and liver weight 
  ratio of broilers (p&lt;0.05). Dietary vitamin C additions could significantly 
  increase pectoral muscle b* and leg muscle L* of the broilers and that significantly 
  improved the water holding capacity and tenderness of their leg muscles (p&lt;0.05). 
  The thymus index, bursa of Fabricius index, Newcastle disease antibody level 
  of broilers were much higher where vitamin C was added at 300 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP> 
  than in the control treatment indicating that immunity of broilers got effectively 
  improved (p&lt;0.05). Dietary vitamin C addition at 300 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP> significantly 
  increased the vitamin C content in blood serum and pectoral muscles (p&lt;0.05), 
  also superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities and total anti-oxidative 
  capacity in blood serum significantly increased (p&lt;0.05), so that dietary 
  vitamin C addition was helpful to eliminating free radicals and raising anti-oxidative 
  capacities of broilers. Dietary vitamin C addition at 300 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP> 
  significantly slowed down lipid per-oxidation and color variation of pectoral 
  muscles while the muscles were refrigerated at 4&deg;C, so that it took effect 
  along with anti-oxidative enzymes to inhibit oxidation-caused meat quality deterioration, 
  stabilize meat colors and prolong meat shelf life. Results of the present study 
  indicated that dietary vitamin C addition at 150 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP> performed 
  better in improving growth performances and immune functions of broilers and 
  dietary vitamin C addition at 300 mg kg<SUP>-1</SUP> performed better in improving 
  body and muscle anti-oxidative capacity, reducing lipid per-oxidation in meat 
  storage and prolonging meat shelf life.
    Keywords: Vitamin C;growth performance;meat quality;immune response;anti-oxidative capacity