@article{MAKHILLJAVA201110182966, title = {Effect of Dietary Humate and Organic Acid Supplementation on Social Stress Induced by High Stocking Density in Laying Hens}, journal = {Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances}, volume = {10}, number = {18}, pages = {2402-2407}, year = {2011}, issn = {1680-5593}, doi = {javaa.2011.2402.2407}, url = {https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?issn=1680-5593&doi=javaa.2011.2402.2407}, author = {Nazmi,Berrin Kocaoglu and}, keywords = {social stress,laying hen,lymphocyte,organic acid,Humate,Turkey}, abstract = {This study was conducted to determine the anti-stress effect of the dietary humate and organic acid supplementation on laying hens when subjected to high stocking density as a social stress factor. A total of hundred, 40 weeks, brown laying hens were housed at two different stocking densities of 287.7 (high density) and 500 (low density) cm2/hen. For the control group, 16 hens were randomly assigned to 4 groups, 4 replicates of 4 birds each and were kept in low density. The control group received a basal diet. The remaining 84 hens were divided into 3 treatment groups, 4 replicates of 7 birds each and were housed at high density. The treatment group were fed either a basal diet (crowded control) or the basal diet supplemented with either 0.15 humate (Humate group) or 0.20 % organic acid (organic acid group) of diet for 60 days. The results show that in hens kept in high density heterophils and Heterophil to Lymphocyte (H:L) ratios, an indicator of stress were raised while lymphocytes decreased. Humate supplementation resulted in significant increases in the lymphocyte counts and significant decreases in the heterophil counts and H:L ratios compared with those of the crowded control. The heterophils, lymphocytes and H:L ratio were not influenced by organic acid treatment. The present results suggest that humate supplementation to diet may be a favorable alternative for help poultry to cope with social stresses.} }