COMPARISON OF RECTAL AND AXILLARY TEMPERATURES OF ISA BROWN AND HARCO BLACK LAYERS FED DIFFERENT LEVELS OF DIETARY ACETYLSALCYLIC ACID (ASA)

Abstract

The experiment was performed to compare the axillary and rectal temperature of two breeds of commercial layers: Harco Black and Isa Brown in their early stage of production. Four diets with different acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) levels of 0.00% which is the control diet (T l), 0.025% (T2), 0.050% (T3), and 0.075% (T4) were fed to the birds throughout the eight weeks of the study. The evening rectal temperature and evening axillary temperature were significantly different (P<0.05) among treatments. Layers fed diet 0.075% ASA had the •lowest rectal temperature and those fed the control diet had the highest rectal and axillary temperature. Also, there was a decrease in the rectal temperature as the level of ASA in the diet increased. In conclusion, 0.075% of ASA in layers diets would obviate the ill effects of heat stress through its anti-pyretic effects. Comparatively, the rectal  temperature proved to be the more sensitive method of determining the core body temperature which fluctuates in consonance with the ambient temperature. Also, the Isa Brown breed could tolerate more heat stress than the Harco Black.