Effect of Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) on Growth Performance of Broilers

Frequently changing weather conditions threaten small-scale broiler production. This study aimed to determine the effects of adding vitamin C to drinking water on the growth performance of broilers during winter. A naturally ventilated open-sided broiler house at the Experimental Farm of the University of Venda was used from July to August. The house was divided into pens with an infrared light, a 12 L manual drinker, and a tube feeder. We used 375 Ross 308-day-old chicks at 25 birds per pen, and the experiment ran till day 42. A completely randomised design with three replications was used with five Vitamin C inclusion levels of 0, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 g/L. Commercial diets, standard medication, and vaccines were used. In-house temperature, body weight, feed and water provided, leftovers, and mortalities were recorded. Feed and water intake, water-to-feed ratio, weight gain, FCR, vitamin C intake, and mortality rate were calculated. Data was analysed using the GLM procedure of Minitab, considering the broilers’ age. Vitamin C affected (P<0.01) water intake and Vitamin C consumption. Broilers on 1 and 1.5 g/L drank more water (about 240 mL/b/d) than the 213 mL/b/d drank by those on 0 g/L. Furthermore, the intake was similar among broilers given Vitamin C. The lowest vitamin C consumption was 242 mg/b/d for 1 g/L, and the highest was 563 g/b/d for 2.5 g/L. We concluded that vitamin C in drinking water only affects water intake and consumption. Therefore, adding vitamin C to broilers' drinking water had no growth benefits.