Biomaterial Database

Modulatory effect of ascorbic acid on physiological responses of transported ostrich chicks. 2012

Minka N Salka, and Ayo J Olusegun

College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Ahmadu Bello University. mnsalka@yahoo.com.

The aims of this study were to determine the modulating role of ascorbic acid (AA) on rectal temperature (RT), heterophil to lymphocyte (H to L) ratio and aberrant behaviours of ostrich chicks transported by road for 4 h during hot-dry conditions. Twenty ostrich chicks aged 2.5 months, of both sexes and belonging to the Red Neck breed, served as subjects of the study. The chicks were assigned randomly to AA-treated and control groups, consisting of 10 chicks each. The AA-treated group was administered orally with 100 mg/kg body weight of AA dissolved in 5 mL of sterile water 30 min before transportation, whilst the control group was given the equivalent of sterile water only. The thermal load (TL) experienced in the vehicle during transportation fluctuated between 31 °C and 89 °C, as calculated from the ambient temperature and relative humidity. Transportation induced hyperthermia, lymphopenia, heterophilia and aberrant behaviours of pecking, wing fluffing and panting, which were ameliorated by AA administration. The relationships between the TL, journey duration and physiological variables of RT, H to L ratio and aberrant behaviours recorded during transportation were significantly and positively correlated in the control group. In AA-treated group the relationships were not significantly correlated. In conclusion, the results showed for the first time that AA ameliorated the adverse effects of stress caused by road transportation on the aberrant behaviours, RT and H to L ratio of ostrich chicks during the hot-dry season.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D001831	Body Temperature	The measure of the level of heat of a human or animal.	Organ Temperature,Body Temperatures,Organ Temperatures,Temperature, Body,Temperature, Organ,Temperatures, Body,Temperatures, Organ
D005260	Female		Females
D006358	Hot Temperature	Presence of warmth or heat or a temperature notably higher than an accustomed norm.	Heat,Hot Temperatures,Temperature, Hot,Temperatures, Hot
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001205	Ascorbic Acid	A six carbon compound related to glucose. It is found naturally in citrus fruits and many vegetables. Ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient in human diets, and necessary to maintain connective tissue and bone. Its biologically active form, vitamin C, functions as a reducing agent and coenzyme in several metabolic pathways. Vitamin C is considered an antioxidant.	Vitamin C,Ascorbic Acid, Monosodium Salt,Ferrous Ascorbate,Hybrin,L-Ascorbic Acid,Magnesium Ascorbate,Magnesium Ascorbicum,Magnesium di-L-Ascorbate,Magnorbin,Sodium Ascorbate,Acid, Ascorbic,Acid, L-Ascorbic,Ascorbate, Ferrous,Ascorbate, Magnesium,Ascorbate, Sodium,L Ascorbic Acid,Magnesium di L Ascorbate,di-L-Ascorbate, Magnesium
D001522	Behavior, Animal	The observable response an animal makes to any situation.	Autotomy Animal,Animal Behavior,Animal Behaviors
D012621	Seasons	Divisions of the year according to some regularly recurrent phenomena usually astronomical or climatic. (From McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed)	Seasonal Variation,Season,Seasonal Variations,Variation, Seasonal,Variations, Seasonal
D013312	Stress, Physiological	The unfavorable effect of environmental factors (stressors) on the physiological functions of an organism. Prolonged unresolved physiological stress can affect HOMEOSTASIS of the organism, and may lead to damaging or pathological conditions.	Biotic Stress,Metabolic Stress,Physiological Stress,Abiotic Stress,Abiotic Stress Reaction,Abiotic Stress Response,Biological Stress,Metabolic Stress Response,Physiological Stress Reaction,Physiological Stress Reactivity,Physiological Stress Response,Abiotic Stress Reactions,Abiotic Stress Responses,Abiotic Stresses,Biological Stresses,Biotic Stresses,Metabolic Stress Responses,Metabolic Stresses,Physiological Stress Reactions,Physiological Stress Responses,Physiological Stresses,Reaction, Abiotic Stress,Reactions, Abiotic Stress,Response, Abiotic Stress,Response, Metabolic Stress,Stress Reaction, Physiological,Stress Response, Metabolic,Stress Response, Physiological,Stress, Abiotic,Stress, Biological,Stress, Biotic,Stress, Metabolic
D013997	Time Factors	Elements of limited time intervals, contributing to particular results or situations.	Time Series,Factor, Time,Time Factor