Effect of Dietary Curcumin on the Antioxidant Status of Laying Hens under High-Temperature Conditions

ABSTRACT Heat stress induces oxidative stress, and reduces body antioxidant metabolite levels, which can affect poultry production performance. Dietary antioxidants protect birds against the adverse effects of heat stress. The effects of increasing concentrations of dietary curcumin on the antioxidant parameters of layers maintained under high-temperature conditions for nine weeks were evaluated. Roman laying hens (n = 336, 22 weeks old, 1420 g BW) were divided into three treatment groups. The first group served as a thermoneutral control (kept at 25 ± 1 °C). The second group was exposed to ...