EFFECTS OF NICARBAZIN AND HOT TEMPERATURE ON EVAPORATIVE WATER LOSS, ACID-BASE BALANCE, BODY TEMPERATURE AND CARBON DIOXIDE EXHALATION IN ADULT ROOSTERS

Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of ambient temperature and nicarbazin on SCWL adult roosters. In Experiment 1, the effects of nicarbazin supplementation (125 ppm) on the water metabolism, blood acid-base balance; and rectal temperature of 16 birds in normal ($21^{\circ}C$) and hot ($35-36^{\circ}C$) temperature were investigated. In Experiment 2, the evaporative water loss and $CO_2$ exhalation from 8 birds were measured individually with an open-circuit gravimetric respiration apparatus in normal ($21^{\circ}C$) and hot ($33.5-34^{\circ}C$) temperature. The amount of water intake and evaporative water loss increased in birds under heat stress (HS). Nicarbazin exacerbated these effect in hot temperature. Also, nicarbazin decreased the blood $pCO_2$ and increased pH of HS birds. The rectal temperature of birds increased in hot temperature, and nicarbazin worsened this effect. The evaporative water loss, measured directly with respiration apparatus (Experiment 2), was increased in hot temperature. HS decreased the amount of $CO_2$ exhalation. Nicarbazin did not exert ant effect on either of these measurements, probably due to the limited duration (2 h) of the trial. The decrease in $CO_2$ exhalation by HS birds could be explained by reduced metabolic rate, which helps homeothermy of birds in hot temperature.