Effect of Grape Seed Extract on Tibial Dyschondroplasia Incidence, Liver Weight, and Tibial Angiogenesis in Chickens

Among avian metabolic disorders, Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) has a wide prevalence worldwide in chickens that are identified by non-mineralization and avascularization of the growth plate (GP). Grape seed extract (GSE) reduces the inflammation and oxidative stress by scavenging free oxygen specie and has some anti-cancer and angiogenic activity. This study was carried out to evaluate the role of GSE for the therapy of the chickens affected with TD. Arbor Acres broiler chicks (n=240) weighing 47 +/- 6g were fed starter feed till first 3 days and then portioned equally into three groups (Control, TD and GSE group; n=80 each). Thiram was incorporated in the feed of TD and GSE chicks until day 6 for inducing TD (50 mg/kg of feed), whereas usual feed was offered to control group. All the birds in TD and GSE group showed the symptoms of TD on day 7 and GSE group was given GSE (50 mg/kg/day) intraperitoneally till the termination of the experiment. Chickens fed with thiram-feed exhibited high TD score and GP measurement. After the GSE treatment, the TD score dropped remarkably and, inflammation and TD lesions reduced. Moreover, body weight gain and liver weight were increased in comparison with TD chicks after application of GSE. GSE supplementation alleviated the adverse effects of thiram and increase in angiogenesis was observed. In conclusion, GSE recovered the TD affected broilers through downregulating the HIF-1 alpha, Hsp90 and CA2 expressions. (C) 2019 PVJ. All rights reserved