Effects of Dietary Sodium Nitroprusside and NG-Nitro-L-Arginine Methyl Ester on Growth Performance, Some Organs Development Status and Immune Parameters in Broilers

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide (NO) donor, and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an NO synthase inhibitor, on growth performance, organ development, and immunity in broilers. A total of 560 one-day-old mixed-gender broiler chickens (ROSS 308) were divided into one control and seven experimental groups. The experimental groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with 25, 50, 100, and 200 ppm SNP, and 25, 50, and 100 ppm L-NAME in the starter and grower diets. Body weight gain increased in groups receiving 25–100 ppm L-NAME on day 21 and 100 ppm L-NAME on days 0–42. Feed intake increased in the group receiving 100 ppm L-NAME on all days. The feed conversion ratio improved in the group receiving 25 ppm L-NAME on days 0–21, whereas it worsened in groups with 100 and 200 ppm SNP on days 0–42. Serum antibody titers decreased in the 100 ppm L-NAME group on day 21. In conclusion, the supplementation of the NO synthase inhibitor L-NAME to the broilers’ diet had a positive effect on the performance parameters, whereas the NO donor SNP worsened these parameters, especially on days 0–21.