DOI: 10.32649/ajas.2026.164314.1831 ISSN: 1992-7479

Comparing Physiological and Hematological Responses to Water Deprivation in Two Different Chicken Genotypes

M. I. El Sabry, Z. U. Romeih, S. S. Hassan, F. K. R. Stino, R. Rekaya, S. E. Aggrey
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This study compared the feed and water utilization efficiency ‎‎(WUE) of a fast-growing broiler strain (Arbor Acres, AA) and ‎a native Egyptian chicken breed (Fayoumi, FAY) ‎under water deprivation conditions and its effects on their blood ‎parameters. A total of 48 AA and ‎‎60 FAY chicks aged 21 to 35 days were placed in individual cages and divided ‎into two groups. The control group was ‎provided ad libitum water and feed, while the water-‎deprived group was denied water for 6 hours per day (‎6h-‎WD) except for ad libitum feeds during daylight hours. Water intake and FI were recorded daily and growth ‎performance traits and WUE were obtained weekly. Relative ‎organ weights, chemical composition of breast meat, and some blood haemato-biochemical ‎parameters were ‎measured at 35 days of age. As expected, the AA chicks significantly outperformed the ‎FAYs in growth performance and feed and water ‎efficacy, even under 6h-WD. Only, the intestine was ‎significantly longer in the WD birds than those in the control group, irrespective of genotype. The water-deprived chicks had significantly higher Hb, TWBCs, ‎and lymphocyte percentages than the control chicks. FAY chicks ‎had greater TWBCs and lymphocyte percentages than AA ‎chicks. The ‎6h-‎WD chicks had significantly ‎greater creatinine and albumin ‎but lower ALT and globulin concentrations ‎than the control group. In conclusion, each chicken genotype ‎responded differently to water deprivation. The findings of this study could assist bird selection programs aiming to improve resilience to hydric stress

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