What is stress?
Any deviation from the body’s homeostasis owing to the physiological or psychological stimuli is defined as stress. Stress may be of acute and chronic in nature. Acute stress occurs due to the direct exposure of some temporary stressors. Whereas, prolonged exposure of stressful stimuli develops chronic stress.
Why your flock is susceptible to stress?
There are many contributing factors responsible to create stress among the poultry birds. These includes extreme temperature and humidity, poor housing condition, exposure to diseases, overcrowding, harsh handling, deprived nutrition, inadequate drinking water etc.
How can stress affect your flock’s performance?
The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal or HPA axis is the vital neuroendocrine system that regulates the stress mechanism of body. Stress causes stimulation of the HPA axis leading to the release of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) from hypothalamus which triggers the anterior pituitary gland for secreting adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH). ACTH activates the cortex of adrenal gland for the biosynthesis of corticosteroids or cortisol hormone, an important biomarker of stress in poultry birds. Elevated cortisol hormone promotes gluconeogenesis and subsequent high blood glucose level facilitating the crisis management. Eventually, the metabolic function of other vital organ system is supressed causing retarded growth, reduced muscle mass, low productivity and impaired immune function. Immune-suppression leads to susceptibility to many diseases, consequently poor performance and mortality.
Nutritional additives to combat stress :-
Adding nutritional supplements in diet is the widely accepted method to alleviate stress in poultry flock. In recent past, USFDA has raised concern on the usage of antibiotic growth promoters in poultry ration for their hazardous effects on consumer health. Thereafter, many herbal feed supplements have gained huge interest among the poultry farmers. The bioactive molecules present in the natural feed supplements exhibit multifarious benefits and boost up poultry performance. They serve as anti-microbials, immune-modulators, antioxidants, growth-promoters; stimulate gut-health and metabolic processes. The phytogenic molecules may directly reduce the serum cortisol level by regulating the HPA axis, hence lessen the stress level of the birds. They also decrease the high cloacal temperature of the stress-affected birds by modulating the thermoregulatory mechanism. Therefore, overall health status of the birds is improved resulting in quality meat and egg production.
