A ROLE FOR SODIUM-BICARBONATE SUPPLEMENTS FOR GROWING BROILERS AT HIGH-TEMPERATURES

The food intake and growth rate of broilers kept at high temperatures can be improved by supplementing the diet or the drinking water with s odium bicarbonate. The response appears to be due to the bicarbonate i on and is associated with an increase in water consumption. Measuremen ts of dietary or retained values for cation-anion balance or dietary e lectrolyte balance were unsatisfactory for predicting the growth and/o r feed conversion responses of broilers at high temperatures. Improvem ents in body weight do not appear to be associated with increased body water retention.