EFFECT OF USING BIOAKTIV OXYGEN ACTIVATED SODIUM CHLORIDE AS A NOVAEL ALTERNATIVE TO ANTIBIOTIC IN DRINKING WATER ON PERFORMANCE AND ENZYMES ACTIVITY OF BROILER CHICKS.

The study was designed to examine effects of using graded levels of oxygen activated sodium chloride (BioAktiv)in comparison to antibiotic on performance, serum metabolites and digestive enzymes activity in broiler chicks. One hundred eighty, one day old Ross broiler chicks were randomly allocated to four groups. The first group was control without water supplementation. While, the 2^nd and 3^rd groups received 0.5 and 1gm / 1L drinking water BioAktiv, respectively. The 4^th one was given 500 ppm streptomycin (commercial streptomycin 5%) antibiotic. Chicks received the 4 experimental treatments up to the age of 35 day of age. Chicks given different levels of BioAktiv, recorded higher live body weight (LBW) and body weight gain (BWG) ,better feed conversion ratio (FCR) comparable to both antibiotic and control groups. The highest (p<0.01) digestive enzyme activities (amylase, protease) were reported for chicks given NaCl gm/1L BioAktiv, followed by those of antibiotic and the control groups. Highly significant increase (p<0.01) in the serum concentration of total proteins and globulin was observed in groups received the different levels of BioAktiv compared to those of the untreated and antibiotic ones , Likewise, the levels of serum T₃ and T₃/T₄ ratio;recorded higher level with treated groups, however, T₄ value was insignificantly differed among all groups. Beyond, watery BioAktiv addition had hypolipemic and hypocholesterolemic effects, but had no effect on liver and kidney functions. These findings imply that, BioAktivmight be considered as a safe water-added antibiotic alternative having affirmative effect on growth performance, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) health and the physiological homeostasis of broiler chicks.