Vet Med - Czech, 2004, 49(6):201-206 | DOI: 10.17221/5696-VETMED

The effects of diet supplemented with sodium bicarbonate upon blood pH, blood gases and eggshell quality in laying geese

I. Kaya, B. Karademir, O. Ucar

2 , O. U 3

¹ Department of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Diseases, 2Department of Internal Medicine,

³ Department of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Kafkas, Kars, Turkey

The effects of diet supplemented with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) upon blood pH, blood gases and eggshell quality during the laying cycle in geese were investigated. Fourteen geese aged 2 yr old were divided into two groups as; control (Group C, n = 7) and 0.5% NaHCO₃ -supplemented group (Group T, n = 7). After 15 days of adaptation period, blood samples were collected every 6 h during a single laying cycle (over 42 h) and the data obtained were analysed for the pH, base excess (BE-B), HCO₃^- concentration, partial CO₂ pressure (pCO₂) and total CO₂ concentration (tCO₂). The parameters of eggshell quality (i.e. thickness and weight) were also measured following the laying. No correlation was found between the groups for the same blood parameters measured. But, there was a significant correlation (min. r = 0.946 and P < 0.05) between all the parameters except for the pH in the groups. Following NaHCO₃ supplementation of diet however, there was no significant improvement in eggshell thickness and weight. These findings indicate that the NaHCO₃ supplementation of diet may support the maintenance of venous blood pH, BE-B, HCO₃^-, pCO₂ and tCO₂ levels at the physiological ranges which are required for normal health and production status of goose during the laying cycle.

Keywords: feeding; bicarbonate; blood; laying period; goose

Published: June 30, 2004  Show citation