Neda Sistani - Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran
Omidali Esmaeilipour - Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran
Hossein Doumari - Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Jiroft, Jiroft, Iran
Nemat Ziaei - Department of Animal Science, Shirvan Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran

This study was carried out to determine the influence of red tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa) powder and selenium (Se) on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and some blood constituents in heat-stressed broiler chickens. In this experiment, ۲۴۰ one-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross ۳۰۸) with a mean weight of ۴۰±۲ g were used in a completely randomized design, as a ۲×۳ factorial arrangement consisting of three levels of red tea (۰, ۰.۵, and ۱.۰ g/kg) and two levels of Se (۰, ۰.۴ mg/kg).  Broiler chickens received the diets from days ۲۵ to ۴۲ of age. Heat stress was applied from days ۲۵ to ۴۲ of the experiment for eight hours, ۰۹:۰۰ am to ۰۵:۰۰ pm (۳۴±۲ °C).  On d ۴۲, two birds from each pen were randomly chosen, blood sampled, and slaughtered. Inclusion of red tea powder in the diet increased daily weight gain (DWG) and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P<۰.۰۵). The interaction effect of Se and red tea powder on feed intake (FI), DWG, and FCR was significant (P<۰.۰۵). Broiler chickens that received a diet containing ۱.۰ g/kg red tea and no Se had the greatest BWG and the lowest FCR. Maximum FI was observed in broiler chickens that received a diet containing ۰.۴ mg/kg Se and no red tea powder. The interaction effect of Se and red tea powder improved the intestinal morphology and increased glutathione peroxidase activity in broiler chickens (P<۰.۰۵).  According to the findings of this research, diet supplementation with ۱.۰ g/kg of red tea powder and ۰.۴ mg/kg of Se may improve growth performance, intestinal morphology and increase glutathione peroxidase activity in broilers under heat-stress conditions.

broiler, Growth Performance, Heat stress, Red tea, Selenium