Abstract

Vitamin D3 is ten times more biologically active than vitamin D2, over supplementation of vitamin D3 causes hypercalcemia with deposition of calcium and phosphate as crystals in the visceral organs. Birds are considered more resistant to endotoxin and information on inflammation and homeostasis in birds supplemented with higher dose of vitamin D3 when suffer endotoxic shock is lacking. The present study was conducted to compare the effect on hemoglobin concentration and biochemical parameters of broiler chicks by administering toxic dose of vitamin D3 for 21 days concomitantly challenged with endotoxin. The chicks were randomly divided into four groups viz. A, B, C and D. Hemoglobin concentrations of control groups (A and B) and treatment groups (C and D) did not differ significantly (P< 0.05). Hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia was observed in both treatment groups in comparison to the control group. No significant (P< 0.05) change was observed in the concentrations of total protein and albumin and in the activity of plasma Alanine Aminotransferase, Aspartate Aminotransferase and Alkaline Phosphatase on day 28 of control (A and B) and treatment (C and D) groups. Vitamin D3 supplementation causes immunomodulation; hence acute endotoxic shock does not incite inflammatory response and disturb the homeostasis in broiler chicks.