Effect of Dietary Chitosan on Haematology and serum Biochemistry of Heat-Stressed Japanese Quails

This study investigated the effects of dietary chitosan on the haematological and serum biochemical responses of heat-stressed Japanese quails. Seventy-five two-week-old quails were allocated to five treatment groups in a completely randomized design: a thermoneutral control, a heat-stressed control, and three heat-stressed groups supplemented with 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% chitosan respectively, in the basal diet for a period of 28 days. Heat stress was simulated in a climate chamber at 32–34°C and 60–70 percent relative humidity, while the control group was maintained under thermoneutral conditions. Blood samples were collected at the end of the experiment for haematological and serum biochemical analyses, and the data were analyzed using ANOVA and Duncan’s Multiple Range Test to separate significant means (p < 0.05). The results showed that chitosan supplementation significantly improved packed cell volume, red blood cell count, white blood cell count, and heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in heat-stressed quails, with the 0.6% chitosan group generally showing the strongest response. Serum biochemical indices were also influenced, as chitosan modulated glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin, cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, and VLDL concentrations relative to the heat stressed control. These findings indicate that dietary chitosan has the potential to ameliorate some of the adverse physiological effects of chronic heat stress in Japanese quails and may serve as a useful nutritional strategy for improving bird health and resilience under thermal challenge.