Effect of In Ovo Vitamin C Injection against Mobile Phone Radiation on Post-Hatch Performance of Broiler Chicks

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The use of mobile phones has become globally widespread and a dependance on them has also increased in recent years. Therefore, the harmful effects of the electromagnetic waves emitted by mobile phones and base stations on humans, animals, and other living organisms have been the subject of many studies. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of in ovo injection of vitamin C to reduce the harmful effects of electromagnetic waves emitted from mobile phones on chicken embryos. In this context, a total of 750 fertilized eggs were exposed to electromagnetic waves for 1050 min during the incubation period. On the 17th day of incubation, vitamin C was injected into the amnion sac of the embryos, and hatched chicks’ performance was observed for 5 weeks after hatching. In ovo vitamin C injection improved the post-hatch performance of chicks but increased the oxidative damage in broiler chicks. The results showed that in ovo vitamin C injection can be a tool to improve carcass weight, production efficiency, and mortality, eliminating the possible negative effects of exposure to electromagnetic waves in the embryonal period on performance. However, the results of the study need to be supported by further investigation. ABSTRACT: This study aimed to investigate the effect of in ovo injection of vitamin C to reduce the harmful effects of electromagnetic waves (EMWs) emitted from mobile phones on chicken embryos. In this study, a total of 750 fertilized eggs of Ross 308 were exposed to EMWs for 1050 min during the incubation period. On the 17th day of incubation, the eggs were divided into three groups and solutions were injected into the amnion sac of embryos. The chicks were housed separately in accordance with in ovo treatments for 5 wk after hatching. An in ovo vitamin C injection resulted in a lower hatching weight. The post-hatch mortality or production efficiency factor of birds in the in ovo vitamin C injection group and the intact egg group were comparable, and were better than that of the other negative control group. In ovo vitamin C injection in eggs subjected to EMWs significantly increased their body weight gain, carcass weight, abdominal fat weight, and AST levels, but reduced spleen weight and PON-1 levels. In conclusion, an in ovo vitamin C injection in eggs subject to mobile phone EMWs improved the post-hatch performance of chicks, but low PON and high AST activities indicate an increase in oxidative damage among broiler chicks.