The experiment was conducted from February 2017 until June 2018. The experiment was designed to study the effect of each of the immune response and endogenous antioxidant enzymes activity on some phsiological and productive traits in Norfa chickens.
The most important results can be summarized in the following points:
1- The highest important activity of the catalase enzyme was in the low immunity group of Norfa chickens and the lowest activity of the catalase enzyme was in the high immunity group while the control group was medium between the two groups
2- The association of superoxide dismutase with the immune response to antibody formation, the highest activity of the enzyme was found in the low immunity group of Norfa chickens. The lowest activity of the superoxide dismutase enzyme was in the high immunity group, while the activity of control group was medium between the two groups.
3- When analyzing the results of oxidative stress (Malondialdehyde) of the three Norfa chicken groups found that there were no significant differences between the high immunity group and the control group, while there were significant differences between the low immunity group and the other two groups.
4- The high immunity group achieved higher fertility rate, hatching ratio, vitality and low body weight, and the mean number of eggs was significantly higher than the comparison group (control) and the low immunity group.
5- These results indicate that there is a strong positive relationship between high-immunity birds and the results of fertility traits, hatching, vitality, early maturation, and high egg production, both at 90 days of age and 42 weeks of hatching compared to low-immunity birds.
6- Concentration of immunity and endogenous antioxidant enzymes activities can be used as an early genetic marker for some production and reproduction traits.