An experiment with 250 one-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) was conducted to investigate the differences of some blood parameters of cold-induced ascitic and healthy broiler chicks in a 6-wk period. The chickens were divided into 2 groups of 5 replicates each. One group of these chickens was raised in normal temperature (NT) treatment and the other in cold temperature (CT) treatment to induce ascites. Mortality was necropsied daily to determine cause of death. At the end of the experiment (wk 6), 5 chickens from each replicate were randomly selected and slaughtered. The heart was removed; the right ventricle was dissected away from the left ventricle and septum. Weights of right and left ventricles were determined separately. Average BW gain and average feed intake were measured weekly, and weekly average feed conversion ratio was calculated. Serum glucose, total protein, cholesterol, triglyceride, activity of lactate dehydrogenase, as-partate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase were determined. Throughout the study, the right ventricle-to-total ventricle ratio and total mortality percentage due to ascites of CT-treated birds at the end of experiment was greater (P < or = 0.05) than those of NT-treated ones. Fasting blood sugar of CT-treated birds in wk 4 and 6 was greater (P < or = 0.05) than NT-treated birds. Total blood protein of CT treatment was lower than NT-treated birds in every week and whole period, but this difference was only significant (P < or = 0.05) in wk 6. There was not a significant difference between 2 treatments for triglyceride and cholesterol, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase. It was concluded that cold-induced ascites could affect serum protein and fasting blood sugar of broiler chickens.

Effects of dietary turmeric supplementation on plasma lipoproteins, meat quality and fatty acid composition in broilers

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary glutamine (Gln) and arginine (Arg) supplementation on performance, intestinal morphology and ascites mortality in broilers. A total of 675 day old chicks were randomly allocated to 9 experimental groups in a 3×3 factorial arrangement based on a completely randomized design with 5 replicates of 15 chicks. Three levels of dietary Gln (0%, 0.5%, and 1%) and Arg (100%, 130%, and 160% of Ross recommendation) supplementation were used in ascites inducing condition (15°C ±1°C) from 7 to 42 days of age. Dietary supplementation of Gln increased body weight gain during grower, finisher and total periods (p<0.05) and increased feed intake during total period. Ascites mortality was decreased by Gln supplementation (p<0.05). Gln supplementation increased the villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD) in duodenum and jejunum (p<0.05). Arg supplementation decreased CD in duodenum and jejunum, and increased ileum villus width (VW) and also VH/CD ratio in duodenum and jejunum (p<0.05). Both Gln and Arg increased the goblet cell number (GCN) in duodenum whereas Gln supplementation decreased GCN in jejunum and ileum (p<0.05). The Gln×Arg interaction were observed for right ventricle (RV)/total ventricular (TV) ratio, VH, VW, CD, VH/CD. It was concluded that dietary 0.5% Gln alone or along with 130% Arg of Ross requirement, improve the intestinal morphology and performance and hence decrease the ascites mortality in broiler chickens with cold induced ascites.

1. A total of 320 one-day-old Ross male broiler chickens were used to investigate the effects of 0·0, 2·5, 5·0 and 7·5 g/kg turmeric rhizome powder (TRP) in the diet, on antioxidant status, biochemical gas indices and mortality in broiler chickens with triiodothyronine (T₃) induced ascites. 2. The TRP supplementation had no effect on blood pH, pO₂ or pCO₂ during the whole period of study. Moreover, supplementation of TRP did not influence the heart weight, right ventricle, left ventricle, or total ventricle weights, all relative to total live weight; RV/TV (right ventricle to total ventricle) ratio; or serum GPX (glutathione peroxidase) or SOD (superoxide dismutase) activities at week 6. 3. TRP supplementation influenced the blood and O₂ saturation during the whole period of study, total mortality due to ascites, and serum total tocopherol and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents. Blood and serum total tocopherol increased linearly as dietary TRP level increased. Blood O₂ saturation increased quadratically as dietary TRP increased. 4. Total ascites mortality and serum MDA content decreased linearly with increasing TRP level to 5 mg/kg and then reached a plateau. 5. The results of the study indicate that the addition of 5·0 g/kg TRP is sufficient to increase the blood O₂ saturation and bicarbonate ( ) concentration, and reduce the mortality due to ascites and serum MDA content.