EXPERIMENTAL REPRODUCTION OF PROVENTRICULITIS USING HOMOGENATES OF PROVENTRICULAR TISSUE

Proventriculitis is a problem affecting the processing of broiler carc asses, particularly those processed at 4 to 5 wk of age. The proventri culus and the gastric isthmus connecting the proventriculus to the giz zard are enlarged and swollen and often rupture during processing, cau sing carcass contamination. This study suggested that a filterable age nt found in homogenated proventriculi can cause lesions similar to tho se seen in field cases. Proventriculitis was produced independently of an effect on growth, and only unfiltered homogenate caused stunting. Field birds with severe proventriculitis were shown to have increased body weights compared with birds without proventriculitis or with mild er lesions. Intestinal weakness was not associated with proventriculit is and field birds with the most severe proventriculitis had stronger intestines. Although infectious proventriculitis has generally been re ported as one of the lesions associated with stunting syndrome, these data suggest that it may have an independent etiology.