Sl. Vanhooser et al., BRONCHODILATOR, OXYGEN LEVEL, AND TEMPERATURE EFFECTS ON ASCITES INCIDENCE IN BROILER-CHICKENS, Poultry science, 74(10), 1995, pp. 1586-1590
Oxygen level, ambient temperature, and bronchodilator (metaproterenol)
effects on performance, ascites incidence, and hematology were invest
igated using commercial broilers. In Experiment 1, two atmospheric oxy
gen concentrations (17.6, 20.6%) and two ambient temperatures (26.7, 3
2.2 C) were examined in a factorial arrangement. The low-oxygen (17.6%
), ambient temperature combination (26.7 C) reduced (P < .01) weight g
ain whereas the high-oxygen ambient temperature combination enhanced (
P < .05) such performance. Ascites incidence for chicks housed at 32.2
C was higher (P < .01) for birds maintained at 17.6% oxygen but oxyge
n concentration did not impact ascites incidence at 26.7 C. White bloo
d cell counts were elevated in the low-oxygen (17.6%) group at both 26
.7 and 32.2 C, and hematocrit was positively (R = .84; P < .05) correl
ated with ascites incidence. In Experiment 2, two oxygen levels (17.6,
20.6%) at constant 26.7 C were examined with and without metaproteren
ol, a bronchodilator. Metaproterenol reduced (P < .01) ascites inciden
ce at 17.6% oxygen and completely prevented ascites at 20.6% oxygen. T
he data suggest that therapeutic development may be enhanced by using
hematocrit as an indices of ascites and further that studies directed
at bronchodilation have potential to alleviate ascites.