EFFECT OF A UREASE INHIBITOR AND CEILING FANS ON ASCITES IN BROILERS .2. BLOOD VARIABLES, ASCITES SCORES, AND BODY AND ORGAN WEIGHTS

Restricted ventilation was used to experimentally induce ascites in co mmercial male broilers. The role of a dietary urease inhibitor (0, 125 , and 250 ppm) and ceiling fans to reduce ascites was investigated. At 6 wk of age, birds were bled, euthanatized, weighed, scored for ascit es, and heart, liver, and small intestine weights were obtained. Rando m samples were analyzed for intestinal ammonia. Blood samples were ana lyzed for blood gases, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, blood urea ni trogen, ammonia, and uric acid. Birds fed 125 and 250 ppm urease inhib itor were significantly (P <.001) lighter at 6 wk, when compared with controls. Urease inhibitor (125 and 250 ppm) significantly decreased l arge intestine ammonia. Urease inhibitor significantly increased small intestine (250 ppm) and liver weights (125 and 250 ppm), whereas urea se inhibitor at 125 ppm decreased right ventricular heart weight. Urea se inhibitor had no effect on ascites scores, blood gases, or blood am monia, but hemoglobin, blood urea nitrogen, red blood cell count, and uric acid were significantly (P < .05) decreased by 125 ppm urease inh ibitor.