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 commercial 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 ascites, and heart, liver, and small intestine weights were obtained. Random samples were analyzed for intestinal ammonia. Blood samples were analyzed for blood gases, hemoglobin, red blood cell count, blood urea nitrogen, ammonia, and uric acid. Birds fed 125 and 250 ppm urease inhibitor were significantly (P <.001) lighter at 6 wk, when compared with controls. Urease inhibitor (125 and 250 ppm) significantly decreased large intestine ammonia. Urease inhibitor significantly increased small intestine (250 ppm) and liver weights (125 and 250 ppm), whereas urease inhibitor at 125 ppm decreased right ventricular heart weight. Urease inhibitor had no effect on ascites scores, blood gases, or blood ammonia, but hemoglobin, blood urea nitrogen, red blood cell count, and uric acid were significantly (P < .05) decreased by 125 ppm urease inhibitor.