title: Use of electrocardiographic analysis for investigation of ascites syndrome in broiler chickens.
abstract: This study was conducted (at high altitude [1969 meters]) to determine whether chicks predisposed to cardiac failure and ascites could be identified and followed during growout with non-invasive electrocardiographic (ECG) techniques. ECG recordings were made on 40 chicks at 1 week of age. All recordings were analyzed by quantifying the amplitude in millivolts of the R-, S-, and T-waves in each of the recordings. During the study, ascites-related mortality was 40%, with the majority of the deaths occurring between 5 and 8 weeks of age. Chicks exhibiting moderate-to-severe right ventricular hypertrophy, as identified by ECG analysis at 1 week of age, were predisposed to development of ascites. Thus, the variability in ascites-related mortality observed in field cases may be directly related to the number of predisposed chicks at the time of placement in the broiler house.
authors.affiliation: Department of Poultry Science, Texas A&M University System, College Station 77843.
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Odom
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hargis
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Arce
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Avila
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001201:Ascites / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002645:Chickens; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000662:veterinary*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013577:Syndrome