title: Effect of heat stress and drinking water salt supplements on plasma electrolytes and aldosterone concentration in broiler chickens.
abstract: An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementing drinking water with isomolar (0.067 mol/l) KCl or NaCl on mass gain, food and water consumption, rectal temperature, and plasma concentrations of aldosterone, Na+, and K+ in broiler chickens reared in thermoneutral and cycling heat stressing environments. Heat stress decreased (P > or = 0.05) mass gain, food consumption, and plasma concentrations of Na+ and K+, while increases (P < or = 0.05) in plasma concentrations of aldosterone, rectal temperature, and water consumption were observed. Drinking water supplemented with either KCl or NaCl increased (P < or = 0.05) broiler mass gain and water consumption, but had no effect (P > 0.1) on the other variables evaluated. The results of this study indicate that broiler chickens in a heat stress environment are under osmotic stress and supplementing drinking water with 0.067 mol/l KCl or NaCl does not lessen this stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater 74078, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deyhim
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Teeter
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D002645:Chickens; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood*; D005334:Fever / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017419:Potassium, Dietary; D012016:Reference Values; D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; D017419:Potassium, Dietary; D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D000450:Aldosterone