Blood gas values and pulmonary hypertension as affected by dietary sodium source in broiler chickens reared at cool temperature in a high-altitude area.
One hundred and twenty day-old male chicks (Ross 308) reared at a cool temperature at high altitude were subjected to the following two treatments in a completely randomised design: (1) a group for which the sodium requirements were supplied by sodium chloride from day-old age and regarded as control, (2) a group similar to the control but for which 50% of the sodium requirements was supplied by sodium bicarbonate from day-old age. Provision of sodium equally from NaCl and NaHCO₃ significantly (P < 0.05) increased the partial pressure of oxygen and the saturation of haemoglobin with oxygen, and significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio. The right ventricle to total ventricles ratio shifted to lower values as a result of substituting NaHCO₃ for NaCl as a sodium source. Growth performance and carcass characteristics were not affected significantly by the dietary sodium source.
Saedi
Mostafa
M
Department of Animal Science, Shahrekord University, 88186-34141 Shahrekord, Iran.
Khajali
Fariborz
F
D000531:Altitude; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013696:Temperature; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
D012982:Sodium, Dietary