title: Operation of an air filtration device results in morbidity and mortality in growing chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus).
abstract: Environmental conditions may influence experimental outcomes in laboratory animals. In this study, we measured the effects of a vortex air-filtration device (AFD) on growth rate, morbidity, mortality, behavior, and gross pathology in P2a Leghorn chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) raised from hatchlings to 6 wk of age. Growth rate was reduced in the group exposed to the operating AFD ('AFD on' group) compared with the 2 control groups ('AFD off' and 'Historical' groups). Similarly, 6-wk survival probability and body weight were decreased in the AFD-on group compared with controls. Splenic and cardiac weight indices were lower in the AFD-on and AFD-off groups compared with the Historical group. A progressive increase in the ambient sound level (Historical, 53.5 ± 1.7 dBA; AFD off, 63.6 ± 0.5 dBA; AFD on, 71.8 ± 0.8 dBA) was the only variable found to correlate with the physiologic differences observed across the 3 groups of growing chickens. These findings indicate that experimental outcomes with growing chickens are negatively affected by vortex air-filtration devices.
authors.affiliation: Center for Animal Resources and Education, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA. tjp46@cornell.edu
authors.forename: Todd J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Pavek
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Valentine
authors.forename: Michele M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Bailey
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D005374:Filtration; D006321:Heart / Q000254:growth & development; D006799:Housing, Animal; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013154:Spleen / Q000254:growth & development