Abstract
Metabolism of living organisms can be disrupted by the changes in the environment and nutrient intake causing serious diseases such as sudden deaths in broilers. High environmental temperature and ad libitum feeding were suspected as predisposing factors inducing sudden deaths. Our objective was to determine the changes in serum enzyme levels and liver lesions in broiler birds subjected to high temperature and ad libitum feeding. COBB 500 broiler strain was (n=90) divided into three groups including control group (n=30) treatment 1 (n=30, 35°C for 12 h per day) and treatment 2 (n=30, fed ad libitum) and studied from 26 days to 40 days of age. Blood samples (1.5 ml) with 6 replications were withdrawn from wing vein of the birds. The serum Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Alanine Transaminase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Total Protein and Albumin levels were assessed using commercial kits. Liver tissues of 14, 20, 33 and 38 days old birds from treatment 3 (33°C, ad libitum feeding) were fixed, processed and stained with Haemotoxylin and Eosin for histopathological assessment. Data were analyzed using General Linear Model in Minitab 14. The ALP levels were increased with age in control group and treatment 1 group but decreased in the treatment 2 group. The ALT levels were decreased with age in control group and treatment 1, whereas, increased in the treatment 2 group. AST levels were increased in all three groups. The total Protein levels were increased in treatment 2 but Albumin levels were remained similar throughout the lifespan of birds. Histopathological studies revealed that hepatic necrosis was common in older birds. Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 26 (4): 584 – 595 (2015)
Highlights
Broiler birds are of a result of hybrid invention to acquire a higher growth rate
The Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) levels of broiler birds in the control group ranged from 2100 to 3300 ± 204.2 U/L (Mean ± SEM) at the age of 40 days and the enzyme levels were ranged between 1100 to 1950 ± 128.2 U/L at 15 days of age (Figure 1) revealing that the ALP enzyme levels increased with the age of broiler birds
The ALP enzyme activity increased with age and it was higher during the growth of birds from 15 to 25 days of age and reached a plateau from the age of 25 to 40 days (Figure 1)
Summary
Broiler birds are of a result of hybrid invention to acquire a higher growth rate. The high nutrient intake to gain more weight causes disruption in animal's metabolism resulting in metabolic disorders (Julian, 2005). Serum enzyme levels and liver lesions of broiler birds mortality rate is controlled at around 25%, the exact cause of death has not been clearly identified yet from the suspected factors for several metabolic disorders. There were many studies carried out on broiler birds regarding various factors which were predicted to be responsible for disruption of metabolism. There were only a few research works have been carried out to investigate the prevailing metabolic syndromes of acute onset. The objectives of this experiment were to understand how the serum enzyme levels and histopathological assessment of liver changes during the life span of broilers under different management practices and different environmental conditions. This study was designed to find the association between predicted etiological factors and disruption of metabolism in broiler birds
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