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Title: ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN BROILER CHICKENS WITH ASCITES SYNDROME INDUCED BY THE FEEDING OF FUSARIUM PROLIFERATUM CULTURE PRODUCING MONILIFORMIN

Author
item NAGARAJ, RAMAKRISHNAN - U OF WI, MADISON
item WU, WEIDONG - U OF WI, MADISON
item WILL, JAMES - U OF WI, MADISON
item Vesonder, Ronald

Submitted to: Southern Poultry Science Society Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/21/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: An experiment was conducted to determine if electrocardiography (ECG) could be used as a technique to measure the development of ascites in broiler chickens when fed with Fusarium proliferatum culture (FPC) containing moniliformin (4400 mg/kg culture material). One-day-old male broiler (Ross x Hubbard) chicks were provided with 0, 1, 2 and 3% FPC in the diet for 2.5 wk. Ninety percent and 50% mortalities were seen in the 3 and 2% FPC-fed groups, respectively. At 7 days, the ECG changes indicated bradycardia, cardiomegaly and myocardial damage in the groups fed 2 and 3% FPC. At 2.5 wk, the bradycardia was also seen in the group fed 1% FPC. A left axis deviation of the QRS complex was seen in the group fed 2% FPC. In addition, the R wave constantly shifted direction in lead I in those birds that had fluid accumulation in the pericardial and peritoneal cavities. Apart from the cardiotoxicity, the chicks fed 2 and 3% FPC showed a significant reduction in body weight gain and increase in absolute and relative heart weights. These data indicate that ECG can be used as a tool for measuring ascites induced by moniliformin, and the ECG data could be valuable for comparing the ascites induced by toxin to other models of ascites.