sodium-bicarbonate and Poultry-Diseases

1. One hundred and eighty 1-d-old broiler chicks were used to evaluate the effect upon broiler performance during severely hot summer months of three different sodium salts: sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and sodium sulphate (Na2SO4), in starter and finisher diets having an identical electrolyte balance (DEB) of 250 mEq/kg. 2. The non-chloride sodium salts were added to contribute the same amount of sodium and were substituted at the expense of builder's sand in the basal diets containing common salt (NaCl) as Na and Cl source. 3. Each diet was fed to three experimental units having 15 chicks each until 42 d of age. Severe heat-stress conditions, maintained in the rearing room, were indicated by high average weekly room temperature (minimum 29.3 degrees C; maximum 38.0 degrees C). 4. Diets containing sodium salts gave better body weight gain, feed intake and feed to gain ratio than the control diet. Sodium salts also enhanced water intake as well as water to feed intake ratio. This effect was more pronounced in broilers fed NaHCO3 supplement (with NaCl in the basal diets). 5. The increased water intake resulted in lower body temperature in heat-stressed birds fed NaHCO3 supplemented diet than in birds fed other sodium salts. A lower mortality rate was noted with NaHCO3 (15.15%), Na2CO3 (13.64%) and Na2SO4 (15.15%) supplements than with the control (33.33%) treatment. 6. Better carcase and parts yield were observed in sodium supplemented broilers. Sodium salts reduced the alkalotic pH and enhanced the blood sodium content, which ultimately improved the blood electrolyte balance and overall performance of heat-stressed broilers. 7. Supplementing broiler diets with sodium salts improved the live performance of heat-stressed broilers and better productive performance was noted with NaHCO3 than other sodium supplements.

Topics: Animals; Body Composition; Body Temperature; Carbonates; Chickens; Dietary Supplements; Drinking; Hot Temperature; Poultry Diseases; Sodium Bicarbonate; Stress, Physiological; Sulfates; Weight Gain

Brachyspira pilosicoli is a potentially zoonotic anaerobic intestinal spirochaete that is one of several species causing avian intestinal spirochaetosis. The aim of this study was to develop a reproducible model of infection in point-of-lay chickens and compare the virulence of two strains of B. pilosicoli in a model using experimentally challenged laying chickens. Seventeen-week-old commercial laying chickens were experimentally challenged by oral gavage with either B. pilosicoli strain B2904 or CPSp1, following an oral dose of 10 % sodium bicarbonate to neutralize acidity in the crop. Approximately 80 % of the chickens became colonized and exhibited increased faecal moisture content, reduced weight gain and delayed onset of lay. Tissues sampled at post-mortem examination were analysed to produce a quantitative output on the number of spirochaetes present and hence, the extent of colonization. The liver and spleen were colonized, and novel histopathology was observed in these tissues. The infection model we report here has potential use in studies to improve our understanding of the mechanisms by which Brachyspira elicit disease in poultry and in testing novel intervention strategies.

Topics: Animals; Brachyspira; Chickens; Feces; Female; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections; Intestines; Poultry Diseases; Sodium Bicarbonate; Zoonoses

Gout is a metabolic disorder that results in hyperuricemia and the deposition of positively birefringent monosodium urate crystals in various parts of the body. Intoxication of sodium bicarbonate (SBC) for 35 days in Korean native broilers was investigated. Sixty birds, aged 2 weeks, divided into 5 groups were exposed to excess SBC: 2 g/L (group A), 7.5 g/L (group B), 20 g/L (group C), 40 g/L (group D). Toxicopathological examination of all exposed birds revealed the manifestation of visceral and articular gout in group C, while birds of group D showed acute kidney damage with manifestation of excessive visceral gout. Interestingly, few birds in group D also showed signs of rare condition of acute articular gout. Dose-dependent increments in erythrocytic count, hematocrit values, and hemoglobin levels of the exposed birds were observed. Hypernatremia, hyperuricemia, hypokalemia, and hypochloremia were common findings among exposed birds. Microscopic examination of birds that manifested visceral gout revealed significant urate deposit, tubular necrosis, and tophi formation in renal interstitium. These findings provide a pathophysiological link that SBC intoxication may support hyperuricemia, which is an independent risk factor for gout and other renal dysfunctions. Further study is required to delineate the effect of lowering uric acid on progression of gout and other renal diseases.

Topics: Animals; Chickens; Gout; Korea; Poultry Diseases; Sodium Bicarbonate; Uric Acid; Viscera

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) has been used successfully in mammals and birds to alleviate pulmonary hypertension. Experiment 1 was designed to provide measurements of arterial and venous blood-gas values from unanesthetized male broilers subjected to a cool temperature (16 degrees C) challenge and fed either a control diet or the same diet alkalinized by dilution with 1% NaHCO3. The incidences of pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS, ascites) for broilers fed the control or bicarbonate diets were 15.5 and 10.5%, respectively (P = 0.36, NS). Non-ascitic broilers fed the control diet were heavier than those fed the bicarbonate diet on d 49 (2,671 vs. 2,484 g, respectively); however, other comparisons failed to reveal diet-related differences in heart weight, pulse oximetry values, electrocardiogram amplitudes, or blood-gas values (P > 0.05). When the data were resorted into categories based on right:total ventricular weight ratios (RV:TV) indicative of normal (RV:TV < 0.28) or elevated (RV:TV > or = 0.28) pulmonary arterial pressures, broilers with elevated RV:TV ratios had poorly oxygenated arterial blood that was more acidic, had high partial pressure of CO2 (PCO2), and had higher HCO3 concentrations when compared with broilers with normal RV:TV ratios. Experiment 2 was conducted to determine if metabolic variations associated with differences in feed intake or environmental temperature potentially could mask an impact of diet composition on blood-gas values. Male broilers maintained at thermoneutral temperature (24 degrees C) either received feed ad libitum or had the feed withdrawn > or = 12 h prior to blood sampling. Broilers fed ad libitum had lower venous saturation of hemoglobin with O2, higher venous PCO2, and higher arterial HCO3 concentrations than broilers subjected to feed withdrawal. Broilers in experiment 2 fed ad libitum and exposed to cool temperatures (16 degrees C) had lower arterial partial pressure of O2 and higher venous PCO2 than broilers fed ad libitum and maintained at 24 degrees C. Overall, these results demonstrate that changes in diet composition (control vs. 1% NaHCO3 diets) had minimal impact on arterial and venous blood-gas variables when compared with the more dramatic differences associated with feed intake (ad libitum vs. > or = 12 h withdrawal), environmental temperature (24 vs. 16 degrees C), and the pathogenesis associated with PHS (RV:TV < 0.28 vs. > or = 0.28).

Topics: Acid-Base Equilibrium; Animals; Ascites; Blood Gas Analysis; Carbon Dioxide; Chickens; Cold Temperature; Food Deprivation; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Incidence; Male; Oxygen; Partial Pressure; Poultry Diseases; Pulmonary Artery; Random Allocation; Sodium Bicarbonate; Syndrome

Two broiler trials were conducted using two environmentally controlled chambers. From 4 to 8 wk of age in Trial 1, and from 5 to 8 wk of age in Trial 2, male broilers were grown under either constant environmental conditions [25 C, 50% relative humidity (RH)], or a daily cyclic heat stress period (4 h of 35 to 38 C, 40% RH). One of four water solutions was provided to each of 16 pens per chamber: 1) 5% NaHCO3: 2) .5% KCl; 3) .5% KCl and NaHCO3, or 4) an unsupplemented control of tap water. Seven-wk body weight, 8-wk weight, weight gain, water consumption, infected feather follicle score, prekill and carcass without giblets weight were all significantly (P less than .05) affected by environmental treatment in both trials. In Trial 1, a significant effect due to water treatment was detected for infected feather follicle score, with control broilers significantly less afflicted than broilers on the other three water treatments. In Trial 2, a significant (P less than .05) temperature treatment effect was detected for abdominal fat pad weight, where differences in fat pad weight were found among water treatments under constant conditions but not under cyclic environmental conditions. These differences in fat pad weight, when expressed as a percentage of carcass weight, were at a probability of .0814. Overall, no appreciable improvements were detected in the broiler production parameters measured under either environmental regimen for the water treatments tested.

Topics: Animals; Bicarbonates; Body Weight; Chickens; Drinking; Feathers; Hot Temperature; Humidity; Male; Potassium Chloride; Poultry Diseases; Sodium; Sodium Bicarbonate; Stress, Physiological

Two broiler trials were conducted to investigate the effect on post-mortem carcass and meat quality of NaHCO3 and KCl drinking water supplementation under thermoneutral and cyclic heat-stress climatic conditions. Water chill carcass weight change, water- and oven-cooked breast filled yields, and breast meat tenderness were measured. In Trial 1, neither environmental regimen, nor water treatments, nor their interaction was a significant (P less than .05) source of variation for the parameters measured. In Trial 2, environmental regimen was a highly significant (P less than .01) source of variability for chilled carcass weight change; the cyclic heat-stressed broiler carcasses gained more weight than the thermoneutral (control) broiler carcasses during ice-water chilling. Oven-cooked fillet yield was significantly (P less than .05) affected by environmental regimen; fillets from cyclic heat-stressed broilers had lower yields than thermoneutral (control) broiler fillets. Drinking water treatments were a significant (P less than .05) source of variation for breast meat tenderness in Trial 2. Broilers given .5% NaHCO3 from 5 to 8 wk of age had higher shear resistance values than broilers given a combination of .5% NaHCO3 and .5% KCl or tap water-fed controls. Breast meat shear values were negatively correlated (P less than .05) with 8-wk broiler body weight and 5- to 8-wk gain.

Topics: Analysis of Variance; Animals; Bicarbonates; Chickens; Drinking; Hot Temperature; Humidity; Male; Meat; Potassium Chloride; Poultry Diseases; Sodium; Sodium Bicarbonate; Stress, Physiological

1. Seventy 1-d-old broiler chicks were experimentally inoculated orally with Yersinia enterocolitica serotype 0:3 (1.4 x 10(11) cells/chick), 0:8 (1.6 x 10(11) cells) and 0:9 (8.0 x 10(10) cells) with or without sodium bicarbonate solution (10 g/l). 2. None of the chicks showed any overt clinical signs or pathological lesions although the organism was demonstrated in the ileum and shedding was observed up to 13 d after exposure. 3. The serotype, dose of Y. enterocolitica and administration of NaHCO3 solution had no significant effect on the weight gain of exposed broiler chicks. 4. Y. enterocolitica was isolated from the liver, spleen, heart and gall bladder of infected chicks 70 d after exposure. 5. Although broiler chicks appear resistant to high doses of Y. enterocolitica by the oral route, detection of the organism in the organs of infected chickens is of public health significance.

Topics: Animals; Bicarbonates; Cecum; Chickens; Feces; Ileum; Poultry Diseases; Serotyping; Sodium; Sodium Bicarbonate; Time Factors; Weight Gain; Yersinia enterocolitica; Yersinia Infections

One of the major causes of mortality in poultry is urolithiasis. Although two of the major causes of urolithiasis have been defined, active and preventative treatments for this disease have not been extensively field tested. Previous research demonstrated that a diet acidified with NH4Cl was effective in preventing the formation of uroliths in 16-wk-old pullets. In the present study, experiments were designed to evaluate the effects of dietary acidification and alkalinization on preformed uroliths in mature laying hens. Urolithiasis was induced by feeding excess dietary Ca (in commercial layer ration) during pullet growout (6 to 18 wk of age) and during the early laying period (18 to 32 wk of age). At 32 wk of age birds were randomly divided into three diet treatment groups: a normal layer ration group, an acidified layer ration group (1% NH4Cl added); and an alkalinized layer ration group (1% NaHCO3 added). Each group received the respective diets until 52 wk of age, when the experiment was terminated. Blood gas analysis at 44 wk of age demonstrated that hens fed the acidified diet had significantly higher blood H+ concentrations, lower blood bicarbonate concentrations, and lower total blood carbon dioxide levels than hens fed the alkalinized layer ration. At 52 wk of age, hens fed the acidified layer ration had higher urinary H+ concentrations, higher blood H+ concentrations, and lower blood HCO3 and total CO2 concentrations than hens fed the normal and alkalinized layer rations. The acidified layer ration group had no uroliths present in their ureters (0% urolithiasis), whereas the normal and alkalinized layer ration groups had 8.3 and 13.1% incidences of urolithiasis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Ammonium Chloride; Animals; Bicarbonates; Chickens; Diet; Female; Kidney; Poultry Diseases; Sodium; Sodium Bicarbonate; Urinary Calculi

Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) were added separately to the drinking water of 42- to 52-day-old broilers. Birds were given access to the water ad libitum for a total of 42.5 hr consisting of 18.5 hr prior to an 8-hr interval of severe heat exposure and a further 16 hr-post exposure. Water and feed intake during the treatment period were unaffected by either NH4Cl at 6.25 g/liter (.63%) of distilled water (DW) or NaHCO3 at 3.15 g/liter (.32%) DW. Water intake was increased by approximately 20% in birds given water containing 6.25 g of NaHCO3/liter (.63%) DW, while both feed and water intake were severely limited by NH4Cl at 31 g/liter (3.1%) DW. Blood pH of birds was substantially lowered by consumption of NH4Cl, while consumption of NaHCO3 did not significantly affect blood pH. Blood pH of all treatments increased during the heat exposure period and declined afterward; however, blood pH change appeared to be more pronounced for birds receiving the NH4CL. A correlation coefficient (r = -.31) existed between blood pH and mortality, while a correlation (r = -.72) was demonstrated between water consumption and mortality.

Topics: Ammonium Chloride; Animals; Bicarbonates; Blood Chemical Analysis; Chickens; Drinking; Heat Exhaustion; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Male; Poultry Diseases; Sodium; Sodium Bicarbonate

Twenty Hubbard cockerels each weighing 2.4 kg were surgically fitted with plastic cannulae in the carotid artery and crop. A solution of either tap water (TW), carbonated water (CW), 2% sodium bicarbonate (HCO3-), or 3.5% calcium chloride (CaCl2) with pH of 7.8, 5.2, 8.0, and 7.4, respectively, was infused into the crop at .41 ml X min-1 X kg body weight (BW)-1. Blood pH, carbon dioxide partial pressure (PCO2), and respiratory rate (RR) were measured at 15-min intervals during a 90-min thermoneutral period (25 C) followed by a 90-min heat stress (37 C). Polypnea occurred in all treatments in the 37 C environment. Infusion of HCO3- increased blood pH throughout the thermoneutral and heat stress periods, and CaCl2 infusion decreased blood pH throughout the experimental periods. At thermoneutral temperature, TW and CW infusions did not affect blood pH or PCO2. During heat stress, blood pH increased in TW and CW treatments; change and final pH were significantly lower (P less than .05) for CW- compared with TW-infused birds. Although blood PCO2 decreased in all treatments with the imposition of heat stress, blood PCO2 was significantly greater (P less than .05) in birds infused with HCO3- at the end of the heat-stress period. The results demonstrate that CW treatment produced a more favorable acid-base balance during acute heat stress than TW by reducing blood pH change during thermal polypnea. Also, high levels of NaHCO3 and CaCl2 intake can produce abnormal acid-base equilibrium conditions during the heat stress-induced respiratory alkalosis.

Topics: Acid-Base Equilibrium; Animals; Bicarbonates; Blood Chemical Analysis; Calcium Chloride; Carbon Dioxide; Chickens; Hematocrit; Hot Temperature; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Intubation, Gastrointestinal; Male; Partial Pressure; Poultry Diseases; Sodium Bicarbonate; Stress, Physiological; Water

The occurrence of respiratory alkalosis and potential benefit derived from treatment were examined in thermostressed 4-week-old broiler chicks. Blood pH was greater (P less than .05) in heat-stressed (32 C) panting birds (7.395) than either nonpanting (7.28) or birds raised at 24 C (7.28). Acute thermostress, obtained by elevating ambient temperature from 32 to 41 C over a 20-min period further elevated (P less than .05) blood pH to 7.521. Chronic heat-stressed broiler chicks suffer from intermittent respiratory alkalosis during panting; with acute heat stress, chicks pant continuously and suffer from alkalosis. Including .5% sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) in the diet of birds subjected to chronic heat stress enhanced body weight gain by 9% even though it tended (P less than .10) to increase blood pH in nonpanting birds. Adding .3 or 1% ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) to diets decreased blood pH (P less than .01) to 7.194 and increased (P less than .05) body weight gains by 9.5 and 25%, respectively. Effects appeared linear with NH4Cl dose to 1% NH4Cl, but 3% NH4Cl elevated weight gains by only 8% and precipitated blood acidosis (pH 7.09) in nonpanting birds. Supplementing the 1% NH4Cl diet with .5% NaHCO3 increased weight gains an additional 9%. Manipulating sodium: chloride ratios by addition of calcium chloride increased body weight gain 8% and slightly reduced severity of alkalosis. Data indicate that blood alkalosis limits growth rate of broiler chicks reared under chronic thermostress and that the respiratory alkalosis and weight gain depressions attributed to thermostress can be partially alleviated dietarily.

Topics: Alkalosis, Respiratory; Ammonium Chloride; Animals; Bicarbonates; Blood Chemical Analysis; Body Weight; Calcium Chloride; Carbon Dioxide; Chickens; Chronic Disease; Hot Temperature; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Poultry Diseases; Sodium; Sodium Bicarbonate; Stress, Physiological

Three growth trials were performed to determine the effect of carbonated water on growth performance of cockerels subjected to heat stress temperatures. In Trial 1, a 2 X 2 X 2 factorial design was used to test growth performance of Columbian crossbred cockerels between 8 and 11 weeks of age. The birds were subjected to either cyclic (day-night) heat stress (H) temperature (29 to 34 C) or cyclic (day-night) moderate (M) temperature (25 to 29 C), fed either a corn soy grower (G) diet or a 20% alfalfa diet (A), and provided with tap (TW) or carbonated (CW) drinking water. In Trial 2, a 2 X 4 X 2 factorial was used to access the effect of CW on growth performance of Hubbard cockerels between 4 and 7 weeks of age. Birds were grown in the M or H cyclic thermal environments with dietary treatments consisting of A, G, A plus 1% sodium bicarbonate (AB) and G plus 1% sodium bicarbonate (GB). In Trial 3, a 2 X 2 factorial was used to test the effect of CW on growth performance of Hubbard cockerels fed the G diet and subjected to either constant heat stress (33 C) or thermoneutral (25 C) temperatures. A 24-hr photoperiod was used in each experiment. In all three trials, heat stress reduced (P less than .05) average daily gain (ADG), feed intake, and feed efficiency (G/F).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Bicarbonates; Body Weight; Bone and Bones; Calcium; Carbon Dioxide; Chickens; Energy Metabolism; Food, Fortified; Hot Temperature; Male; Phosphorus; Poultry Diseases; Sodium; Sodium Bicarbonate; Stress, Physiological; Tibia; Water