Hostname: page-component-669899f699-ggqkh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-29T06:14:54.866Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Ascites syndrome in poultry: a review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 August 2011

A.R. GUPTA
A.R. GUPTA*
Affiliation:
Teaching Veterinary Clinical Complex, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar - 751003, India
*
Corresponding author: dramitrajgupta@gmail.com
Get access

Abstract

Excessive specialisation and production requirements place high demands on the metabolism of the broiler chicken. A number of metabolic problems, such as ascites, arise in chickens due to intensive selection to manifest their genetic potential for rapid growth. Ascites syndrome (Pulmonary Hypertension Syndrome) is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity in modern broiler production today. Genetics, the environment, and management all seem to interact to produce a cascade of events that culminate in ascites syndrome. It is generally accepted that the high metabolic rate of current broiler lines causes an increased demand for oxygen, especially in cold environments or when birds are fed high nutrient density diets. In such situations, the relatively underdeveloped cardio-respiratory system of modern broilers fails to fulfil the required oxygen demand, which leads to hypoxemia, resulting in the development of pulmonary hypertension and subsequently ascites. Many nutritional, medicinal and management strategies have been proposed to alleviate the ascites. Higher levels of dietary vitamin C and E along with selenium might be beneficial, as they decrease the free radicals that are generated in birds with ascites. As the high metabolic rate (fast growth) is a major factor contributing to the susceptibility of broilers to ascites, appropriate selection strategies or feed restriction or light restriction in order to slow down the growth rate seem practically viable methods, since final body weight is not compromised. Optimisation of the house temperature and ventilation in cold weather seem helpful practices to decrease the incidence of ascites.

Keywords

Ascites syndromebroilermanagementfeed restrictionlighting
Type
Review Article
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 67 , Issue 3 , September 2011 , pp. 457 - 468
Copyright
Copyright © World's Poultry Science Association 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

ACAR, N., SIZEMORE, F.G., LEACH, G.R., WIDEMAN, R.F. JR, OWEN, R.L. and BARBOLO, G.F. (1995) Growth of broiler chickens in response to feed restriction regimens to reduce ascites. Poultry Science 74: 833-843.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ARCE, J., BERGER, M. and COELLO, C.L. (1992) Control of ascites by feed restriction techniques. The Journal of Applied Poultry Research 1: 15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BANDAY, T.F. and MAQBOOL, M. (1994) Ascites in broilers in relation to pulmonary hypertension. Poultry Today and Tomorrow 2: 7-10.Google Scholar
BHAGAT, A., NAGI, A. and MOUSTAFA, A. (1990) Pathological studies on furazolidone toxicosis in chicks. Egyptian Journal of Comparative Pathology and Clinical Pathology 3: 149-158.Google Scholar
BISWAS, N.K., BHOWMIK, M.K. and DALAPATI, M.R. (1995) Ascites syndrome in broiler chicken II. Analysis and interpretation of ascetic fluid. Indian Journal of Animal Research 29: 1-5.Google Scholar
BOTTJE, W.G. and WIDEMAN, R.F. JR (1995) Potential role of free radicals in the aetiology of pulmonary hypertension syndrome. Poultry and Avian Biology Reviews 6: 211-231.Google Scholar
BUYS, N., BUYSE, J., LADMAKHI, M. and DECUYPERE, E. (1998) Intermittent lighting reduces the incidence of ascites in broilers: an interaction with protein content of feed on performance and the endocrine. Poultry Science 77: 54-61.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
COELLO, C.I., ODOM, T.W. and WIDEMAN, R.F. (1985) Ascites major cause of mortality in broilers. Poultry Digest 44: 284-286.Google Scholar
DALE, N. (1987) Effect of nutrition on ascites in chicken. Rivista-di-Avicoltura 56: 33-35.Google Scholar
DE SMIT, L., TONA, K., BRUGGEMAN, V., ONAGBESAN, O., HASSANZADEH, M., ARCKENS, L. and DECUYPERE, E. (2005) Comparison of three lines of broilers differing in ascites susceptibility or growth rate, egg weight loss, gas pressures, embryonic heat production and physiological hormone levels. Poultry Science 84: 1446-1452.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DRUYAN, S., SHINDER, D., SHLOSBERG, A., CAHANER, A. and YAHAV, S. (2009) Physiological parameters in broiler lines divergently selected for the incidence of ascites. Poultry Science 88: 1984-1990.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
EKANAYAKE, S., SILVA, S.S., PRIYANKARAGE, N., ASEKARA, M.J., HORADAGODA, N., ABEYNAYAKE, P. and GUNARATNE, S.P. (2004) The effect of increased sodium in feed on pulmonary hypertension-induced ascites and right ventricular failure in broiler chickens. British Poultry Science 45: 29-30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
GORDON, S. (1997) Effect of light programmes on broiler mortality with reference to ascites. World's Poultry Science Journal 53: 68-70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HASSANZADEH, M., FARD, M.H., BUYSE, J. and DECUYPERE, E. (2003) Beneficial effects of alternative lighting schedules on the incidence of ascites and on metabolic parameters of broiler chickens. Acta Veterinaria Hungarica 51: 513-520.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
HIHARA, H., MAEDA, M., NAKAMURA, K., ISHINO, S., TSUKAMOTO, K., YUSASA, N. and SHIRAJ, J. (1998) Rapid induction of lymphoid leucosis and ascites by avian leucosis virus from a lymphoid leucosis cell line. The Journal of Veterinary Medical Science 60: 77-85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
HUCHZERMEYER, F.W. (1986) Causes and prevention of broiler ascites. Poultry Bulletin August, 364.Google Scholar
JULIAN, R.J. (1987) The effect of increased sodium in the drinking water on right ventricular hypertrophy, right ventricular failure and ascites on broiler chickens. Avian Pathology 16: 61-71.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
JULIAN, R.J. (1989) Lung volume of meat type chickens. Avian Disease 33: 174-176.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
JULIAN, R.J. (1993) Ascites on poultry. Avian Pathology 22: 419-454.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
JULIAN, R.J., MC MILLAN, I. and QUINTON, M. (1989) The effect of cold and dietary energy on right ventricular hypertrophy, right ventricular failure and ascites in meat type chickens. Avian Pathology 18: 675-684.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KAMINDJOLO, J.S., WAMUKOYA, J.P.O. and NYAGA, P.N. (1978) A preliminary report on the occurrence of disease condition in broilers in Kenya. Bulletin of Animal Health and Production in Africa 25: 431-434.Google Scholar
LADMAKHI, M.H., BUYS, N., DEWIL, E., RAHIMI, G. and DECUYPERE, E. (1997) The prophylactic effect of vitamin C supplementation on broiler ascites incidence and plasma thyroid hormone concentration. Avian Pathology 26: 33-44.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MAXWELL, M.H. (1988) The histology and ultrastructure of ectopic cartilaginous and osseous nodules in lungs of young broiler with an ascitic syndrome. Poultry Science 71: 165.Google Scholar
MAXWELL, M.H., DOLAN T.T., and MBUGUA, H.C.W. (1989) An ultrastructural study of an ascetic syndrome in young broilers reared at high altitude. Avian Pathology 18: 481-494.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MAXWELL, M.H. and ROBERTSON, G.W. (1997) World broiler ascites survey 1996. Poultry International 36: 16-30.Google Scholar
MCGOVERN, R.H., FEDDES, J.J.R., ROBINSON, F.E. and HANSON, J.A. (1998) Growth performance, carcass characteristics and the incidence of ascites in broilers in response to feed restriction and litter oiling. Poultry Science 78: 522-528.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MIRSALIMI, S.M., JULIAN, R.J. and O'BRIEN, P.J. (1992) Biochemical and hematological values and deformability of the red cells in normal and salt treated broiler chickens. American Journal of Veterinary Research 53: 2359-2363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
OLKOWSKI, A.A. and CLASSEN, H.I. (1998) Progressive bradycardia, a possible factor in the pathogenesis of ascites in fast growing broiler chickens raised at low altitude. British Poultry Science 39: 139-146.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
PEACOCK, A.J., PICKETT, C., MORRIS, K. and REEVES, J.T. (1989) The relationship between rapid growth and pulmonary hemodynamics on the fasting-growing broiler chicken. The American Review of Respiratory Disease 139: 1524-1530.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
PEACOCK, A.J., PICKETT, C., MORRIS, K. and REEVES, J.T. (1990) Spontaneous hypoxaemia and right ventricular hyper­trophy on fast-growing broiler chickens reared at sea level. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 97: 537-541.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
RATH, N.C. (2000) Clinico-pathological studies on ascites syndrome in poultry. M.V.Sc. Thesis submitted to the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India.Google Scholar
SATO, T., TEZUKA, K., SHIBUYA, H., WATANABE, T., KAMATA, H. and SHIRAI, W. (2002) Cold-induced ascites in broiler chickens and its improvement by temperature-controlled rearing. Avian Disease 46: 989-996.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SHLOSBERG, A., BERMAN, E., BENDHEIM, U. and PLAVNIK, I. (1991) Controlled early feed restriction as a potential means of reducing the incidence of ascites in broilers. Avian Disease 35: 681-684.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SHOME, B.R., PADHI, M.K., SHOME, R., SENANI, S., SAHA, S.K. and RAI, R.B. (2000) Ascites complex in indigenous naked neck poultry birds of Andaman. The Veterinary Journal 77: 801-802.Google Scholar
SILVA, J.M.L., DALE, N. and LUCHESI, J.B. (1988) Effect of pelleted feed on the incidence of ascites in broiler reared at low altitude. Avian Disease 32: 376-398.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
STEDMAN, N.L. and BROWN, T.P. (2002) Cardiomyopathy in broiler chickens congenitally infected with avian leukosis virus subgroup J. Veterinary Pathology 39: 161-164.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SWIRE, P.W. (1980) Ascites in broilers. Veterinary Record 107: 54.Google ScholarPubMed
TATTORI, J., YAMAGUCHI, R., TAKE, Y., UCHIDA, K. and TAETEYAMAS, S. (1995) Broiler ascites seen in summer season. Journal of the Japan Veterinary Medical Association 48: 465-468.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
TERZICH, M., QUARLES, C., GOODWIN, M.A. and BROWN, J. (1998) Effect of Poultry Litter Treatment(R) (PLT(R)) on the development of respiratory tract lesions in broilers. Avian Pathology 27: 566-569.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
TEUSCHER, E., LOPEZ, E.V. and ALVAREZ, R. (1971) Pathological study of ascites syndrome in broilers at high altitude. Zentrablattfur veterinarmedizin 18: 380-394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
TOTTORI, J., YAMAGUCHI, R., MURAKAWA, Y., SATO, M., UCHIDA, K. and TATEYAMA, S. (1997) The use of feed restriction for mortality control of chickens in broiler farms. Avian Disease 41: 433-437.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
VEGAD, J.L. (2004) Poultry diseases. A guide for farmers and poultry professionals. 1st edition, IBDC, India.Google Scholar
WANG, Z., LUDENG, X., XIZHEN, W., WANG, Z.H. and WANG, X.Z. (1995) Clinical observation and control of ascites syndromes in broilers. Chinese Journal of Veterinary Medicine 21: 10-12.Google Scholar
WIDEMAN, R.F. and BOTTJE, W.G. (1993) Current under­standing of the ascites syndrome and future research directions. Nutrition and Technical Symposium Proceedings, Novus International, Inc., St. Louis, MO, pp. 1–20.Google Scholar
WIDEMAN, R.F. JR, KIRBY, Y.K., OWEN, R.L. and FRENCH, H. (1997) Chronic unilateral occlusion of an extrapulmonary bronchus induces pulmonary hypertension syndrome (Ascites) in male and female broilers. Poultry Science 76: 400-404.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
YAMAGUCHI, R., TOTTORI, J., UCHIDA, K., TATEYAMA, S. and SUGANO, S. (2000) Importance of Escherichia coli infection in ascites in broiler chickens shown by experimental production. Avian Disease 44: 545-548.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ZAFRA, R., PÉREZ, J., PÉREZ-ECIJA, R.A., BORGE, C., BUSTAMANTE, R., CARBONERO, A. and TARRADAS, C. (2008) Concurrent aspergillosis and ascites with high mortality in a farm of growing broiler chickens. Avian Disease 52: 711-713.CrossRefGoogle Scholar