Heat stress as a predisposing factor for necrotic enteritis in broiler chicks.

Heat stress as a predisposing factor for necrotic enteritis in broiler chicks. Avian Pathol. 2018 Sep 17;:1-19 Authors: Tsiouris V, Georgopoulou I, Batzios C, Pappaioannou N, Ducatelle R, Fortomaris P Abstract Heat stress is a physical environmental stressor, which can affect performance, health and welfare of poultry. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of cyclic acute heat stress as a predisposing factor for necrotic enteritis in broiler chicks in an experimental challenge model. Two hundred and forty broiler chicks were randomly allocated to four treatment groups according to the following experimental design: group A, was served as negative control (25 oC), group B, birds were subjected to cyclic acute heat stress (35 oC), group C, birds were challenged and group D, birds were both subjected to heat stress and challenged. From each bird, the intestine, gizzard and liver were collected and scored for gross lesions. The intestinal digesta was collected for pH and viscosity determination. One caecum from each bird was taken for microbiological analysis. The statistical analysis and evaluation of the experimental data revealed that the heat stress in challenged birds showed a relative trend to increase the severity and the incidence of necrotic enteritis lesions, although it was not considered as a statistically significant (Ρ=0.077). In addition, the heat stress induced necrotic enteritis outbreak in unchalle...
Source: Avian Pathology - Category: Pathology Authors: Tags: Avian Pathol Source Type: research