Atmospheric Ammonia Concentration Effects on Broiler Growth and Performance

SUMMARY Atmospheric NH3 in poultry facilities has been linked to damaged respiratory tract lining, reduced resistance to respiratory diseases, and increased ascites. Therefore, the effects of graded NH3 concentration (0, 30, 60 ppm) on performance, tracheal lesions, conjuctival lesion, ascites incidence, hematocrit (HCT), blood uric acid (BUR), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were investigated using commercial broilers. Final body weight, feed consumption, and body weight gain were not significantly (P > 0.05) affected as NH3 concentration increased from 0 to 60 ppm. In contrast, gain to feed ratio was depressed (P = 0.05) at 60 ppm NH3. Right ventricular weight (RV), HCT, tracheal lesions, and pulmonary lesions increased with age (P < 0.05) to 21 d but was notaffectedbyatmosphericNH3.ThesedataindicatethatNH3inpoultryhouseslowersperformance and may increase disease susceptibility.

[1]  M. Mitchell,et al.  Haematological and morphological responses of broiler chicks to hypoxia. , 1990, Avian pathology : journal of the W.V.P.A.

[2]  O. Fletcher,et al.  Effects of dietary aflatoxin in aflatoxin-resistant and control lines of chickens. , 1990, Poultry science.

[3]  S G Moum,et al.  A simple method of determining concentrations of ammonia in animal quarters. , 1969, Poultry science.

[4]  David P. Anderson,et al.  The Adverse Effects of Ammonia on Chickens Including Resistance to Infection with Newcastle Disease Virus , 1964 .

[5]  F. S. Carlile,et al.  Ammonia in poultry houses: a literature review , 1984 .

[6]  G. Jones.  Energy and nitrogen metabolism and oxygen use by broilers susceptible to ascites and grown at three environmental temperatures. , 1994, British poultry science.

[7]  F. N. David,et al.  Principles and procedures of statistics. , 1961 .

[8]  F. N. Reece,et al.  Low Concentrations of Ammonia During Brooding Decrease Broiler Weight , 1981 .

[9]  C. Quarles,et al.  Atmospheric Ammonia and Broiler Cockerel Performance , 1981 .

[10]  C. Scheele,et al.  Ascites in broilers. 1. Experimental factors evoking symptoms related to ascites. , 1991, Poultry science.

[11]  R. Teeter,et al.  Feeding Effects on Broiler Thermobalance During Thermoneutral and High Ambient Temperature Exposure , 1993 .

[12]  M. Beck,et al.  Effect of atmospheric ammonia on the surface ultrastructure of the lung and trachea of broiler chicks. , 1985, Poultry science.

[13]  C. Quarles,et al.  Effect of atmospheric ammonia and the stress of infectious bronchitis vaccination on leghorn males. , 1974, Poultry science.

[14]  Y. Espada,et al.  Fumonisin mycotoxicosis in broilers. Weights and serum chemistry modifications. , 1994, Avian diseases.

[15]  M. Macleod,et al.  Effects of food intake regulation on the energy metabolism of hens and cockerels of a layer strain. , 1979, British poultry science.

[16]  C. Quarles,et al.  Effect of Air Contaminants on Performance and Quality of Broilers , 1979 .

[17]  M. H. Maxwell,et al.  UK survey of broiler ascites and sudden death syndromes in 1993. , 1998, British poultry science.

[18]  M. Quinton,et al.  The relationship of right ventricular hypertrophy, right ventricular failure, and ascites to weight gain in broiler and roaster chickens. , 1987, Avian diseases.