Ascites syndrome effects in different commercial broilers

Abstract

The objective of this work was to verify the incidence of ascites in males and females on commercial lines of broilers. All birds received ration ad libitum with 3,050 kcal/ME. The commercial lines Cobb, Hubbard and Ross, males and females, were compared. A factorial design was used with three replications per treatment. A total of 1,800 birds were housed at random in an experimental shed of 8x76 m, with 18 compartments of 3x3.5 m each and 100 birds per division. The results showed that the incidence of ascites was independent of the commercial broiler line, however, males were more susceptible.