Acute heat stress in broiler chickens and its impact on serum biochemical and electrolyte parameters

Biochemical and electrolyte parameters play an assistant role for the faster and realistic evaluation of multiple organ dysfunction. The present study was designed to investigate the changes in serum biochemical and electrolyte parameters of Arbor Acres (AA) broiler chickens during acute heat stress. AA broiler chickens (N=120) were randomly allocated to four groups: control group at 22 +/- 1 degrees C and heat stress group at 2 h, 5h and 10h, respectively (HS2, HS5, and HS10) at 38 +/- 1 degrees C. All groups of serum electrolyte and biochemical parameters, including serum concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, total protein, albumin, total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, amylase, cholesterol, alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase (CK), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured. These results indicated that heat stress have significant (p < 0.05) effect on serum biochemical and electrolyte parameters of broiler chickens, which assist preliminary evaluation of the damage degree of corresponding organs.