Selected Blood Chemistry and Gas Reference Ranges for Broiler Breeders Using the i-STAT® Handheld Clinical Analyzer

Abstract Selected blood chemistry and gas reference ranges for clinically healthy broiler breeder hens were established using CG8+ cartridges in an i-STAT® handheld point-of-care clinical analyzer. Samples from 165 hens (25–36 wk of age), representing three broiler breeder strains reared by four integrators, were evaluated. A standardized sampling technique was developed to minimize instrument error readings. The following reference ranges and means, respectively, were determined: sodium (141.6–152.6, 147.1 [mmol/L]), potassium (4.1–5.7, 4.9 [mmol/L]), ionized calcium (1.20–1.73, 1.47 [mmol/L]), glucose (207.2–260.7, 234.0 [mg/dl]), hematocrit (21.3–30.8, 26.1 [% packed cell volume]), hemoglobin (7.3–10.5, 8.9 [g/dl]), pH (7.28–7.57, 7.42), carbon dioxide partial pressure (25.9–49.5, 37.7 [mm Hg]), oxygen partial pressure (32.0–60.5, 46.2 [mm Hg]), bicarbonate (18.9–30.3, 24.6 [mmol/L]), total carbon dioxide (19.9–31.5, 25.7 [mmol/L]), base excess (−6.8 to 7.2, 0.2), and oxygen saturation (70.6–93.3, 82.0...