Saline drinking water in broiler and Leghorn chicks and the effect in broilers of increasing levels and age at time of exposure

Abstract The purpose of this research was to assess the effect of increasing levels of salt and 5 g/L of salt (0.20% extra sodium) in the drinking water in broiler chickens at various ages up to five weeks of age and to compare the response of broiler chickens and White Leghorns to saline water (0.20% sodium). The effect was measured by the response of the right ventricle to pulmonary hypertension. The results indicated that broiler chickens under three weeks are more susceptible to saline water containing 0.20% sodium than those over three weeks of age, and that broilers given increasing levels of dietary salt may be more resistant to excess dietary salt than those that have had no previous exposure. The results also demonstrated that broiler chickens are more susceptible than White Leghorns to 0.20% extra dietary sodium in drinking water. We conclude that Leghorn chicks are more resistant to excess dietary sodium than broilers and that broilers become more resistant to saline water containing 0.20% sodium after three weeks of age.