[Selenium, copper, iron and zinc liver concentrations in healthy and ascitic broilers] | Concentraciones hepaticas de selenio, cobre, hierro y zinc en pollos de engorda con y sin sindrome ascitico

English. Cooper, selenium, iron, and zinc hepatic concentrations in healthy and ascitic broilers were measured. These elements were chosen due to their participation in the oxigen exchange among fluids and body tissues. These elements were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. The task was oriented to look for and indirect indication of a metabolic alteration using the above mentioned elements. Broilers were housed and fed in commercial operation type facilities. Feed was made of sorghum and soybean meal plus a supplementation of vitamins and minerals according to nutritional needs. Ascitic broilers presented hepatic Se levels (2.58 ppm) lower than the healthy animals (2.61), as well as a lower copper concentration (ascitic, 15.53 versus the healthy ones 17.31 ppm), but Iron content was higher in ascitic (436.66 ppm) than in healthy broilers (389.81 ppm). Zinc content was higher in ascitic broilers (136.62 ppm) than in healthy ones (104.72 ppm). The same behaviour was measured regarding this difference, and it was also statistically different (P0.05). Results in this study indicate an alteration in the metabolism of zinc, which is probably related to a defense mechanism in broilers suffering of an ascitis syndrome

Spanish; Castilian. Para cubrir los objetivos del presente estudio se determinaron las concentraciones hepaticas de selenio (Se), cobre (Cu), hierro (Fe) y zinc (Zn) mediante espectrometria de absorcion atomica, en pollos de engorda (17 con sindrome ascitico y 21 sanos) de entre 2 y 7 semanas de edad. Este trabajo se realizo con el fin de encontrar algunos elementos que fueran indicadores indirectos de alteraciones metabolicas de este sindrome en pollos clinicamente enfermos o identificados por las lesiones a la necropsia. Las aves fueron criadas en una caseta convencional y recibieron una dieta a base de sorgo y soya. Las aves asciticas tuvieron concentraciones hepaticas de selenio (2.58 ppm) ligeramente inferiores a ls aves clinicamente sans (2.61 ppm), algo similar ocurrio respecto del cobre (15.53 ppm en asciticos vs. 17.31 en sanos). Los asciticos tuvieron niveles mayos de hierro (434.66 ppm) que las aves sanas (389.81 ppm); sin embargo, solo las concentraciones de zinc en los asciticos (136.62 ppm) fueron estadisticamente mayores (P0.05) a las encontradas en los sanos (104.72 ppm). Estos resultados sugieren la presencia de alteraciones en el metabolismo del zinc, posiblemente relacionadas con los mecanismos de defensa en aves que padecen el sindrome ascitico