Ascites syndrome in poultry: a review

Excessive specialisation and production requirements place high demands on the metabolism of the broiler chicken. A number of metabolic problems, such as ascites, arise in chickens due to intensive selection to manifest their genetic potential for rapid growth.   Ascites syndrome (Pulmonary Hypertension Syndrome) is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity in modern broiler production today. Genetics, the environment, and management all seem to interact to produce a cascade of events