ARSENIC INDUCED CLINICO-HEMATO-PATHOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS IN BROILERS AND ITS ATTENUATION BY VITAMIN E AND SELENIUM

Present study was carried out to know the arsenic (As) induced toxico-pathological alterations in broiler chicks and their attenuation with vitamin E (Vit E) and selenium (Se). A total of 90 day-old broiler chicks were equally distributed into 5 groups. Groups 1-4 were administered As@50 mg/kg BW daily through feed for 30 days. In addition to As, groups 2 to 4 received Vitamin E@150 mg/kg BW, selenium@0.25 mg/kg BW and Vitamin E plus selenium, respectively. Group 5 (Control) received normal drinking water for 30 days. Dullness, depression, open mouth breathing, increased thirst; ruffled feathers, pale comb, skin irritation and watery diarrhea were the most striking clinical signs. The body weight and feed intake was significantly decreased in treated birds. The erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume decreased (P 0.05) in treated broilers with As or As with Se and Vit E. Grossly pale and hemorrhagic liver and swollen kidneys were observed in As treated birds. Arsenic treated groups showed significant decrease in serum. Histopathologically, liver exhibited congestion and cytoplasmic vacuolation. In kidneys, condensation of tubular epithelium nuclei, epithelial cell necrosis, increased urinary spaces, sloughing of tubules from basement membrane and cast deposition were observed. In conclusion As induced toxico-pathological alterations and vitamin E and selenium partially ameliorate the toxic effects in broilers chicks.