Collins N Khwatenge, Kellee N
Abstract
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a naturally occurring heart disease associated with high mortality in rapidly growing poultry. The disease is common in broilers and its causes are least understood. This condition has not been reported in guinea fowl hence, the purpose of this study was to induce DCM in guinea fowl and elucidate physiological changes associated with onset of DCM. In three replications 5 week-old Pearl gray guinea fowl keets were fed corn-soy diets containing 0 (control), 400, 600 and 800 ppm furazolidone for four weeks. The experimental diets were fed in mash form and contained 3,000 kcal of metabolizable energy (ME)/kg diet and 24% crude protein (CP) at 0-5 weeks of age (WOA) and 3,100 ME kcal/kg and 24% CP at 5-9 WOA. After nine WOA, experimental birds were selected at random, blood samples were collected, the birds were then euthanized and liver and heart tissue samples were collected and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen. Total RNA was extracted from the tissues, reverse transcribed and quantified to evaluate the expression of cardiac and liver troponin (TNT) and phospholamban (PLN) genes which serve as markers for DCM. Feeding 800 and 600 ppm furazolidone successfully induced DCM in Pearl gray guinea fowl. Induction of DCM was associated with a significant decrease in feed consumption and body weight gain and a significant reduction in feed efficiency. Increasing furazolidone concentration from 0-800 ppm significantly down regulated both TNT and PLN in the heart and liver. Liver hyperplasia, severe ascites, a decrease in serum creatinine, bilirubin, glucose, protein, and alkaline phosphatase, and an increase in serum glutamic pyruvate transaminase were observed. For the first time we report induction of DCM in the guinea fowl by feeding either 600 or 800 ppm furazolidone. DCM was characterized by metabolic changes and down regulation of heart and liver TNT and PLN.