Cobalt-induced polycythaemia causing right ventricular hypertrophy and ascites in meat-type chickens.

Cobalt increases the red cell mass in both man and animals by increasing the production of erythropoietin. Since meat-type chickens can develop pulmonary hypertension from increased erythropoiesis and polycythaemia, two trials were conducted to investigate the role of cobalt on broiler chicken erythropoiesis and pulmonary hypertension. The results showed that feeding cobaltous chloride at 500 parts/10(6) to meat-type chickens from 1-day-old for 42 days significantly increased haemoglobin content and, to a lesser extent red blood cell count, and haematocrit. No effect was observed on mean corpuscular volume. Increased haemoglobin content was linearly correlated with pulmonary hypertension as measured by the right ventricle weight to total ventricle weight ratio (RV:TV). Levels of malondialdehyde in cardiac tissue were also correlated with the RV:TV ratio, suggesting that peroxidative damage may be related to ventricular hypertrophy. Chickens fed cobalt showed a significantly higher incidence of right ventricular hypertrophy and right ventricular failure and 18.3% developed ascites.