Anatomical and histological parameters of the liver of broilers under stress

The aim of research was to study the state of the liver of broiler chickens under the influence of a stress factor. Research objectives were to study the features of the anatomical and histological parameters of the liver of females and cockerels under the influence of a stress factor; to investigate the main pathological processes occurring at macro- and microscopic levels in the liver when exposed to a stress factor. The study, carried out to research the topography, morphology, histology of poultry organs under the influence of a temperature stress factor, was implemented in the laboratory of the Department of Anatomy and Physiology of the Northern Trans-Urals State Agrarian University of the Tyumen Region. The object of research is broilers of the Arbor Acres + cross. Four sex and age related groups of birds were formed. Control and experimental groups of females and cockerels were raised separately, in KBU cages, from one day of age to day 28. Throughout the entire observation period, feeding of all groups of birds corresponded to the recommendations of All-Russian Research and Technological Institute of Poultry. In the presence of chickens from experimental groups 3 and 4, starting from the 21st and 28th days of growing, the temperature was maintained at 36-38 °C for 16 hours a day. The relative mass of the liver in females is 0.5 % less than that of cockerels. When studying the microstructure of the liver, it was found that the area of hepatocytes in females (63.05±1.66 microns) is greater than that in cockerels (58.67±1.6 microns), by 7 %. The area of hepatocyte nuclei in females is 26 % larger than that of cockerels. The NCR of hepatocytes in females is 0.17±0.001 µm, which is 0.04 µm more than the NCR in hepatocytes of cockerels. The main pathological processes occurring at the microscopic level in the liver when exposed to a stress factor include: fine-grained protein degeneration, paretic dilated veins and venules, atrophic changes in hepatocytes in the triad, periportal necrosis of hepatocytes in cockerels and pericellular necrosis of a small number of hepatocytes in females.