Correlation between heart muscle damage and high-nutrient feed in broiler chickens.

One-day-old broiler chickens were given commercial chicken starters during first 4 weeks of growth. The chickens were then divided into two groups: one group was fed commercial intensive growers (control feed), and the other group was fed commercial broiler finishers (high-nutrient feed). Body weights were calculated weekly. At eight weeks old, blood samples were collected and heart tissues were examined histopathologically. Significant increases in body weight as well as pathological findings in the heart muscle and an elevation of serum creation kinase (CK) were observed in chickens fed with broiler finisher. Histopathological changes in heart fiber resembled that of sudden death syndrome, and this heart damage was thought to be related to the increase of CK levels.