Ascites is a serious problem in broiler industry throughout the world. It has been linked to hypoxia, low temperature, quality of chick, quality of feed, feed intake and physical form of the feed. Triggers of ascites are those which increases blood flow in the lungs enough to cause pulmonary hypertension. This leads to right ventricular valve failure, following right valvular insufficiency of oxygen requirement, heat production and metabolic rate are closely linked to blood flow by increasing blood viscosity therefore lack of oxygen also causes ascites.

The diet is an important trigger of the ascites. High protein and energy level, higher feed intake and dense rations (pellets) increase metabolic rate and trigger the ascites syndrome, whereas the effect of reduced feed intake lowers the incidence of ascites in the mash feeding while increased feed intake as well as chemical changes during pelleting may be the cause of ascites.

Present experiment was conducted to ascertain the causes of ascites while using pelleted and mash feed to minimize the loss of poultry sector caused by this syndrome. One hundred and sixty day old chicks were divided into 4 groups fed on four starter and finisher rations designated as Al, A2, Bi and B2. Ration Al was pellet restricted, A2 was mash restricted, Bi was pelleted ad-lib and B2 was mash ad-lib. Starter rations were fed for 35 days and finisher rations for the remaining 21 days to all four (Al, A2, Bi and B2) groups having four replicates of each 10 chicks. Results indicated that maximum weight gain was recorded in bird fed on ration Bi which was pelleted ad-libitum group. While lowest weight gain was recorded in A2 which was mash restricted group. Second last groups in weight gain was recorded in B2 group which was fed mash ad.. libitum. Best feed consumption was also recorded in Bi group whereas poor feed conversion ratio was recorded in B2 group.

Results indicated that incidence of ascites (5%) was only observed in Bi (pelleted ad-I ibiturn) group, that might be due to some factor in pelleting process (chemical change) resulting from the higher density of pelleted. Other 3 groups didnt show any ascites syndrome.

It was concluded that higher feed intake and dense rations increased metabolic rate and triggered ascites syndrome due to fast growth.

RECOMMENDATIONS
It is therefore recommended after the study that more dense rations (pelleted feed) can be more effectively utilized if it is fed under restricted feeding regimes.