Prevalence, Types and Frequency of Liver Changes in Broiler Birds

The present study was undertaken to know the prevalence, types and frequency of liver changes in broiler birds at Jabalpur city. During the 18 months of study period, post-mortem examinations were performed on a total of 608 broiler birds. From birds having gross liver lesions, representative tissue samples were collected for gross and microscopic examination of liver. Amongst the 608 birds examined, 273 birds showed gross liver lesions with a prevalence rate of 44.90%. The major gross lesions comprised haemorrhage and congestion (38.46%), perihepatitis (18.68%), hepatomegaly, necrotic foci, fatty and pale liver. During the study period highest month wise prevalence of liver lesions was noticed in the month of September. Microscopic examination of liver showed congested /dilated sinusoids, haemorrhages, liver haemosiderosis, hepatocellular vacuolation, parenchymatous degeneration, Kupffer cell hyperplasia/hypertrophy, proliferation of bile ductules, infiltration/hepatitis, cholangiohepatitis, inflamed bile ductules/pericholangitis, fibrino-necrotic hepatitis, sinusoidal microthrombi, intracellular inclusion bodies and liver amyloidosis when stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin stain. Special staining of liver in Masson’s trichome revealed mild to extensive fibrosis. It was concluded the prevalence of broiler liver lesions caused by various infectious or non- infectious diseases is high in the city, which leads to increased condemnation and production losses.