Effect of hypobaric hypoxia and diet on blood parameters and pulmonary hypertension-induced right ventricular hypertrophy in turkey poults and ducklings.

Turkey poults reared in a hypobaric chamber at an atmospheric pressure of 592 mmHg (calculated partial pressure of oxygen: 124 mmHg: calculated altitude and 02 equivalents: 2054 m and 16.3%) on a fast-growth diet developed polycythaemia and pulmonary hypertension as measured by right ventricle to total ventricle ratio. Poults reared in a hypobaric chamber on a slow-growth diet had less polycythaemia and did not have pulmonary hypertension. Control poults at atmospheric pressure, altitude 295 m (calculated atmospheric pressure: 735 mmHg: partial pressure of oxygen: 154 mmHg, 20.26% O2), on a fast-growth diet had a slight, but not significant increase in some haematologic variables compared to the slow-growth atmospheric groups. Ducklings reared using the same experimental design did not develop pulmonary hypertension, although polycythaemia was evident in the hypobaric conditions and was more prominent in ducklings on the fast-growth diet.