The objective of this work was to verify the incidence of ascites in males and females on commercial lines of broilers. All birds received ration ad libitum with 3,050 kcal/ME. The commercial lines Cobb, Hubbard and Ross, males and females, were compared. A factorial design was used with three replications per treatment. A total of 1,800 birds were housed at random in an experimental shed of 8x76 m, with 18 compartments of 3x3.5 m each and 100 birds per division. The results showed that the incidence of ascites was independent of the commercial broiler line, however, males were more susceptible.
metabolic disorder; nutritional effects; animal nutrition
