Sodium salicylate attenuates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced adipsia, but not hypophagia, in broiler chickens

Abstract

1. A study was conducted to determine the influence of sodium salicylate on the behaviour and the food and water consumption of broiler chickens after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection.

2. An oral dose of 100 mg/kg sodium salicylate was given and an acute phase reaction in broiler chickens was provoked through the intravenous injection of Escherichia coli LPS.

3. Water intake was higher in the LPS and salicylate-treated group than in the positive control group. The salicylate treatment, however, did not restore the food intake, or influence the behaviour of the chickens.

4. These data show that sodium salicylate has a positive effect on the water intake after intravenous injection of LPS in chickens and suggests that there is a difference in mechanism of action of food and water consumption after LPS injection in chickens.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Hilde Lippens and Deborah Calis for the high quality of their technical assistance.