# Lack of correlation between parasite burden and key weight metrics in poultry infected with intestinal ascarids

## TL;DR

This study finds that ascarid infections in poultry do not affect organ or body weights, only feed efficiency.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that ascarid infections in poultry do not correlate with changes in organ or body weights.

## Key findings

- No correlation was found between parasite burden and small intestine weight.
- Liver weight did not correlate with ascarid infections.
- Total animal weight was unaffected by parasite burden.

## Abstract

Ascaridia galli
and
Ascaridia dissimilis
are the most common and economically impactful nematode parasites of commercial poultry. These infections rarely cause clinical disease, but reduction in feed conversion efficiency is detected. To determine if feed conversion efficiency reductions correlate with any physiological measures independent of clinical disease, we determined if ascarid infections correlate with changes in the weights of the small intestine, liver, or total animal weight (quantitative measures of animal health). No correlation between parasite burden and these metrics were observed, supporting the concept that feed conversion is the only production metric impacted by ascarid infections.