[Effect of artificial air ionization on broilers]

Tested was the artificial ionization of the air in climatic chambers in attempts to maintain the abiotic ecologic factors within the parameters required by the industrial technology of raising. The feeding and raising of birds were carried in accordance with the provisions of the Bulgarian State Standard requirements. The experiments were carried out with day-old chick broilers divided into two equated groups. All parameters of the production milieu in which the groups were kept were unified with the exception of the ionization of air. The latter was effected following the pattern of a special programme worked out by the authors' team, providing for various exposures and concentrations of the ions in dependence on the age of birds. The investigation of the abiotic and biotic factors acting in the two chambers has revealed a reliable drop of the microbial contamination of the air under the effect of artificial ionization. It has been found that air ionization applied according to the tested programme stimulates the life processes in the body of broilers as evidenced by the anabolic processes with proteins, the higher vitamin A and E level in the liver, and the activation of haemopoiesis. As the result of the reduced microbial contamination of the air and the biologic action of the air ions on the body of the birds in the test group higher weight was obtained (by 19 g) as against the controls at a lower feed intake per unit of gain, with higher indices of the poultry meat. The chemical investigation of such meat of the test group birds has revealed higher protein and essential amino acid content.