Myocardial contractility in chickens (Gallus gallus): Analysis of systolic time intervals

Comparison of the measurement of heart rate in adult free‐range chickens (Gallus domesticus) by auscultation and electrocardiography

“…ECG has been used extensively to assess cardiac functionality in chickens . Standard ECG techniques have been previously documented by Lumerij and Ritchie and Kharin and Shmakov who used needles implanted through the skin of the medial part of each shoulder and of each thigh close to the knee joint to give computer readouts.…”

“…ECG has been used extensively to assess cardiac functionality in chickens . Standard ECG techniques have been previously documented by Lumerij and Ritchie and Kharin and Shmakov who used needles implanted through the skin of the medial part of each shoulder and of each thigh close to the knee joint to give computer readouts. Those authors took recordings of the standard bipolar, limb‐lead ECG of a phonocardiogram and of an apex cardiogram to obtain ECG recordings with the standard bipolar limb leads .…”

“…Standard ECG techniques have been previously documented by Lumerij and Ritchie and Kharin and Shmakov who used needles implanted through the skin of the medial part of each shoulder and of each thigh close to the knee joint to give computer readouts. Those authors took recordings of the standard bipolar, limb‐lead ECG of a phonocardiogram and of an apex cardiogram to obtain ECG recordings with the standard bipolar limb leads . Sturkie measured heart rates while the birds were restrained quietly on their backs, using fewer leads and electrodes than in the Kharin and Shmakov study.…”

“…This small experiment demonstrated that there may be value in using auscultation to estimate the heart rate of chickens in situations where more complex and expensive methods are not available. Some simple practical considerations for the clinician are as follows. If disturbed, chickens can have a flash or excitation heart reaction whereby the heart rate cannot be manually counted as it is usually too high. After the flash reaction has passed or if the bird does not get excited, the chicken heart rate settles to a rate that can be counted by the method described. Chickens' heart rates may vary physiologically and are generally higher when there is light and slower in the dark; they may also be higher in birds that feather‐pick and lower in males …”

“…Those authors took recordings of the standard bipolar, limb-lead ECG of a phonocardiogram and of an apex cardiogram to obtain ECG recordings with the standard bipolar limb leads. 5 Sturkie 7 measured heart rates while the birds were restrained quietly on their backs, using fewer leads and electrodes than in the Kharin and Shmakov study. It is unknown how heart rate is affected by technique and placement of the leads.…”