Table 5.

The serum electrolyte levels of broilers exposed to varied forms of physiological stress.

Parameter	Response	Group 1 (control)	Group 2 (stocking density stress)	Group 3 (feed withdrawal stress)	Level of significance
Sodium (mmol/L)	Pre-stress	129.10±1.04	129.26±1.12	128.06±0.94	p=0.676
	Post-stress	140.45±0.67a	135.68±1.11b	136.21±0.76b	p=0.001
Potassium (mmol/L)	Pre-stress	3.65±0.17a	3.82±0.19a	4.22±0.20b	p=0.033
	Post-stress	2.76±0.20a	3.90±0.25b	4.10±0.20b	p=0.014
Sodium/potassium ratio	Pre-stress	36.11±1.83a	34.71±1.99ab	30.35±1.21b	p=0.023
	Post-stress	53.56±4.10a	35.98±2.16b	33.88±1.47b	p=0.002
Calcium (mg/dL)	Pre-stress	8.84±0.19a	9.00±0.18a	9.75±0.16b	p=0.030
	Post-stress	9.88±0.10	10.22±0.13	10.20±0.19	p=0.240
Phosphorus (mg/dL)	Pre-stress	6.08±0.52	6.26±1.10	6.41±1.32	p=0.273
	Post-stress	6.55±0.35	6.43±0.28	6.33±0.26	p=0.594
Calcium/phosphorus Ratio	Pre-stress	1.45±0.44	1.44±0.56	1.52±0.49	p=0.149
	Post-stress	1.51±0.07	1.59±0.06	1.61±0.06	p=0.096

^a,bAlphabetical superscripts in a row indicate a significant difference between the means (p<0.05 or p<0.01).