Cardiac muscle mass distribution in the domestic turkey and relationship to electrocardiogram

Ventricular weights were measured in 20-week, old male and female heavy turkeys, and electrocardiograms (ECGS) were recorded in 10 and 20 week old male and female heavy turkeys. Twenty-week-old males had heavier relative left ventricular and total ventricular weights than females of the same age Left to right ventricular weight ratios were 4.4:1 in males and 4.5:1 in females. Heart rate was faster in young birds and in females. and that influenced the duration of the intervals of the ECG. Wave amplitudes were smaller in 10-week-old turkeys than in 20-week old turkeys. There was no correlation between electrocardiographic parameters and ventricular weights of male and female turkeys. Two-dimensional ECGS were therefore found to be of minimal value for detecting turkeys with heavier ventricles