Gizzard erosion in broilers did occur also in the early 1970's. You might look in the (European)  literature from that time.

Overheated (peruvian) fishmeal was implicated by some as a causative factor. In an experimental set up however we did not find any effect.

Causes of Gizzard Erosion and Proventriculitis in Broilers

Manuel Contreras, DVM, MS, ACPV, and Douglas Zaviezo, PhD, Special Nutrients, Miami, Florida, USA, 2007

Many eld veterinarians report the presence of gizzard erosion in broilers and commercial layers as a result of propitious environmental conditions for mold growth and the use of feed ingredients contaminated with mycotoxins. Unfortunately, only in a few cases the clinical diagnosis is reconrmed using the laboratory, therefore not much attention is placed on this nding unless the production parameters are negatively aected. Proventriculitis or inammation of the proventriculus is not reported as frequently as gizzard erosion and has

been associated with Marek’s disease (MD) and Reovirus infections. In this article, the term proventriculitis will be used to name the inammation and enlargement (proventriculosis) of the organ. Proventriculitis is a naturally occurring disease of broilers characterized by inammation, dilatation and thinning of the organ, decreasing the speed of feed passage through the Page 2 lumen and predisposing to organ rupture during evisceration of the carcass. Spillage of the retained ingesta from the torn proventriculus into the body cavity causes contamination and in some cases condemnation of the whole carcass. This contamination has a negative eect

on the production cost, since it is necessary to reduce the speed of the line at the processing plant to process again the broiler carcasses by washing, which represents an increase in labor cost. Several publications in the US have demonstrated a higher production cost in commercial broilers aected by this condition, with an increase of up to 10 points in feed conversion.

================================================

PROVENTRICULITIS IN BROILER CHICKENS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP

TO INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE VIRUS

by

MARY J. PANTIN-JACKWOOD

A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial

Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

ATHENS, GEORGIA

2003

=================================================

Association between gizzard lesions and increased caecal Clostridium perfringens counts in broiler chickens

Novoa-Garrido et al., 2006

==================================================

Mycotoxins and Poultry - Amlan International, 2008

Thank this confirms what I have also found.

Dear Joline

Mycotoxins and biogenic amines, toxic compounds which originated basically from feedstuff, are the main causative agents of gizzard erosion in poultry. You will find many research articles published on this issue on the web which contain helpful information.

Best wishes.

My field experience, in poultry industry confrm the role of selenium and vitamin E deficiencies (similar with oesophago-gastric ulcer in pigs).

Fish meal is also involved by ROS (oxydative potential- destroyng Vitamin E)

Cytotoxic mycotoxyns (trichotecens, fumonisins) could be also involved but  at this age  the hazard is quite small

Dear Joline

Many studies referred that the gizzard erosion caused by mold growth and the use of contaminated feed with mycotoxins.

 Good Luck

Gizzerosine (N6-[2-(1H-Imidazol-4-yl)ethyl]-L-lysine) is a compound found in overheated fish meal due to interaction of caesine with histidine and acts as a factor causing gizzard erosion or ulceration in chicks. It can also be formed if the temperature of fish meal increases by incorrect handling during transportation or storage particularly in hot weather.

The ability of gizzerosine to introduce gastric acid secretion in chickens was almost 10 times greater than that of histamine. In addition its gizzard erosion inducing effect was 300 times greater than that of histamine. Whether gizzerosine may be formed during heating of other protein feedstuffs with high histidine content is not known. Gizzerosine is probably also produced by combustion of fish meal stacked at the bottom. The addition of 0.5 – 1% lysine hydrochloride to a diet containing fish meal alleviated the negative effect of gizzerosine on the performance of chicks.

Gizzerosine stimulates proventricular gland secretary cells to release excessive hydrochloric acid. Gizzard lesions result from the runway digestive effects of hyperacidity. Opportunistic bacteria may subsequently colonise the nutrient rich biodetrius.

From my experience in this field , I believe that the using high levels of fish meal especially that have high amount of minerals in it's composition. 

Thanks

1. Mycotoxins like T-2 toxin and diacetoxyscirpenol causes erosin because of their caustic effect when touching organ wall

2.Overdosing of Copper (more than 250g/MT) may cause Gizzard erosion

3. Biogenic amines like histamine stimulates the receptors present in proventricular glands increasing the HCl secretion causing superficial gizzard erosion.

4. Inclusion of overprocessed Fish meal may cause gizzard erosion. Due to overheating lysine is converted to gizzerosine which is 10 times as potent as histamine in stimulating acid production by proventriculus.PH inside gizzard becomes lower and it turns black due to excessive bleeding.

5.Some times viral infections like avian pox virus, avian influenza virus and ND causes haemorrhages in gizzard mucous membrane leading to erosion.

6. Fungal infections by Aspergillus and Fusarium of highly contaminated feed origin also cause gizzard erosion.

7. Bacterial infections by Clostridium sp. also cause dark necrosis in gizzard.

Dear Joline,

On corn-soybean meal the most frequent cause under my experience is soybean meal quality: mainly underheated soybean meal. However, overheated soybean meal has also shown to induce gizzard erosion.

Regards 

There are some causes of gizzard erosion:

1. Mycotoxins in feed

2. Unbalanced feed: Deficiency of Vit E & Selenium (usually seen at 2-3 weeks age), Excess of sodium chloride or other minerals

3. Bad quality of drinking water (High TDS or any other)

1. Presence of mycotxins like T-2 toxin and diacetoxyscirpenol in feed

2. Bacterial infection bu Clostridium colinum and perfringens

3.Fungal infection by Apergillus and Fusarium

4. Viral infection viz.,I.B., Avian pox, Avian influenza and ND

5. Nutritional causes like

i.Presence of biogenic amines in animal-by-products fed to the bird

ii.Feeding of overprocesses fish meal containing gizzerosine

iii.Excess copper in feed>250 ppm

Fish meal in baby chicks may related to erosions , and may be interaction between mycotoxin and gizzerosine is anther factor, and is not likely tobe caused by cl. colinum or perfringens or av.pox  according to age (7 days)