Davis GS, Siopes TD. Relationship between plasma corticosterone levels and poult mortality and the effects of feeding corticosterone on poult performance.
Poult Sci 1989;
68:880-4. [PMID:
2780477 DOI:
10.3382/ps.0680880]
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Abstract
The study examined the relationship between plasma corticosterone (CS) levels and early mortality in Large White tom turkey poults. Trial 1 was conducted to compare the plasma CS levels of 3-day-old poults that subsequently lived or died during the first 2 wk posthatch. Blood samples were obtained from 100 poults at 3 days of age. By 2 wk of age 9% mortality had occurred. Plasma CS of poults that lived (7.1 ng/mL) was significantly greater (P less than .05) than in poults that died (3.2 ng/mL) between 3 and 14 days of age. A second trial was conducted to test the effects of feed-induced elevation of plasma CS on poult performance under stressful conditions. This trial consisted of three treatment groups: 1) control (C), poults placed immediately after removal from the hatcher with feed and water; 2) control-held (CH), poults held without feed and water at 28.9 C for 3 days posthatch; and 3) 40 mg CS/kg feed-held (40H), poults held without feed and water at 28.9 C for 3 days posthatch then fed 40 mg CS/kg feed. Mortality was monitored daily and body weights, feed consumption, and plasma CS levels were measured at 1 and 2 wk of age. The only performance parameter that was significantly affected was body weight; a significant reduction occurred at 2 wk of age in poults given the 40H treatment. It was concluded that poult death is associated with low plasma CS levels, but diet-induced increases in plasma CS did not significantly improve livability following a stressful condition.
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