Partitioning turkey blood plasma and egg yolk lipoproteins using agarose gel

Divergent selection for egg production in Coturnix coturnix japonica

From a randombred control population of Coturnix coturnix japonica, strains were divergently selected for high (HE) and low (LE) 120-day egg production based on individual egg records. Based on five generations of selection, realized heritabilities for HE and LE were .063 +/- .055 and .353 +/- .020, respectively. The total change in number of eggs was 3 and -19, respectively, in HE and LE. Mortality to 4 weeks of age, 4-week body weight, egg weight, total plasma phosphorus (yolk precursor), liver weight, and number and weight of ovarian follicles in rapid development in the ovary did not change significantly in HE and LE. Mature body weight increased in LE with no consistent change in HE. Significant changes in the component parts of the egg occurred in HE and LE. Shell weight increased in HE with no change in LE while the reverse was true for yolk weight. Percent albumin decreased in both selected strains.

Changes in plasma calcium, phosphorus, lipids, and estrogens in turkey hens with reproductive state

Plasma calcium increased during the two weeks prior to first egg. The increase was in the protein bound (CaB) but not the ultrafilterable (CaU) fraction. Plasma neutral lipids (NL) and low density lipoprotein fraction (LDF, d < 1.006) increased similarly to CaB. Free fatty acids (FFA) had a transitory increase at first egg but then returned to levels not different from those when the hens were immature or in a reproductive pause. Plasma total phosphorus (Pt) increased similarly to CaB. This increase was associated with the protein (Pp) and lipid (Pl) phosphorus fractions. No change was noted for inorganic (Pi) phosphorus. Total plasma estrogen (Et), as estimated with radioimmunoassay utilizing an estriol antiserum, increaed similarly to CaB. Most of the increase was in an unidentified estrogen (Eu) fraction, but a sustained increase was also noted in the estrone (El) fraction. Estradiol (E2) levels did not differ with reproductive period. Simple correlations were calculated between all factors within the stimulatory and laying periods. In general, all correlations except those with diffusible calcium (CaD), FFA, and E2 were positive, relatively high (> .6) and significant (P < .01). The correlations tended to be greater in the stimulatory period than in the laying period. Partial correlations of the three estrogens with the other factors were calculated for the stimulatory and laying periods. The partial correlations of Eu were significant for all factors except CaD during the stimulatory period, but only with FFA, Pp and Pi in the laying period. The partial correlation of El with LDF was significant in the stimulatory period, and for LDF, NL, and Pi in the laying period. Partial correlations of E2 within the stimulatory period were not significant, but in the laying period a significant partial correlation with NL was noted.

The turnover rate of lipoprotein of d less than 1.006 from plasma of laying turkey hens

The turnover rate of plasma "lower density fraction" (LDF, d less than 1.006) lipoprotein was determined in two laying turkey hens. LDF was labeled by injecting 1-14C-palmitate which was incorporated into the triglyceride (TG) of circulating LDF. The turnover rates were determined from concentration and half life (t1/2) of the ultracentrifugally-isolated LDF. These values were 22 mu equiv. of TG fatty acid (TGFA) per ml. plasma and 431 min. The turnover rate of LDF was 17.57 mili equiv. TGFA/day or 5.0 g. of TGFA/day as sterate. It was estimated that 3.2 g. of LDF-TGFA/day were removed as egg yolk.