Feather corticosterone evaluated by ELISA in broilers: a potential tool to evaluate broiler welfare

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Avian Physiology
• Stress Physiology

Background:

• Feather corticosterone (CORT) is a validated measure of chronic glucocorticoid secretion in birds.
• Assessing animal welfare in food production requires objective evaluation tools.
• Broiler welfare is a growing public concern, necessitating improved assessment methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if corticosterone can be detected in broiler feathers.
• To evaluate the utility of feather CORT as a measure of broiler welfare.
• To validate the use of ELISA for detecting CORT in broiler feathers.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-two broilers were randomly selected from an intensive farm.
• Feathers were collected, and associated data (sex, weight, feather status) were recorded.
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect and quantify CORT in feathers, with assay validation performed.

Main Results:

• The study successfully detected corticosterone in broiler feathers using ELISA.
• No significant correlations were found between feather CORT levels and broiler sex, weight, or feather fault bars.
• This is the first study to use broiler feathers for retrospective assessment of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity.

Conclusions:

• ELISA is a valid method for detecting feather corticosterone levels in broilers.
• Feather CORT analysis offers a potential new tool for monitoring broiler welfare and stress.
• Further research may explore the relationship between feather CORT and specific welfare indicators in broilers.