Adrenal cortical response of tom poults

In each of two trials, plasma corticosterone (B) was measured in Large White turkey tom poults after the following treatments were applied: 1) .9% saline injected; 2) cold water immersion, and 3) adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) injected (10 IU/kg body weight). Poults were treated at 3- to 4-day intervals from the day of hatching to 21 days of age. Plasma samples were obtained at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 hr posttreatment. In both trials, there was a depression in B levels within the first 3 hr following ACTH or cold water immersion treatment. Significant increases in plasma B levels of the cold water treatment occurred at 4 hr posttreatment in Trial 1 in 7-day-old poults and in Trial 2 in 21-day-old poults. A significant adrenal cortical response to ACTH injection was observed in 3- and 7-day-old poults at 6 hrs posttreatment in Trial 2. Plasma B concentrations were also measured in three groups of nontreated Large White tom poults on the day of hatching at a commercial hatchery. Plasma samples were obtained from poults in incubators at 1000 hr, immediately following commercial processing procedures at 1030 hr, and at poult placement at 1330 hr. Plasma B levels of poults sampled in the incubator and after processing were similar. However, B levels of poults sampled at placement were increased significantly above the other two groups.