Chicken lines divergently selected on feather pecking differ in immune characteristics

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Immunology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Feather pecking (FP) in chickens negatively impacts animal welfare and productivity.
• Understanding the relationship between immune characteristics and FP is crucial for production animals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize immune differences between high FP (HFP) and low FP (LFP) chicken lines.
• To investigate the association between immune system components and feather pecking behavior.

Main Methods:

• Divergent selection lines (HFP and LFP) were used for comparison.
• Measurements included nitric oxide (NO) production by monocytes, specific antibody (SpAb) titers, natural (auto)antibody (N(A)Ab) titers, and immune cell subsets.

Main Results:

• Divergent selection on FP affected NO production, SpAb, and N(A)Ab titers, but not immune cell subsets.
• The HFP line displayed higher NO production and IgG N(A)Ab titers compared to the LFP line.
• The HFP line also showed higher IgM and IgG SpAb titers, and a tendency for lower IgM N(A)Ab titers.

Conclusions:

• Divergent selection for FP impacts both innate and adaptive immune systems in chickens.
• The HFP line appears to possess a more responsive immune system than the LFP line.
• Relationships between the immune system and FP exist, necessitating consideration in selection strategies for behavioral or immunological traits.