The relationship of certain blood parameters to aflatoxin resistance in Japanese quail

Blood chemistry profiles were obtained for two lines of Japanese quail selected for resistance to aflatoxin, and for a nonselected control line. Nine of the 18 plasma components measured in samples taken at 4 weeks of age changed as a result of selection. Plasma concentrations of total protein, albumin, cholesterol, and potassium, and the activities of lactic dehydrogenase, glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase, and cholinesterase were significantly elevated in aflatoxin-resistant quail compared with the nonselected line. The activities of beta-glucuronidase and alpha-amylase changed most dramatically; both activities were much lower in the resistant lines than in the control line. In another experiment, serum total protein, albumin, alpha-amylase, and beta-glucuronidase were tested as identifiers of aflatoxin-resistant individuals within a nonselected population of quail. Serum samples obtained from 150 nonselected quail immediately before and 24 hr after administration of an oral dose of aflatoxin were analyzed for each of the four components. The acute toxicosis decreased body weight, serum alpha-amylase activity, total protein, and albumin; whereas, serum beta-glucuronidase activity and the coefficients of variation for each parameter were increased. Correlations between measurements made prior to dosing and parameters reflecting aflatoxin susceptibility were not significant. However, postdose determinations of albumin, protein, and beta-glucuronidase were significantly related to susceptibility parameters. These data indicate that the four blood components tested cannot be utilized to identify resistant birds within a nonselected population of quail without an aflatoxin challenge; but albumin, protein, and beta-glucuronidase are correlated with resistance when measured during an aflatoxin stress.