Electrophoretic Plasma Protein Reference Intervals for Backyard Chickens From Northern Colorado

The number of backyard chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) flocks in the US in urban and suburban areas has continued to increase over the past three decades. These flocks are often raised as both production animals and as pets. Electrophoretic evaluation of plasma proteins has been held as the reference standard for protein evaluation. Reference intervals (RIs) for plasma protein electrophoresis (PPE) in chickens in northern Colorado are not readily available but could aid diagnostic evaluations.

We aimed to generate RIs for PPE in adult non-molting backyard chicken flocks in northern Colorado.

Plasma from 120 healthy adult chickens in 7 flocks located in northern Colorado was used. Electrophoretic evaluation was completed using a biuret total protein assay and agarose gel electrophoresis, with proteins fractionated into 6 parts. RIs for PPE fractions were generated, and partitioning by sex was performed according to ASVCP guidelines.

RIs were generated for all birds and after partitioning by sex. For all birds, agarose gel electrophoretic RIs were: A:G 0.24-1.20, albumin 1.33-2.91 g/dL, alpha-1 globulin 0.13-0.47 g/dL, alpha-2 globulin 0.33-0.91 g/dL, beta-1 globulin 0.24-1.50 g/dL, beta-2 globulin 0.33-1.79 g/dL, and gamma globulin 0.26-0.82 g/dL. A statistical difference, p < 0.05, was noted between hens and roosters for all electrophoretic fractions except total alpha globulin, beta-2 globulin, and A:G, and partitioning was warranted based on the method recommended by Lahti; the data were partitioned by sex, and RIs were generated.

RIs are available for PPE in backyard chickens in northern Colorado.