Effect of exercise on aortic atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular variables among hyper- and hypotensive turkeys

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of physical training on the turkey cardiovascular system. Sexually mature (Experiment 1) and immature (Experiment 2) Large White turkeys were used. Equal numbers of genetically hypertensive and hypotensive birds were used in each experiment. In each experimental group, birds were randomly divided into exercise and control treatments. Assessments were made with regard to training effects and differences associated with genetic blood pressure strain. Exercise had no significant effect on the severity of atherosclerosis or serum lipid levels in either experiment. Significantly greater hematocrits were recorded among birds exercised in Experiment 1; however, hemoglobin concentration did not follow this trend. Exercise was also associated with increased cardiac dimensions (Experiment 1) and increased body weight (Experiment 2). Genetic hypertension was associated with accelerated atherogenesis and higher serum cholesterol levels in immature birds, and in mature birds cardiac enlargement was associated with hypertension. Differences in behavior response to exercise were observed between the two experiments. Sexually mature hypertensive turkeys showed less endurance to the walking regimen than the hypotensive turkeys, but no such differences were observed in immature hypertensive or hypotensive birds.