Glycogen metabolism in the turkey embryo and poult

Fertile eggs from Large White turkey hens were classified according to weight at time of incubation. Glycogen was measured in the 21-day-old embryo and one-day-old poult. Liver glycogen was positively correlated with initial egg weight in the 21-day-old embryo and negatively related to initial egg weight in the one-day-old poult. Glycogen recycling was evident in the one-day-old poult. Maximum accumulation of 14C-glucose as glycogen occurred 60 min post injection. Liver phosphorylase a level was higher in the one-day-old poult than the embryo. Total phosphorylase per gram of liver tissue was not different between the two age groups. Liver phosphorylase b was subject to conversion to phosphorylase a in both age groups. Avian phosphorylase exists in both the active and inactive form.