Regulation of calcium appetite in broiler chickens

The regulation of the appetite for calcium was studied in broiler chickens which had been trained to meet their calcium requirement by consuming a calcium supplement (10% Ca) provided separately from a calcium-deficient feed (0.12% Ca). Calcium supplement intake was reduced within 150 minutes after intravenous injection of 60 U/kg parathyroid hormone or continuous infusion of 0.077 mg/minute calcium into one common carotid artery. Supplement consumption was also depressed during the first 8 days of continuous infusion of 1 U/kg/hour parathyroid hormone; after 8 days the birds became refractory. Continuous infusion of 0.2 Medical Research Council (MRC) units/kg salmon calcitonin for 10 days or daily intramuscular injections of 1 mg/kg testosterone propionate and 2 mg/kg estradiol dipropionate for 12 days, either alone or in combination, had no effect on calcium appetite. It is concluded that the calcium appetite may be inhibited by increased concentrations of ionic calcium in blood and that the change in behavior is sufficiently rapid to play a role in the calcium homeostasis of birds.