Related Experiment Videos
Changes in serum lipid, lipoprotein and corticosterone concentrations during neonatal chick development
M A Latour1, E D Peebles, C R Boyle
1Poultry Science Department, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA.
Insights
Early broiler chick serum profiles show significant fluctuations in glucose, triglycerides, corticosterone (CORT), cholesterol (CHOL), and lipoproteins (HDL, LDL) within the first five days of life.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Biochemistry
- Poultry Physiology
Background:
- Newly hatched broiler chicks undergo rapid physiological changes.
- Understanding early metabolic and endocrine responses is crucial for optimizing growth and health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the daily changes in serum biochemical parameters in broiler chicks during the first nine days of life.
- To identify critical periods of metabolic and endocrine adjustment.
Main Methods:
- Broiler chicks were fed a standard starter diet from hatch (day 0) to day 9.
- Daily measurements of body weight and serum concentrations of glucose (GLU), triglycerides (TRI), corticosterone (CORT), cholesterol (CHOL), HDL, and LDL were performed.
Main Results:
- Serum GLU and TRI peaked around days 3-4, while CHOL, HDL, and LDL decreased sharply by day 1 and continued to decline until day 5.
- Corticosterone (CORT) showed an initial peak on day 1, followed by a decrease, and then a secondary rise on day 5, remaining elevated thereafter.
- Significant fluctuations in all measured serum constituents were observed between days 1 and 5, with minimal changes from days 6 to 9.
Conclusions:
- The first five days post-hatch represent a critical window of significant physiological adaptation in broiler chicks.
- Serum profiles of key metabolic and stress markers are highly dynamic during early development.
- These findings provide baseline data for understanding nutritional and environmental impacts on broiler chick physiology.
Abstract:
Broiler chicks were given a standard commercial starter diet from day 0 (day of hatch) to 9 days of age. Body weight and concentrations of the following serum constituents were measured daily: glucose (GLU), triglycerides (TRI), corticosterone (CORT), cholesterol (CHOL), and high (HDL) and low (LDL) density lipoproteins. Serum GLU and TRI increased at each sampling day to reach a peak on days 3 and 4, respectively, and then decreased thereafter. However, CHOL, HDL, and LDL decreased sharply by day 1 and then gradually decreased to day 5. Conversely, CORT peaked on day 1 and then decreased to day 4. It peaked again on day 5 and remained at that level throughout the remainder of the experiment. In summary, serum concentrations of all constituents measured fluctuated drastically between 1 and 5 days of age, with few changes occurring between days 6 and 9.