Open Collections

The effects of nutritional factors on behavior and plasma corticosterone concentration in the white leghorn chicken

University of British Columbia

The effects of various dietary treatments on metabolic responses related to adrenal functions have been studied in growing white leghorn chickens. Birds fed a diet containing 20.9% of protein and deficient in lysine (.51%) showed higher plasma c0rticoster0ne concentrations, increased adrenal size, and increased oxygen consumption compared with birds fed a diet of similar protein content and adequate in lysine (1.11%). Birds fed the lysine-deficient diet showed more exploratory behaviour when placed on a grid than did the birds fed the diet supplemented with lysine. They took a longer time, however, to locate feed in a maze. Thiouracil with hypervitaminosis e, administered to birds through the diet, increased the concentration of corticosterone in the plasma. Hypervitaminosis e did not affect the concentration of corticosterone in the plasma. The concentration of c0rticoster0ne was similar in the plasma of chicks reared at 13 and 24°c.

Text

2010-01-20

For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/18708

Animal Science

University of British Columbia

Graduate