Influence of different rearing systems on natural immune parameters in broiler turkeys

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine serological values of lysozyme, hemolytic complement levels (alternative pathway), and bactericidal activity of serum in turkeys kept in different rearing systems (industrial, backyard, and experimental). Results showed that the values for serum bactericidal activity and hemolytic complement levels increased with age, and their values were higher in experimental and in industrial turkeys than in turkeys reared in backyard. Lysozyme concentration showed a similar pattern; its value was higher in the industrial and experimental groups than in the backyard group. Data obtained suggest that rearing system can have an influence on the natural immune parameters considered; experimental and industrial groups showed a similar trend, differentiated from that observed in the backyard group. In the backyard group, the values observed may suggest that hybrid turkeys, selected for high production, have difficulty with being reared outside where predators (foxes and weasels) and weather conditions could be responsible for a stress situation.

Adaptation to organic rearing system of eight different chicken genotypes: behaviour, welfare and performance

“…Such trend agrees with Franciosini et al (2011) which found a much lower lysozyme value in backyard turkey.…”

“…The immune system reflects the capability to react against external stress (Broom 2006). It is difficult to establish the best immune profile but we could hypothesise that fast-growing animals, genetically selected for high production, have difficulty in adapting to the organic system (Bayyari et al 1997;Franciosini et al 2011). Our results showed that HCA were higher in slow-growing birds, intermediate in medium-and lower fast-growing birds and in CL.…”

An OMV-Based Nanovaccine Confers Safety and Protection against Pathogenic Escherichia coli via Both Humoral and Predominantly Th1 Immune Responses in Poultry

“…Lysozyme plays an essential role in the host's innate immune system against bacterial challenge by cleaving cell wall peptidoglycan [53]. The complement molecule is an important innate immune component that can initiate innate responses and modulate adaptive immune responses [54]. Respiratory burst is an oxygen-dependent mechanism by which neutrophils kill invading pathogens [55].…”

Chicken Adaptability in Alternative Systems Adaptive Response of Chicken Strains to the Organic and Free Range Rearing Systems

“…Regarding the immune response, it should be pointed out that generally extensive rearing systems require adequate level of immune response due to the high environmental pressure. Many Authors in different species found that the more selected breeds show a lower immune response [26][27][28]. The activation of the immune system is energetically expensive, thus, FG birds, which are genetically selected for high production, would be less capable of coping with environmental stress.…”