Multiple Concurrent Stressors in Chicks.

Abstract

Effects of multiple concurrent stressors on female Hubbard x Hubbard chicks were studied in a 2(6)-factorial experiment that employed as stressor treatments aerial ammonia (A, 0 or 125 ppm), beak trimming [B, sham handled or beak trimmed/cauterized on trial Day 1 (posthatch Day 10)], coccidiosis (X, gavage with 0 or 6 x 10(5) sporulated Eimeria acervulina oocysts), intermittent electric shock (E, 0 or between 2.9 and 8.7 mA), environmental heat stress (H, air temperature 30.4 or 34.8 C), and continuous noise (N, 80 or 95 dB). Plasma corticosterone concentration on trial Day 7 was unaffected by any stressor or stressor combination, but the heterophil:lymphocyte ratio (H/L) was increased by A, E, and H. Also, the B x X interaction was significant for H/L. The H/L increased linearly from .53 to .86 as number of concurrent stressors increased from zero to six. These findings indicate that the chick's leukocyte changes in response to stress are less variable and more enduring than its corticosterone response, and H/L are sometimes a more reliable indicator of stress.

Effects of heat stress on some blood parameters and egg production of Shika Brown layer chickens transported by road

“…The high density in the crates makes it very difficult for the birds to dissipate their heat (Metheringham and Hubrecht, 1996). The increase in heterophils/ lymphocytes ratio due to heat stress is in agreement with studies of McFarlane and Curtis (1989), Huff et al (2005) and Minka and . The H/L ratio has been used as a reliable indicator of stress in birds (Altan et al, 2000), indicating that, in our study, birds from the control group were significantly stressed compared to treated groups.…”

Quail (Coturnixcoturnix japonica) welfare in two confinement systems

“…The differences between treatments in RBC, PCV and hemoglobin were not part of the working hypotheses and warrant further investigation. The H:L ratio increases as stress increases and life quality decreases, indicating decreasing welfare status (Gross and Siegel, 1983;McFarlane and Curtis, 1989;Cravener et al, 1992). H:L ratio results showed that quails kept in BC experimented a lower welfare degree when compared to EA.…”

“…Craig and Craig (1985) did not find significant differences in glucocorticoids when comparing confinement systems. Mcfarlane and Curtis (1989) considered leucocyte responses to stressful conditions as less variable than glucocorticoid responses. Additionally, Cunningham et al (1988) and Craig and Craig (1985) reported that glucocorticoid levels might not be useful for chronic stress measurement.…”

“…The five freedoms concept presents an option for on-farm animal welfare assessment, where an expanded interpretation might be employed (Molento, 2006), as well as immune system indicators (Gross and Siegel, 1993)and physiological parameters (Broom and Johnson, 1993). The objective of this work was to assess egg-laying quail welfare in two confinement systems,using behavioral and sanitary freedom, heterophil:lymphocyte ratio and glucocorticoid metabolites in droppingsas indicators.…”

Hematologic Responses in Captive White-Winged Doves (Zenaida Asiatica), Induced by Various Radiotransmitter Attachments

“…McFarlane et al (1989) and McFarlane and Curtis (1989) evaluated consequences of multiple concurrent stressors on young chickens by hematologic parameters; however, hematologic information for wild birds is limited. Lisano and Kennamer (1977) profiled eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) blood parameters in a descriptive study without induced treatment variables.…”