Effects of treadmill exercise on the distribution of blood flow between the hindlimb muscles and abdominal viscera of the laying fowl.
1. Blood flow distribution between the abdominal viscera and the leg muscles of regularly-laying Rhode Island Red hens was measured at rest and immediately following treadmill exercise, using the radioactive microsphere technique. 2. Exercise brought about a 150% increase in metabolic rate and this was maintained continuously for 90 min. 3. Although there was a small shift in blood flow distribution towards the hindlimb muscles at the expense of the kidneys and reproductive organs, this was not statistically significant. 4. There was a significant reduction in blood flow to the preovulatory follicles of the ovary during exercise, relative to the rest of the abdominal viscera. 5. It is concluded that exercise of this intensity is insufficient to bring about gross changes in blood flow distribution between the abdominal viscera and the hindlimb muscles. The implications of this finding are discussed in relation to the nutrient and blood flow requirements of the reproductive organs.
Brackenbury
J H
JH
Sub-Department of Veterinary Anatomy, University of Cambridge, England.
el-Sayed
M S
MS
Darby
C
C
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000098:blood supply; D006614:Hindlimb; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000098:blood supply; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply; D009132:Muscles / Q000098:blood supply*; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D013154:Spleen / Q000098:blood supply; D014781:Viscera / Q000098:blood supply*