The effect of reduced dietary protein on the anterior latissimus dorsi muscle fibers in the Single Comb White Leghorn pullet.
Twenty-four female Single Comb White Leghorn pullets were used to investigate the effect of two levels of dietary protein on fiber number and size of the anterior latissimus dorsi muscle (ALD). The pullets were randomly assigned to a control group of 18% dietary protein or an experimental group of 14% dietary protein at 1 day of age. They were maintained on these diets until 4 weeks of age, at which time they were sacrificed by cervical dislocation. The ALD muscle was removed and analyzed for fiber number, fiber dry weight, and fiber dry weight to muscle wet weight ratio. Muscle fiber number was determined by a direct count of all the fibers following nitric acid digestion. After counting, the muscle fibers were dried to a constant weight for determination of mean fiber dry weight and fiber dry weight to muscle wet weight ratio. Muscle weight of the control group was 39.8% greater than that of the experimental group. Fiber number was not different between control and experimental groups; whereas mean fiber dry weight was 59.6% greater in the control group (P less than .05). Fiber dry weight to muscle wet weight ratio was 7.3% greater in the control group (P less than .05). The data indicate that when growth of the ALD muscle is restricted by low dietary protein content, there is a reduced growth of the individual muscle fibers with no alteration in their number.
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D009132:Muscles / Q000166:cytology*; D009929:Organ Size
D004044:Dietary Proteins