Responses of thyroid hormones of market-size broilers to thermoneutral constant and warm cyclic temperatures.
This study characterizes the responses, particularly diurnal variations, of thyroid hormones (TH) [3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and T3:T4 ratio (T3/T4)] of Arbor Acres broilers to constant thermoneutral (TN) or warm cyclic (WC) temperatures. There existed distinct circadian variations--2 peaks in TH under the TN and WC conditions. The 2 peaks of T3, T4, and T3/T4 of the broilers occurred, respectively, at 0 and 16 h, 8 and 16 h, and 0 and 12 h under the TN condition; but at 0 and 12 h, 0 and 8 h, and 4 and 12 h under the WC conditions. During a 5-d heat exposure (HE) to the WC regimens, T3 and T4 showed continual decrease. The daily mean of T3 declined significantly (P < 0.05) on the first day of HE, whereas significant decrease of T4 (P < 0.05) occurred on the second day of HE. There was no significant change in daily mean of T3/T4 during the same HE period. Hence, results of the study indicate that T3 provides a better heat stress indicator than T4. The nature of circadian variations in TH makes it necessary to collect blood samples more than once a day, e.g., 6 times at 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 h, to ensure full evaluation of hormonal responses of market-size broilers undergoing thermal challenges.
Tao
X
X
Institute of Agricultural Environment & Sustainable Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 2 Yuan Ming Yuan West Road, Beijing 100094, China. taoxp@cjac.org.cn
Zhang
Z Y
ZY
Dong
H
H
Zhang
H
H
Xin
H
H
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D013696:Temperature; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013974:Thyroxine