title: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biopathologic Science and Hygiene of Food and Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Franciosini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bietta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moscati
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Battistacci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pela
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tacconi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Casagrande Proietti
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology; D009113:Muramidase / Q000097:blood*; D014422:Turkeys / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D003165:Complement System Proteins; D009113:Muramidase