Comb growth during sexual maturation in female broiler breeders

Journal of Applied Poultry Research

Volumn 12, Issue 1, 2003, Pages 7-13

  Joseph, N S ^a   Robinson, F E ^a   Renema, R A ^a   Thorsteinson, K A ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA   (Canada)

Author keywords

Broiler breeder; Comb growth; Estradiol 17 ; Image analysis; Sexual maturation

Indexed keywords

ANIMALIA; AVES; GALLUS GALLUS;

EID: 0037354838     PISSN: 10566171     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/japr/12.1.7     Document Type: Article

References (25)

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2. Itoh, H., T. Kono, T. Kuwayama, and K. Ichinoe. 1988. The relationship between plasma concentrations of progesterone, estradiol and testosterone and the ages of first egg laying in maturing pullets. Jpn. Poult. Sci. 25:86-92.
3. Wilson, S. C., and P. J. Sharp. 1975. Effects of progesterone and synthetic luteinizing hormone releasing hormone on the release of luteinizing hormone during sexual maturation in the hen (Gallus domesticus). J. Endocr. 67:359-369.
4. Eitan, Y., M. Soller, and I. Rozenboim. 1998. Comb size and estrogen levels toward the onset of lay in broiler and layer strain females under ad libitum and restricted feeding. Poult. Sci. 77:1593-1600.
5. Sharp, P. J. 1975. A comparison of variations in plasma luteinizing hormone concentrations in male and female domestic chickens (Galls domesticus) from hatch to sexual maturity. J. Endocr. 67:211-223.
6. Robinson, F. E., N. A. Robinson, B. V. Turner, B. Kerrigan, and J. J. R. Feddes. 1996. Breast muscle development in broilers as affected by strain, sex and age at processing. Poult. Sci. 75(Suppl. 1):56.
7. Robinson, F. E., N. A. Robinson, B. V. Turner, B. Kerrigan, and J. J. R. Feddes. 1996. Breast muscle weight, area and thickness in four strain crosses of commercial broilers. Poult. Sci. 75(Suppl. 1):57. (Abstr.)
8. McGovern, R. H., J. J. R. Feddes, and F. E. Robinson. 1999. Image analysis of right ventricular areas to assess the severity of ascites in broiler chickens. Poult. Sci. 78:62-65.
9. Joseph, N. S., N. A. Robinson, R. A. Renema, and F. E. Robinson. 1999. Shell quality and color variation in broiler breeder eggs. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 8:70-74.
10. Yu, M. W., F. E. Robinson, R. G. Charles, and R. Weingardt. 1992. Effect of feed allowance during rearing and breeding on female broiler breeders. 2. Ovarian morphology and production. Poult. Sci. 71:1750-1761.
11. Robinson, F. E., R. A. Renema, J. J. R. Feddes, M. J. Zuidhof, and J. L. Wilson. 1998. Sexual maturation in broiler breeder pullets as influenced by strain. 20-week body weight and feed allocation. Poult. Sci. 77(Suppl. 1):65. (Abstr.)
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14. Northern Exposure, Empix Imaging Inc., Mississauga, ON, Canada.
15. Plasma Hormone Analysis. Plasma estradiol-17β concentrations was determined by RIA [16] using duplicate 200-μL samples in a single assay. The intra-assay coefficient of variation was 5.2%. Assay parallelism was determined by measuring estradiol-17β concentration in various plasma volumes as described previously [17]. Assay sensitivity was 2.6 pg/mL. As stated by the manufacturer [16], the antiserum was highly specific to estradiol, with relatively low cross-reactivity to other naturally occurring steroids.
16. Coat-A-Count Estradiol. Kit number TKE25, Diagnostic Products Corp., Los Angeles, CA.
17. Renema, R. A., F. E. Robinson, J. A. Proudman, M. Newcombe, and R. I. McKay. 1999. Effects of body weight and feed allocation during sexual maturation in broiler breeder hens. 2. Ovarian morphology and plasma hormone profiles. Poult. Sci. 78:629-639.
18. Statistical Analysis. Pullets were assigned to a feeding regimen and a cage in a completely randomized design. Data were evaluated by one-way analysis of variance with feed treatment as the main effect using the general linear models procedure of SAS software [19]. Differences between means were evaluated using the PDIFF option of the LSMEANS statement of the SAS software [19]. The error variation for feed treatment was the variation between birds. Two pullets in the AL treatment were removed from the data set due to accidental death. Therefore, the standard error of the mean (SEM) was determined by using the AL group, as it had the fewest birds. Pearson correlation coefficients [20] were determined for hormonal and comb development parameters by pooling the data from the AL and RF treatments. Correlations with age were determined in two different ways, using either chronological age or physiological age. Chronological age was the actual age of the bird. Because all of the birds were hatched on the same day, their chronological ages were the same. However, each bird developed and matured at a different rate; therefore, the age at sexual maturity differed chronologically. To account for different rates of development, physiological age was used. Physiological age was based on setting the day of first oviposition for each bird as Day 0 and working backward. For example, 1 wk before sexual maturity would be considered Day -7. Unless otherwise stated, all statements of significance were based on testing at the P < 0.05 level.
19. SAS Institute Inc. 1994. The SAS System for Windows 3.11 Release 6.10. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC
20. Steele, R. D. G., J. H. Torrie, and D. A. Dickey. 1997. Principles and Procedures of Statistics: A Biometrical Approach. 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York.
21. Yu, M. W., F. E. Robinson, and A. R. Robblee. 1992. Effect of feed allowance during rearing and breeding on female broiler breeders. 1. Growth and carcass characteristics. Poult. Sci. 71:1739-1749.
22. Katanbaf, M. N., E. A. Dunnington, and P. B. Siegel. 1989. Restricted feeding in early and late-feathering chickens. 2. Reproductive responses. Poult. Sci. 68:352-358.
23. Renema, R. A., F. E. Robinson, M. Newcombe, and R. I. McKay. 1999. Effects of body weight and feed allocation during sexual maturation in broiler breeder hens. I. Growth and carcass characteristics. Poult. Sci. 78:619-628.
24. Robinson, F. E., R. A. Renema, J. J. R. Feddes, M. J. Zuidhof, and J. L. Wilson. 1998. Sexual maturation in broiler breeder pullets as influenced by strain. 20-week body weight and feed allocation. Poult. Sci. 77(Suppl. 1):65. (Abstr.)
25. Etches, R. J. 1996. Growth and Sexual Maturation. Pages 96-97 in Reproduction in Poultry. R. J. Etches, ed. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.