Abstract
The effects of water and feed fasting for 24, 48 and 72 hours post-hatching on blood parameters (mean corpuscular volume, MCV; red blood-cell, RBC; hematocrit, HCT; hemoglobin, HGB; plasma glucose, CGP; plasma total protein, PP, and differential leukocytes count), and on body, liver, spleen, bursa, and yolk sac weights were analyzed. Erythrogram data were obtained with a blood cell counter. Total plasma protein and plasma glucose were determined by using the Bradford method (1976) and a glucose PAP liquiform kit (Labtest, cat. n. 84), respectively. Specific leukocyte counts were carried out on blood smears stained with Rosenfeld solution. According to the obtained data, water and feed post-hatching fasting reduced MCV values, which also were lower in males than that in females. Fasting for 48 hours promoted an increase in PP, while fasting for 72 hours reduced HCT. Chicks submitted to fasting presented lower body weights as compared to fed chicks, but their liver weight did not increase between 48 and 72 hours of age. Fasting decreased spleen weight, but bursa and yolk sac weight were not affected. Data showed that female and male chicks react in a similar way to post-hatching fasting, which affects body weight, liver and spleen weight, and HCT and PP values. Moreover, 72 hours of fasting affected more intensely HCT and MCV values.
Highlights
The first post-hatching week is an essential period for broiler development and corresponds to approximately 17% of its growth period before slaughter (Lilburn, 1998)
Blood samples were collected from wing vein, placed in plastic vials containing EDTA (15μl/ml blood), and put on ice, and submitted to the lab in order to determine hematocrit, red blood cell count, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, white blood cells count, and plasma glucose and protein
Body weight was higher in females than in males, in 72-hourold chicks than in 48-hour-old chicks, and in chicks that received water and feed than in fasted chicks (Table 1)
Summary
The first post-hatching week is an essential period for broiler development and corresponds to approximately 17% of its growth period before slaughter (Lilburn, 1998). During this period, most of the energy and proteins (amino acids) are utilized for the development and morphological and functional maturation of the organic systems, especially of the mid-gut, and overall body growth of the young chicks (Maiorka, 2002). It is important that, at placement, young chicks do not present changes in the hematological profile that can affect the quality of their immune reaction to new intestinal microbiota or make them susceptible to enteric diseases. The effects of post-hatching water and feed fasting on blood parameters and body, spleen, liver, and yolk sac weights of the male and female chicks were analyzed
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