Response of Chickens with Genetically Different Hemoglobin Types to Infection with Eimeria tenella and Mechanical Bleeding

Abstract

The hematological and body-weight responses of chickens with mutant and normal hemoglobin types were compared under conditions of hematopoietic stress from coccidiosis infection as well as blood loss from mechanical bleeding. A dose of 100,000 Eimeria tenella oocysts caused a highly significant decrease (about 30%) in the packed cell volume, resulting in a severe anemia in all hemoglobin types. Hematological response to the anemia produced by the coccidiosis was similar for all three hemoglobin types. Although body weights and gain of all hemoglobin types infected with coccidiosis were significantly depressed, there was no differential response between the mutant and normal hemoglobin types. Mechanical bleeding resulted in a hypochromic normocytic anemia in all hemoglobin types. Ability to compenstate for blood loss was similar for the mutant and normal hemoglobin types.