Influence of different rearing systems on natural immune parameters in broiler turkeys

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 ac...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Poultry science 2011-07, Vol.90 (7), p.1462-1466
Main Authors: Franciosini, M.P, Bietta, A, Moscati, L, Battistacci, L, Pela, M, Tacconi, G, Davidson, I, Casagrande Proietti, P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal Husbandry - methods
Animals
antibacterial properties
complement
Complement System Proteins - immunology
Female
foxes
Immunity, Innate - immunology
lysozyme
Muramidase - blood
Mustela
predators
rearing
turkeys
Turkeys - blood
Turkeys - immunology
weather
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Summary: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.
ISSN:0032-5791
1525-3171
DOI:10.3382/ps.2010-01068