Effect of transportation and shackling on plasma concentrations of corticosterone and heterophil to lymphocyte ratios in market weight male turkeys in a commercial operation.

There is limited information on the effects of stress and/or physiological manipulation on either plasma concentrations of corticosterone (CORT) and/or heterophil: lymphocyte (H : L) ratios in turkeys. The present studies examine the effects of catching/transportation/lairage in a holding shed and shackling on plasma concentrations of CORT and H : L ratios in male market weight turkeys. Plasma concentrations of CORT were increased after transportation and lairage but not further elevated by shackling, irrespective of its duration up to 240 s. In one study, there were increased H : L ratios following catching/placing birds into transportation cages/transportation/lairage. In one study, H : L ratios declined following shackling. It is concluded that while moving turkeys from the farm to immediately before the shackling line is stressful, shackling for up to 4 min was not perceived as more stressful in turkeys. There were also differences between farms/houses for both plasma concentrations of CORT and H : L ratios.

Effects of putative stressors and adrenocorticotropic hormone on plasma concentrations of corticosterone in market-weight male turkeys.

There is limited information on the effects of stress and/or physiological manipulation on plasma concentrations of corticosterone (CORT) in turkeys. Under basal conditions, there was evidence for episodic release of CORT in turkeys. The present studies determine the effects of handling, herding, herding, the administration of Escherichia coli endotoxin, and challenge with turkey adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) on plasma concentrations of CORT in market-weight male turkeys. Plasma concentrations of CORT were increased after challenge with turkey ACTH, handling together with saline injection or herding (moving birds from one pen to another). There were no effects on plasma concentrations of CORT of the following putative stressors: handling per se, endotoxin challenge, or of placing in an inverted position on simulated shackles.