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Effect of Various Hormone Preparations and Nutritional Stresses in Chicks
1340
S. L. BALLOUN, W. J. OWINGS, J. L. SELL AND R. E. PHILLIPS REFERENCES
Effect of Various Hormone Preparations and Nutritional Stresses in Chicks MARK H. CONNER1
Animal Husbandry Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland (Received for publication April 10, 1959)
T
HE physiological responses of chicks to stress or to the hormones of the pituitary-adrenal axis have not been thoroughly studied. These responses are different from those of mammals (Newcomer, 1957). Current interest in the effect of dietary limitations on the growth rate of chicks (Ackerson and Mussehl, 1956; Schneider, Bohren and Anderson, 1955) makes it important to know more about the responses evoked by feed and water restrictions. Therefore feed and water limitation or deprivation, and water deprivation in combination with hormone therapy, have been studied. In this presentation the experimental procedures of feed and/or water limitation or deprivation are considered to be 1
Present address: Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
stressful. The term "stress" is applied to the action of these procedures on the experimental animals, and the term "stress group" to any group of animals so treated. METHODS AND RESULTS Test 1. Crossbred (New Hampshire maleXBarred Plymouth Rock female) male chicks were injected In the breast muscle with various hormonal agents* both with and without the concurrent stress of water deprivation. Each test group was composed of ten chicks. The test period began when the birds were 35 days old and ended when they were 48 days old. All survivors were sacrificed, weighed, and autopsied. Thyroids, adre* Armour's HP-Acthar gel, 20 Armour veterinary u n i t s / c c ; Ciba's desoxycorticosterone acetate (DCA), 2.5 mg./ml. in corn oil; Merck's Cortone suspension in saline, 25 mg./ml.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
Atkinson, R. L., A. A. Kurnick, T. M. Ferguson, B. L. Reid, J. M. Quisenberry and J. R. Couch, 1957. Protein and energy levels for turkey starting diets. Poultry Sci. 36: 767-773. Balloun, S. L., and R. E. Phillips, 1957. Lysine and protein requirements of Bronze turkeys. Poultry Sci. 36: 884-891. Day, E. J., and J. E. Hill, 1957. The effect of calorieprotein ratio of the ration on growth and feed efficiency of turkeys. Poultry Sci. 36: 773-779. Donaldson, W. E., G. F. Combs and G. L. Romoser, 1958. Studies on energy levels in poultry rations: 3. Effect of calorie-protein ratio of the ration on growth, nutrient utilization and body composition of poults. Poultry Sci. 37: 614-619. Dunkelgod, K. E., and R. H. Thayer, 1957. Effect of dietary energy on the protein requirements of growing turkeys. Poultry Sci. 36: 1114-1115. Dymsza, H., R. V. Boucher and M. G. McCartney, 1955. The influence of fiber content and physical
form of the diet on the energy requirements of turkeys. 1. Studies of turkey poults. Poultry Sci. 34: 435-439. Ferguson, T. M., H. P . Vaught, L. D. Matterson, B. L. Reid and J. R. Couch, 1956. Growth of Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults fed a 26 percent protein diet with different levels of produtive energy. Poultry Sci. 35:1305-1308. Ferguson, T. M., H. P. Vaught, L. D. Matterson, B. L. Reid and J. R. Couch, 1957. The effect of different levels of productive energy, protein and methionine upon the growth of Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults. Poultry Sci. 36: 124-128. Fraps, G. S., 1946. Composition and productive energy of poultry feeds and rations. Texas Agr. Exp. Sta. Bulletin 678. Heady, E . O., S. L. Balloun and G. W. Dean, 1956. Least-cost rations and optimum marketing weights for turkeys. Iowa Agr. Exp. Sta. Res. Bulletin 443. Snedecor, G. W., 1946. Statistical Methods. 4th Ed. Iowa State College Press, Ames, Iowa.
1341
HORMONES AND STRESS IN CHICKS
TABLE 1.—Efect of hormone preparations, with and without water deprivation, on chick gland and body weights SurviTreatment No.* 10 10 10 10 10 5 8 6 6 3
828 808 795 631 782 289 286 296 301 357
Av. Adrenal
Av. Thyroid
mg.
mg.%
mg.
mg.%
mg.
mg.%
78.3 76.8 69.9 52.0 65.4 67.2 67.2 61.5 54.6 67.1
9.5 9.5 8.8 8.3 8.4 23.3 23.4 20.8 18.1 18.8
57.2 68.4 54.4 52.7 64.7 30.2 28.9 29.1 14.1 18.6
6.9 8.5 6.9 8.2 8.3 10.6 9.9 9.9 4.7 5.3
217.7 471.0 261.3 533.7 255.7 70.0 74.1 76.4 47.1 80.9
26.1 68.1 36.7 82.9 33.7 24.5 26.6 26.1 15.7 23.0
Av. Testes
* Each test group in each replication was composed of 10 chicks initially.
nals, and testes were dissected out and weighed. All procedures have been performed at least twice, with similar results. Typical results are summarized in Table 1. ACTH had no effect on the adrenals or thyroids of unstressed chicks, but caused marked testis enlargement. A similar response was noted after cortisone administration. DCA, alone or in combination with ACTH, was followed by some testis enlargement. Water deprivation caused marked adrenal enlargement. This response was not altered by the administration of ACTH, DCA, or cortisone. There was no change in thyroid or testis weights following water deprivation. Testis size was reduced when cortisone was administered along with water deprivation. Test 2. Sixty four-week-old crossbred (New Hampshire maleXBarred Plymouth Rock female) male chicks were divided into six equal groups and distributed in the compartments of a growing battery, with weighed amounts of feed and water available. Weighbacks were made daily for six days to determine the feed and water consumption. On the seventh day the chicks were placed on a regimen of restriction of feed and water consumption, according to the plan given in Table 2. This procedure was continued
for six days, at the end of which period all chicks were weighed, sacrificed, and autopsied. Thyroids, adrenals, and testes were dissected out and weighed. Immediately prior to sacrifice, cloacal temperatures were taken on each chick, with a clinical rectal thermometer. Cardiac blood samples were drawn for observation of the eosinophil concentration. The results are presented in Table 2. There was no mortality in this test. Growth inhibition was greatest with 25% feed, 100% water, and least with 100% feed, 50% water. Thyroid size was depressed by the more stringent restrictions on feed and water intake, while adrenal size was somewhat increased. Testis weight was markedly depressed by all procedures except 100% feed, 50% water. Cloacal temperature was depressed only by 25% feed, 100% water. A reduction in the number of circulating eosinophils was seen in all groups in which feed and/or water intake was less than 100%. The amount of reduction was not significant in the case of those birds receiving 50% feed, 100% water, or those receiving 100% feed, 50% water. DISCUSSION The testicular enlargement in chicks after DCA administration reported here
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
None ACTH, 14 units/chick DCA, 3.5 mg./chick Cortisone, 70 mg./chick ACTH+DCA No water No water+ACTH No water+DCA No water+Cortisone No water-f-ACTH+DCA
Survivors av. final body wt. (gm.)
1342
M. H.
CONNER
TABLE 2.—Response of chicks to dietary and water restrictions Av. thyroid
Av. adrenal
Av. testes
Treatment
Cloacal temp. Body wt. Eosinophils, change per cu. (gm-)* mm. initial final
mg.
mg.%
mg.
mg.%
2 5 % feed 100% water
11.8
3.7
42.7
13.5
64.7
19.6
-
81
448
106.6
105.5
50% feed 100% water
20.9
4.7
49.9
11.3
91.8
20.5
-
36
871
106.7
106.7
100% feed 2 5 % water
22.5
5.5
52.4
12.8
67.3
16.6
-
42
478
106.7
106.8
100% feed 50% water
24.8
4.8
59.1
11.5
164.8
32.5
+ 25
643
106.8
106.9
50% feed 50% water
17.0
3.8
51.3
11.5
84.3
18.7
-
53
423
107.3
106.1
100% feedf 100% water
31.4
5.4
63.7
11.2
227.6
43.0
+128
1,015
107.2
106.8
* Body weight at beginning of six-day restriction period compared with that at end. f Control group; feed and water given ad libitum.
should be compared with the edematous swelling reported by Boas (1958). However, in our experiments cortisone and ACTH both gave even greater enlargement of the testes than did DC A. Since no histological studies were made on the testes from our chicks, it is not possible to say with certainty whether any observed enlargement was the result of edema or true tissue development. The stress of water deprivation had no effect on testis size while causing marked adrenal enlargement. ACTH caused no adrenal enlargement in our chicks. Subsequent injection of 56 units of ACTH into unstressed chicks has given a similar negative response. This is at variance with the results of Bates, Riddle and Miller (1940) who used newly-hatched chicks, and Jailer and Boas (1950) who used nine-day-old chicks, but is in agreement with those of Dulin (1953) who used 39-day-old chicks. Apparently the chick adrenal becomes more resistant to stimulation by exogenous ACTH as the animal grows older. Dulin (1953) observed no significant ef-
fect by ACTH on the testes of his chicks. This worker employed a saline solution of ACTH. Bates et al. (1940) have noted that for ACTH solutions to be fully effective they should be "Formulated . . . in a manner to slow absorption." The Acthar gel employed In the present tests is such a solution. It seems likely that ACTH produced its effect on the testes of our chicks either (a) by direct action on these glands, or (b) by stimulation of adrenal corticoid secretion without adrenal enlargement. The ACTH preparation used is obtained through the use of oxycellulose purification methods, and according to Fisher (1959) is "but minimally contaminated" with the remaining anterior pituitary hormones, so that the gonadot r o p i n s are not present in sufficient concentration to be a problem even with doses up to 100 units. The action of exogenous gonadotrophins as the cause of the testicular enlargement is therefore considered unlikely. The testis response of the chicks to pi-
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
mg. mg.%
HORMONES AND STRESS IN CHICKS SUMMARY
Testis enlargement occurred in unstressed chicks after DC A, Cortisone, or ACTH administration. Thirst stress produced adrenal enlargement while ACTH did not. The nature of the action of ACTH on the testes of chicks varied in kind according to the age of the chick and the amount of the hormone injected. Adrenal enlargement was evoked only by severe stress. The male gonad regressed in response to the moderate stress of dietary limitations, but did not in the presence of the severe stress of water deprivation. It is suggested that this response is due to differential activity of the pituitary-adrenal system. So far as the effect on growth rate is concerned, feed restriction appears to be a more profound stress than water restriction. REFERENCES Ackerson, C. W., and F . E . Mussehl, 1956. Growth of chicks as influenced by degree of confinement and level of feed intake. Poultry Sci. 35:483-485. Bates, R. W., O. Riddle and R. A. Miller, 1940. Preparation of adrenotrophic extracts and their assay on two-day chicks. Endocrinology, 27: 781. Boas, N . F., 1958. The effect of desoxycorticosterone acetate on testis size and function in the cockerel. Endocrinology, 63: 323-328. Dulin, W. E., 1953. The effect of adrenocorticotrophin on the White Leghorn cockerel and capon. Endocrinology, 53: 233-235. Fisher, J. D., 1959. Personal communication. Armour Pharmaceutical Company. Jailer, J. W., and N. F . Boas, 1950. The inability of epinephrine or adrenocorticotrophic hormone to deplete the ascorbic acid content of the chick adrenal. Endocrinology, 46: 314. Newcomer, W. S., 1957. Blood cell changes following ACTH injection in the chick. Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 96: 613-616. Schneider, A. J., B. B. Bohren and V. L. Anderson, 1955. The effect of restricted feeding on several geneticaUy controlled characters in the fowl. Poultry Sci. 34: 691-702.
JANUARY 25-27—SOUTHEASTERN POULTRY AND EGG ASSOCIATION CONVENTION, MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM, ATLANTA, GA.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
tuitary-adrenal hormones was abolished by thirst stress, while adrenal enlargement did occur. Our results indicate that a greatly increased output of pituitary ACTH and of adrenal corticoids had an effect on the testes which was opposite to that of exogenous hormones. Although the feed and water restrictions employed were more severe than those commonly imposed (Ackerson and Mussehl, 1956) there was no mortality. Feed restriction had a more profound effect than did water restriction on body growth, adrenal size, and cloacal temperature. Some growth occurred in chicks on full feeding and 50% water restriction. In the growing animal it is apparently possible to utilize metabolic water to counteract a deficiency of water supply, over a short period. It is noteworthy that food and water limitation did not produce marked adrenal enlargement in our chicks, while water deprivation did. However, testis size was sharply reduced by the limitation procedures, but was unaffected by water deprivation. It is apparent that adrenal hypertrophy in the four-week-old chick is evoked only by severe or prolonged stress. In the case of the male gonad, relatively moderate or brief stresses cause its regression, while severe stresses apparently call into play mechanisms which support testicular size, perhaps as a result of the action of increased levels of pituitary-adrenal hormones on the testes. The stress of feed and/or water limitation can be withstood by chicks for a short period of time, although changes in body growth rate and endocrine gland size suggest that considerable mortality would occur if the stress period were prolonged.
1343
S. L. BALLOUN, W. J. OWINGS, J. L. SELL AND R. E. PHILLIPS REFERENCES
Effect of Various Hormone Preparations and Nutritional Stresses in Chicks MARK H. CONNER1
Animal Husbandry Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland (Received for publication April 10, 1959)
T
HE physiological responses of chicks to stress or to the hormones of the pituitary-adrenal axis have not been thoroughly studied. These responses are different from those of mammals (Newcomer, 1957). Current interest in the effect of dietary limitations on the growth rate of chicks (Ackerson and Mussehl, 1956; Schneider, Bohren and Anderson, 1955) makes it important to know more about the responses evoked by feed and water restrictions. Therefore feed and water limitation or deprivation, and water deprivation in combination with hormone therapy, have been studied. In this presentation the experimental procedures of feed and/or water limitation or deprivation are considered to be 1
Present address: Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
stressful. The term "stress" is applied to the action of these procedures on the experimental animals, and the term "stress group" to any group of animals so treated. METHODS AND RESULTS Test 1. Crossbred (New Hampshire maleXBarred Plymouth Rock female) male chicks were injected In the breast muscle with various hormonal agents* both with and without the concurrent stress of water deprivation. Each test group was composed of ten chicks. The test period began when the birds were 35 days old and ended when they were 48 days old. All survivors were sacrificed, weighed, and autopsied. Thyroids, adre* Armour's HP-Acthar gel, 20 Armour veterinary u n i t s / c c ; Ciba's desoxycorticosterone acetate (DCA), 2.5 mg./ml. in corn oil; Merck's Cortone suspension in saline, 25 mg./ml.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
Atkinson, R. L., A. A. Kurnick, T. M. Ferguson, B. L. Reid, J. M. Quisenberry and J. R. Couch, 1957. Protein and energy levels for turkey starting diets. Poultry Sci. 36: 767-773. Balloun, S. L., and R. E. Phillips, 1957. Lysine and protein requirements of Bronze turkeys. Poultry Sci. 36: 884-891. Day, E. J., and J. E. Hill, 1957. The effect of calorieprotein ratio of the ration on growth and feed efficiency of turkeys. Poultry Sci. 36: 773-779. Donaldson, W. E., G. F. Combs and G. L. Romoser, 1958. Studies on energy levels in poultry rations: 3. Effect of calorie-protein ratio of the ration on growth, nutrient utilization and body composition of poults. Poultry Sci. 37: 614-619. Dunkelgod, K. E., and R. H. Thayer, 1957. Effect of dietary energy on the protein requirements of growing turkeys. Poultry Sci. 36: 1114-1115. Dymsza, H., R. V. Boucher and M. G. McCartney, 1955. The influence of fiber content and physical
form of the diet on the energy requirements of turkeys. 1. Studies of turkey poults. Poultry Sci. 34: 435-439. Ferguson, T. M., H. P . Vaught, L. D. Matterson, B. L. Reid and J. R. Couch, 1956. Growth of Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults fed a 26 percent protein diet with different levels of produtive energy. Poultry Sci. 35:1305-1308. Ferguson, T. M., H. P. Vaught, L. D. Matterson, B. L. Reid and J. R. Couch, 1957. The effect of different levels of productive energy, protein and methionine upon the growth of Broad Breasted Bronze turkey poults. Poultry Sci. 36: 124-128. Fraps, G. S., 1946. Composition and productive energy of poultry feeds and rations. Texas Agr. Exp. Sta. Bulletin 678. Heady, E . O., S. L. Balloun and G. W. Dean, 1956. Least-cost rations and optimum marketing weights for turkeys. Iowa Agr. Exp. Sta. Res. Bulletin 443. Snedecor, G. W., 1946. Statistical Methods. 4th Ed. Iowa State College Press, Ames, Iowa.
1341
HORMONES AND STRESS IN CHICKS
TABLE 1.—Efect of hormone preparations, with and without water deprivation, on chick gland and body weights SurviTreatment No.* 10 10 10 10 10 5 8 6 6 3
828 808 795 631 782 289 286 296 301 357
Av. Adrenal
Av. Thyroid
mg.
mg.%
mg.
mg.%
mg.
mg.%
78.3 76.8 69.9 52.0 65.4 67.2 67.2 61.5 54.6 67.1
9.5 9.5 8.8 8.3 8.4 23.3 23.4 20.8 18.1 18.8
57.2 68.4 54.4 52.7 64.7 30.2 28.9 29.1 14.1 18.6
6.9 8.5 6.9 8.2 8.3 10.6 9.9 9.9 4.7 5.3
217.7 471.0 261.3 533.7 255.7 70.0 74.1 76.4 47.1 80.9
26.1 68.1 36.7 82.9 33.7 24.5 26.6 26.1 15.7 23.0
Av. Testes
* Each test group in each replication was composed of 10 chicks initially.
nals, and testes were dissected out and weighed. All procedures have been performed at least twice, with similar results. Typical results are summarized in Table 1. ACTH had no effect on the adrenals or thyroids of unstressed chicks, but caused marked testis enlargement. A similar response was noted after cortisone administration. DCA, alone or in combination with ACTH, was followed by some testis enlargement. Water deprivation caused marked adrenal enlargement. This response was not altered by the administration of ACTH, DCA, or cortisone. There was no change in thyroid or testis weights following water deprivation. Testis size was reduced when cortisone was administered along with water deprivation. Test 2. Sixty four-week-old crossbred (New Hampshire maleXBarred Plymouth Rock female) male chicks were divided into six equal groups and distributed in the compartments of a growing battery, with weighed amounts of feed and water available. Weighbacks were made daily for six days to determine the feed and water consumption. On the seventh day the chicks were placed on a regimen of restriction of feed and water consumption, according to the plan given in Table 2. This procedure was continued
for six days, at the end of which period all chicks were weighed, sacrificed, and autopsied. Thyroids, adrenals, and testes were dissected out and weighed. Immediately prior to sacrifice, cloacal temperatures were taken on each chick, with a clinical rectal thermometer. Cardiac blood samples were drawn for observation of the eosinophil concentration. The results are presented in Table 2. There was no mortality in this test. Growth inhibition was greatest with 25% feed, 100% water, and least with 100% feed, 50% water. Thyroid size was depressed by the more stringent restrictions on feed and water intake, while adrenal size was somewhat increased. Testis weight was markedly depressed by all procedures except 100% feed, 50% water. Cloacal temperature was depressed only by 25% feed, 100% water. A reduction in the number of circulating eosinophils was seen in all groups in which feed and/or water intake was less than 100%. The amount of reduction was not significant in the case of those birds receiving 50% feed, 100% water, or those receiving 100% feed, 50% water. DISCUSSION The testicular enlargement in chicks after DCA administration reported here
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
None ACTH, 14 units/chick DCA, 3.5 mg./chick Cortisone, 70 mg./chick ACTH+DCA No water No water+ACTH No water+DCA No water+Cortisone No water-f-ACTH+DCA
Survivors av. final body wt. (gm.)
1342
M. H.
CONNER
TABLE 2.—Response of chicks to dietary and water restrictions Av. thyroid
Av. adrenal
Av. testes
Treatment
Cloacal temp. Body wt. Eosinophils, change per cu. (gm-)* mm. initial final
mg.
mg.%
mg.
mg.%
2 5 % feed 100% water
11.8
3.7
42.7
13.5
64.7
19.6
-
81
448
106.6
105.5
50% feed 100% water
20.9
4.7
49.9
11.3
91.8
20.5
-
36
871
106.7
106.7
100% feed 2 5 % water
22.5
5.5
52.4
12.8
67.3
16.6
-
42
478
106.7
106.8
100% feed 50% water
24.8
4.8
59.1
11.5
164.8
32.5
+ 25
643
106.8
106.9
50% feed 50% water
17.0
3.8
51.3
11.5
84.3
18.7
-
53
423
107.3
106.1
100% feedf 100% water
31.4
5.4
63.7
11.2
227.6
43.0
+128
1,015
107.2
106.8
* Body weight at beginning of six-day restriction period compared with that at end. f Control group; feed and water given ad libitum.
should be compared with the edematous swelling reported by Boas (1958). However, in our experiments cortisone and ACTH both gave even greater enlargement of the testes than did DC A. Since no histological studies were made on the testes from our chicks, it is not possible to say with certainty whether any observed enlargement was the result of edema or true tissue development. The stress of water deprivation had no effect on testis size while causing marked adrenal enlargement. ACTH caused no adrenal enlargement in our chicks. Subsequent injection of 56 units of ACTH into unstressed chicks has given a similar negative response. This is at variance with the results of Bates, Riddle and Miller (1940) who used newly-hatched chicks, and Jailer and Boas (1950) who used nine-day-old chicks, but is in agreement with those of Dulin (1953) who used 39-day-old chicks. Apparently the chick adrenal becomes more resistant to stimulation by exogenous ACTH as the animal grows older. Dulin (1953) observed no significant ef-
fect by ACTH on the testes of his chicks. This worker employed a saline solution of ACTH. Bates et al. (1940) have noted that for ACTH solutions to be fully effective they should be "Formulated . . . in a manner to slow absorption." The Acthar gel employed In the present tests is such a solution. It seems likely that ACTH produced its effect on the testes of our chicks either (a) by direct action on these glands, or (b) by stimulation of adrenal corticoid secretion without adrenal enlargement. The ACTH preparation used is obtained through the use of oxycellulose purification methods, and according to Fisher (1959) is "but minimally contaminated" with the remaining anterior pituitary hormones, so that the gonadot r o p i n s are not present in sufficient concentration to be a problem even with doses up to 100 units. The action of exogenous gonadotrophins as the cause of the testicular enlargement is therefore considered unlikely. The testis response of the chicks to pi-
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
mg. mg.%
HORMONES AND STRESS IN CHICKS SUMMARY
Testis enlargement occurred in unstressed chicks after DC A, Cortisone, or ACTH administration. Thirst stress produced adrenal enlargement while ACTH did not. The nature of the action of ACTH on the testes of chicks varied in kind according to the age of the chick and the amount of the hormone injected. Adrenal enlargement was evoked only by severe stress. The male gonad regressed in response to the moderate stress of dietary limitations, but did not in the presence of the severe stress of water deprivation. It is suggested that this response is due to differential activity of the pituitary-adrenal system. So far as the effect on growth rate is concerned, feed restriction appears to be a more profound stress than water restriction. REFERENCES Ackerson, C. W., and F . E . Mussehl, 1956. Growth of chicks as influenced by degree of confinement and level of feed intake. Poultry Sci. 35:483-485. Bates, R. W., O. Riddle and R. A. Miller, 1940. Preparation of adrenotrophic extracts and their assay on two-day chicks. Endocrinology, 27: 781. Boas, N . F., 1958. The effect of desoxycorticosterone acetate on testis size and function in the cockerel. Endocrinology, 63: 323-328. Dulin, W. E., 1953. The effect of adrenocorticotrophin on the White Leghorn cockerel and capon. Endocrinology, 53: 233-235. Fisher, J. D., 1959. Personal communication. Armour Pharmaceutical Company. Jailer, J. W., and N. F . Boas, 1950. The inability of epinephrine or adrenocorticotrophic hormone to deplete the ascorbic acid content of the chick adrenal. Endocrinology, 46: 314. Newcomer, W. S., 1957. Blood cell changes following ACTH injection in the chick. Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med. 96: 613-616. Schneider, A. J., B. B. Bohren and V. L. Anderson, 1955. The effect of restricted feeding on several geneticaUy controlled characters in the fowl. Poultry Sci. 34: 691-702.
JANUARY 25-27—SOUTHEASTERN POULTRY AND EGG ASSOCIATION CONVENTION, MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM, ATLANTA, GA.
Downloaded from http://ps.oxfordjournals.org/ at UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA on May 30, 2015
tuitary-adrenal hormones was abolished by thirst stress, while adrenal enlargement did occur. Our results indicate that a greatly increased output of pituitary ACTH and of adrenal corticoids had an effect on the testes which was opposite to that of exogenous hormones. Although the feed and water restrictions employed were more severe than those commonly imposed (Ackerson and Mussehl, 1956) there was no mortality. Feed restriction had a more profound effect than did water restriction on body growth, adrenal size, and cloacal temperature. Some growth occurred in chicks on full feeding and 50% water restriction. In the growing animal it is apparently possible to utilize metabolic water to counteract a deficiency of water supply, over a short period. It is noteworthy that food and water limitation did not produce marked adrenal enlargement in our chicks, while water deprivation did. However, testis size was sharply reduced by the limitation procedures, but was unaffected by water deprivation. It is apparent that adrenal hypertrophy in the four-week-old chick is evoked only by severe or prolonged stress. In the case of the male gonad, relatively moderate or brief stresses cause its regression, while severe stresses apparently call into play mechanisms which support testicular size, perhaps as a result of the action of increased levels of pituitary-adrenal hormones on the testes. The stress of feed and/or water limitation can be withstood by chicks for a short period of time, although changes in body growth rate and endocrine gland size suggest that considerable mortality would occur if the stress period were prolonged.
1343