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Poult Sci 2006. 85:1722-1728
© 2006 Poultry Science Association
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IMMUNOLOGY, HEALTH, AND DISEASE

Altered Circulating Levels of Serotonin and Immunological Changes in Laying Hens Divergently Selected for Feather Pecking Behavior

A. J. Buitenhuis*, J. B. Kjaer*,1, R. Labouriau* and H. R. Juul-Madsen{dagger},2

* Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, and {dagger} Department of Animal Health, Welfare and Nutrition, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, 8830 Tjele, Denmark

2 Corresponding author: Helle.JuulMadsen{at}agrsci.dk

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in immunological parameters as well as changes with respect to plasma levels of serotonin and tryptophan in lines selected for and against feather pecking (FP) behavior [high FP (HP) line and low FP (LP) line] for 5 generations. The hens from the HP line had a higher plasma serotonin level than those from the LP line (0.059 vs. 0.037 µmol/L, F2,27 = 0.031, P < 0.05). The plasma level of tryptophan was, on average, 67.30 µmol/L and did not differ between the lines (68.3 vs. 66.3 µmol/L, F2,28 = 0.36, P < 0.05). The HP line had a higher response to infectious bursal disease virus vaccination after 1 wk post-vaccination compared with the control and LP lines. The number of white blood cells (P < 0.0001) and the expression of MHC class I molecules on CD4 (P < 0.02), CD8ß (P < 0.006) and on B cells (P < 0.03) were highest in the LP line compared with the control and HP lines. Selection for or against FP, therefore, changes the number of white blood cells and the expression of MHC class I molecules on T and B cells, which may influence the health status of the birds.

Key Words: feather pecking • genetic selection • immune system • serotonin

1 Present address: Federal Agricultural Research Centre, Institute for Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry, Dörnbergstrasse 25-27, 29223 Celle, Germany






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