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Ovalbumin expression in the oviduct magnum of hens is related to the rate of egg laying and shows distinct stress‐type‐specific responses
Author(s) -
Zhao J. P.,
Zhang Q.,
Jiao H. C.,
Wang X. J.,
Jiang M. J.,
Luo H.,
Lin H.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1439-0396
pISSN - 0931-2439
DOI - 10.1111/jpn.12475
Subject(s) - oviduct , moulting , medicine , endocrinology , zoology , yolk , ovalbumin , biology , immunology , immune system , ecology , larva
Summary Three trials were performed to evaluate the association of ovalbumin ( OVA ) abundance in the oviduct magnum with egg production and the underlying regulatory mechanism by glucocorticoids. In trial 1, twenty Hy‐Line Brown layers (56–60 weeks of age) with different combinations ( n = 5/combination) of laying rate (high or low) and egg weight (high or low) were selected from an initial group of 300. An upregulated expression of magnum OVA was observed (p < 0.05) in hens with higher laying rate, regardless of egg weight. In trial 2, eighty Hy‐Line Brown layers (80–90 weeks of age) were subjected to the forced moulting ( n = 8). The abundance of OVA transcript and protein in the magnum was significantly decreased during moulting (p < 0.01), and the same was true for laying rate (p < 0.01) and serum oestrogen (p < 0.05). In trial 3, forty‐five 56‐week‐old Hy‐Line Brown layers were kept individually ( n = 15) in the following conditions for 10 days: constant optimal ambient temperature at 23 °C and ad libitum feeding, high ambient temperature at 32 °C for 6 h/day (10:00–16:00) and ad libitum feeding (32 AL ), and constant optimal ambient temperature at 23 °C and pair‐fed to the 32 AL hens. In spite of elevated corticosterone in circulation, OVA synthesis, blood oestrogen and laying rate were not affected by heat exposure (p > 0.05). These results allow concluding that OVA expression in the oviduct magnum of hens is related to the rate of egg laying and shows distinct stress‐type‐specific responses.