Separation of pair housed roosters is associated with transient increased corticosteroid excretion

TY - JOUR

T1 - Separation of pair housed roosters is associated with transient increased corticosteroid excretion

AU - Hau, Jann

AU - Carlsson, H E

AU - Royo, F

AU - Faheem, S

AU - Tufvesson, M

N1 - Keywords: Animal Welfare; Animals; Chickens; Corticosterone; Feces; Housing, Animal; Male; Stress, Psychological

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - Immunoreactive corticosterone and corticosterone metabolites (ICCM) were quantified in excreta of permanently single housed (n=10) and permanently pair housed (n=20) roosters. The pair housed roosters were separated and single housed, and ICCM were quantified in the droppings before and during 15 days after separation. There was no statistically significant difference in ICCM excretion in the droppings between the permanently single or pair housed roosters. After separation, however, the previously pair housed roosters showed a significantly transient elevated excretion of ICCM in droppings the second day after separation indicating that the separation and relocation is associated with an activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The excretion of ICCM in droppings was not correlated to the concentration of ICCM in droppings. It is thus important that excretion of ICCM be expressed as amount excreted per time unit since the total excretion is dependant on both concentration of ICCM and amount of droppings produced.

AB - Immunoreactive corticosterone and corticosterone metabolites (ICCM) were quantified in excreta of permanently single housed (n=10) and permanently pair housed (n=20) roosters. The pair housed roosters were separated and single housed, and ICCM were quantified in the droppings before and during 15 days after separation. There was no statistically significant difference in ICCM excretion in the droppings between the permanently single or pair housed roosters. After separation, however, the previously pair housed roosters showed a significantly transient elevated excretion of ICCM in droppings the second day after separation indicating that the separation and relocation is associated with an activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. The excretion of ICCM in droppings was not correlated to the concentration of ICCM in droppings. It is thus important that excretion of ICCM be expressed as amount excreted per time unit since the total excretion is dependant on both concentration of ICCM and amount of droppings produced.

U2 - 10.1016/j.rvsc.2008.04.003

DO - 10.1016/j.rvsc.2008.04.003

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 18550133

SN - 0034-5288

VL - 86

SP - 183

EP - 187

JO - Research in Veterinary Science

JF - Research in Veterinary Science

IS - 1

ER -