Effects of Caponization on Body Weight, Atherosclerosis, and Cardiovascular Variables in Hypertensive and Hypotensive Turkey Lines

Abstract

Effects of caponization and blood pressure selection on serum lipids, severity of atherosclerosis, body weight, hematocrit, and relative ventricular weight in hypertensive and hypotensive lines of turkeys were evaluated in two trials. At 8 weeks of age, half the turkeys from each line were caponized. Body weights, blood pressure, and blood samples were obtained from each treatment at 8, 20, and 30 weeks of age. A total of 56 and 72 birds were used in Trials 1 and 2, respectively. Birds were necropsied at 30 weeks of age. Hypertensive turkeys had significantly greater serum cholesterol and total lipid than hypotensive turkeys only at 30 weeks of age in Trial 1. Lower relative ventricular weights were observed in hypotensive turkeys within both trials. Hypertensive birds exhibited a more severe degree of atherosclerosis and higher relative heart weight than hypotensive turkeys. Caponization significantly increased total serum lipid only at 20 weeks of age in Trial 2. Average body weight of caponized turkeys was significantly lower (1.2) than the control turkeys at 30 weeks of age. Caponized turkeys exhibited lower relative ventricular weight in Trial 1 but not Trial 2 and an increase in blood pressure only in Trial 2. Caponization suppressed body weight, decreased hematocrit values, and had no significant effect upon plaque severity. The presence or absence of male sex hormones had virtually no effect on proposed atherogenic stimuli thereby suggesting another mechanism by which the female is afforded a higher degree of protection.

Influence of Caponization on the Carcass Characteristics in Taiwan Country Chicken Cockerels

“…However, both treatment groups were not significantly different in the liver, spleen and gizzard percentage. This is in agreement with Miller et al (1985) and Fennell and Scanes (1992a, b), who found that castrated males had lower heart weight than castrated males implanted with androgens in chickens or turkeys. The androgen treatments, however, did not influence the liver or spleen weight.…”

Histological Evaluation of the Vascular System for the Severity of Atherosclerosis in Hyper and Hypotensive Male and Female Turkeys: Comparison Between Young and Aged Turkeys

“…However, Krista et al (1979) found no significant differences between high and low pressure turkeys in aortic lumen surfaces of adult birds and no correlation between intimal change and systolic blood pressure in the same study. In reports by Bolden et al (1983) and Miller et al (1985) hypertensive lines of turkeys had significantly greater plaque scores than hypotensive birds.…”

“…(1979) reported that when plaques were observed under the scanning electron microscope there appeared to be no correlation between blood pressure and the morphology, severity, or development of the atherosclerotic plaques. However, Bolden et al (1983) and Miller et al (1985) both reported a correlation between the development of atherosclerotic plaques and blood pressure. McDonald etal.…”

Επίδραση Του Ευνουχισμού Σε Παραγωγικά Και Φυσιολογικά Χαρακτηριστικά Αρσενικών Ορνιθιών

“…Ο ευνουχισµός, αν και έχει ως αποτέλεσµα την αύξηση της εναπόθεσης λίπους στο σφάγιο, δεν συντελεί πάντα στην σηµαντική αύξηση της συγκέντρωσης της χοληστερόλης και των τριγλυκεριδίων στο αίµα των πτηνών (Snapir et al, 1974, Miller et al, 1985. Σε µία πιο πρόσφατη µελέτη τους, οι Snapir et al (1983) αναφέρουν ότι ο ευνουχισµός είχε ως αποτέλεσµα την αύξηση της συγκέντρωσης των τριγλυκεριδίων αλλά όχι της συγκέντρωσης της χοληστερόλης.…”