Prevention of the expression of incubation behaviour using passive immunisation against prolactin in turkey hens (Meleagris gallopavo)

Abstract

Summary ― The efficacy of injecting antibodies raised against turkey prolactin to prevent the expression of incubation behaviour has been investigated in turkey hens. Medium white turkey hens (n = 15 x 2) were injected three times weekly for 4 consecutive weeks starting on week 5 of egg production. The hens were injected im with a volume of 1 mL per injection for the 1 st week and 0.5 mL thereafter, of normal rabbit serum or serum containing antibodies raised against turkey prolactin (Gu6men6 et al, 1994a

Orchestration of avian reproductive effort: an integration of the ultimate and proximate bases for flexibility in clutch size, incubation behaviour, and yolk androgen deposition

“…Typically, prolactin concentrations are higher after than immediately before the onset of incubation (El Halawani, Dawson & Goldsmith, 1982;Goldsmith, 1982 ;Silverin & Goldsmith, 1983 ;Dawson & Goldsmith, 1985 ;Hall, 1986 ;Meijer, 1988 ;Sharp et al, 1988;Gratto-Trevor et al, 1990 ;Seiler et al, 1992;Williams & Sharp, 1993 ;Cherel et al, 1994;Buntin, 1996;Brown & Vleck, 1998 ;Bédécarrats et al, 1999 a). In the domestic chicken and turkey, administration of exogenous prolactin promotes incubation (Riddle et al, 1935 ;El Halawani et al, 1986 ;Sharp et al, 1988;Youngren et al, 1991), whereas immunization against prolactin or the avian prolactin-releasing-factor, VIP, inhibits incubation (Sharp et al, 1989;March et al, 1994 ;El Halawani et al, 1995 ;Crisóstomo et al, 1997;Crisóstomo et al, 1998). When prolactin is administered to ovariectomised turkeys, it does not induce incubation behaviour, unless it is administered following estradiol and progesterone treatment (El Halawani et al, 1986).…”

The Role of Prolactin in the Regulation of Clutch Size and Onset of Incubation Behavior in the American Kestrel

“…Immunization against prolactin or the prolac-tin-releasing-factor vasoactive intestinal peptide (Sharp, Dawson, and Lea, 1998) inhibits incubation (Crisó stomo, Guémené, Garreau-Mills, and Zadworny, 1997;Sharp, 1997a;Crisó stomo, Guémené, Garreau-Mills, Morvan, and Zadworny, 1998). Treatment of females with exogenous prolactin induces incubation if it is preceded by nesting behavior, which is dependent on increased plasma progesterone and estradiol 17-␤ (El Halawani, Silsby, Behnke, and Fehrer, 1986;Sharp, 1997b).…”

Reproductive management of poultry

“…Administration of antisera to turkey prolactin increased egg production in turkeys. 105 An alternate approach is active immunization. Similarly, egg production was markedly increased in turkey hens actively immunized against VIP (with VIP being conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin) due to impairment of prolactin release and consequently reduction in incubation behavior(s).…”