Metabolic indicators in hens of different ages and at different reproductive states

The decline in the reproductive potential of hens by the end of the first productive period is closely related to the biological process of ovarian aging. At the same time, the functioning of the reproductive system is de termined by the intensity and direction of metabolic processes in the body of females.

Objective: The aim of the presented work was to study the relationship between biochemical markers of metabolic status and the manifestation of age-related decline in egg production in domestic hens.

Materials and methods. We performed a comparative study of blood biochemical indicators in young laying hens with long egg clutches (YLC, n=17) and in middle-aged hens at different reproductive states: with long egg clutches (MLC, n=10), with anovulatory long clutches (MALC, n=9), with short clutches (MSC, n=15) and with short clutches after molting (MSC-M, n=9). Biochemical blood parameters were determined simultaneously in all samples using an automatic biochemical analyzer.

Results. The concentration of total protein in the blood plasma of young birds was 1.2 times lower (p<0.01 0.05) than that of older birds in the three groups (MLC, MSC and MSC-M). The blood content of lipid metabolism components in hens of different ages and reproductive status did not differ. In young birds, the activity of alanine aminotransferase in the blood was 1.5 times higher (p<0.05) than in hens after molting (MSC-M), and the de Ritis coefficient was 1.4 times lower (p<0.05) than in hens of the MLC group. At the same time, in aged individuals in the MLC and MSC-M groups, the levels of phosphorus and iron were 1.4 times higher (p<0.01-0.05) compared to those in individuals in the YLC (phosphorus) and MSC (iron) groups.

Conclusions. The findings indicate that in laying hens, the content of total protein in the blood increased with age, which did not depend on the presence of signs of reproductive aging. Furthermore, they point to com pensatory changes in mineral metabolism indicators and the aminotransferase activity in aged hens that main tain a high intensity of egg laying, as well as in birds that have resumed egg laying after molting.

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