Immunological and oxidoreduction indicators in biological material (yolk blood) taken from turkeys receiving antibiotics - Jan Jankowski; Katarzyna Ognik; Dariusz Mikulski; Andrzej Koncicki; Bartłomiej Tykałowski; Ewelina Cholewińska; Anna Stępniowska; Radosław Smagieł; Katarzyna Nadolna; Łukasz Szymański (2023)
The research hypothesis postulates that early antibiotic administration inhibits yolk sac resorption and decreases the transfer of maternal antibodies to the circulatory system of poults, which may reduce their humoral immunity during the first few days post hatch, thus compromising immune function (immunosuppression) and the antioxidant status of birds. Diets containing coccidiostats, which are also classified as antibiotics, can exert similar effects in turkeys. Four experiments will be performed on young female Hybrid Converter turkeys to analyze their immune and redox responses to the experimental factors. The aim of Experiment 1 will be to determine whether early antibiotic administration or feeding diets containing a coccidiostat affect the rate of yolk sac resorption and maternal antibody transfer as well as immune function (in particular specific immune responses, including vaccine-induced responses) and the antioxidant status of growing turkeys. The aim of Experiment 2 will be to determine whether early antibiotic administration combined with feeding diets containing a coccidiostat affect the rate of yolk sac resorption and maternal antibody transfer as well as immune function and the antioxidant status of growing turkeys. The aim of Experiment 3 will be to determine whether early antibiotic administration affects the effective activation of the immune and antioxidant systems in turkeys exposed to infections in early or later stages of rearing. The aim of Experiment 4 will be to determine the effects of early antibiotic administration in turkeys fed diets containing a coccidiostat (additive effect), exposed to infections in early or later stages of rearing. The study will involve an evaluation of the effects exerted by the experimental factors on: the rate of yolk sac resorption and maternal antibody transfer from the yolk sac to poults, immune responses, i.e. non-specific cellular immunity, specific humoral and adaptive immunity, redox reactions in the immune system, the expression of immune-related genes and genes involved in the control of redox homeostasis, the expression of genes and the values of indicators related to gut integrity, and the histology of lymphoid organs. The body weight gains and mortality rates of turkeys will also be determined.
Keywords: antibiotics; blood; immunity; redox status; turkeys; yolk sac