Plasma alpha 1‐acid glycoprotein concentration in broilers: Influence of age, sex and injection of<i>escherichia coli</i>lipopolysaccharide

Abstract

1. The influence of age, sex and injection of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the plasma concentration of alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP) was determined in broilers using the single radial immunodiffusion method. 2. Plasma AGP concentration increased in the 3 d after hatching, and then stabilised at 240 +/- 33 micrograms/ml up to 14 d of age. 3. No sex-related differences in plasma AGP concentration were observed up to 6 weeks of age. 4. A single injection of 900 micrograms LPS per chick resulted in a 5-fold increase in AGP concentration compared with that in saline-injected chicks. Multiple injections of LPS (200 micrograms/chick every 2 d for 14 d) caused only a 50% increase in AGP concentration.