Changes in concentration and fractions of blood serum proteins of chickens during fattening

Abstract

This paper describes research into concentration of total proteins and individual protein fractions in the blood serum of Ross broiler chickens during fattening period.Blood for analysis was taken at the 14 th , 28 th and 42 nd days of age by wing vein puncture.Concentration of total serum proteins was detected by spectrophotometry.Electrophoresis on gelled cellulose-acetate tapes determined the shares of individual fractions: albumins, alpha 1-, alpha 2-, beta 1-, beta 2-and gamma globulins, and their absolute concentrations were calculated from the concentration of total proteins.A statistically significant growth of total proteins concentration was established during the experiment (P<0.0001).Changes of concentration of individual fractions did not always follow the quantity of total proteins in the blood serum.Concentration of albumins in blood did not show oscillations during fattening, unlike alpha 1-globulins, whose concentration showed a statistically significant increase by the 28 th day of fattening (P<0.0001), and which then decreased considerably by the 42 nd day compared to the 28 th day (P<0.05).Concentration of alpha 2-globulins did not show significant growth until the 42 nd day in comparison to the 14 th day (P<0.01).Fractions of beta 1-, beta 2-and gamma globulins showed a significant increase during all trial periods (from P<0.05 to P<0.0001).The ratio of albumins to globulins showed a statistically significant decrease on the 28 th and the 42 nd days, compared to the 14 th day of the experiment (P<0.0001).The given results are related to the role of protein metabolism in the rapid growth of chickens during fattening, and may serve as part of metabolic profile in evaluation of production patterns and health condition of chickens during fattening.