Daily Variation of Thyroid Hormones in Broiler Under High-Temperature Conditions

Abstract

<p>Market-size (61-68 day-old) AA broiler chickens were exposed to simulated high-cyclic summer temperatures of North, Central and South China for 5 continuous days. Blood samples were collected at 0AM, 4AM, 8AM, 0PM, 4PM and 8PM each day, and concentrations of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) were determined by double-antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA). T3, T4 concentration and T3/T4 ratio had two peaks, but the daily variation patterns of thyroid hormones were different between each other. T3 peaked at 12 AM and 12 PM, while T4 peaked at 8 AM and 12 PM, with the two peaks of T3/T4 ratio showing at 4 AM and 12 AM. The lowest concentrations of both T3 and T4 occurred at 4 PM. According to above results, the blood samples should be collected around the time corresponding to the peak of temperature sinusoid, when thyroid hormones (both T3 and T4 concentrations) are used to evaluate the heat stress status of broilers.</p>