Effects of ovariectomy or force feeding on the plasma concentrations of prolactin and luteinizing hormone in incubating turkey hens.

The effect of ovariectomy (OVX) on plasma concentrations of prolactin (PRL) and luteinizing hormone (LH) in incubating turkey hens was studied. Neither the sham-operated nor the OVX hens exhibited any change in the pattern of incubation behavior as a result of the surgery. Plasma concentrations of estradiol decreased to less than approximately 3 pg/ml by 2 days after surgery in the OVX hens. There were no significant differences in plasma levels of PRL between the sham-operated and OVX hens throughout the study. The concentration of PRL did not change in either the sham-operated or OVX hens and was maintained at high levels after surgery and during incubation of the eggs. By 2 days after hens were placed into cages, plasma levels of PRL significantly decreased and were maintained at low levels in both groups. The concentration of LH did not change in either group during the two wk after surgery when the hens were incubating eggs. After the hens were placed into cages, the concentration of LH increased in the OVX hens and was maintained at significantly higher levels than in the sham-operated hens. By contrast, the concentration of LH increased within 4 days after OVX of out-of-lay but nonincubating hens. The delay in the postcastration increase in plasma level of LH in the OVX hens was not associated with anorexia of incubating hens, since plasma levels of LH were not affected by force-feeding unless plasma levels of PRI were suppressed by nest deprivation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)