Plasma concentrations of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I in chickens developing tibial dyschondroplasia.

The concentrations of plasma growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) were measured in broilers during the initial development of tibial dyschondroplasia. Chicks were fed a standard starter ration, or a diet imbalanced in calcium and phosphorus to increase the incidence of dyschondroplasia. At 14 days of age four blood samples were collected and assayed for GH and IGF-I. The chicks were killed at three weeks of age and sections of bone were assessed histologically for evidence of dyschondroplasia. All the chicks displayed a pulsatile pattern of GH secretion. Eight of the group fed the imbalanced diet developed dyschondroplasia which was accompanied by a significant increase in the mean and peak GH concentrations compared with the control group but no increase in basal concentrations. The chicks fed the imbalanced diet which did not develop dyschondroplasia were not different from the control birds. There were no differences in IGF-I concentrations between the groups.