Photoperiodism is an adaptation mechanism that enables animals to predict seasonal changes in the environment. Japanese quail is the best model organism for studying photoperiodism. Although the recent availability of chicken genome sequences has permitted the expansion from single gene to genome-wide transcriptional analysis in this organism, the photoperiodic response of the domestic chicken ...

Experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of dietary available phosphorus (aP) and PTH infusion rates on avian urinary inorganic phosphate (Pi) excretion. In experiment I, female domestic fowl were fed diets containing low (0.45%) or high (0.83%) aP for 2-4 weeks prior to renal function studies. Pi excretion was significantly higher for birds fed the high-aP diet than for birds fed the...

The role of the autonomic nerve on the gastric motility of the domestic fowl has been investigated by Nolf (1), Ihnen (2) and Hassan (3). Nolf has reported that both excitatory and inhibitory fibres are included in the vagus and also in the sympathetic nerve to the proventriculus and gizzard. However, there is little detailed study on the mechanism which causes excitatory and inhibitory respons...

BACKGROUND Rabies is a fatal encephalitis caused by viruses belonging to the genus Lyssavirus of the family Rhabdoviridae. It is a viral disease primarily affecting mammals, though all warm blooded animals are susceptible. Experimental rabies virus infection in birds has been reported, but naturally occurring infection of birds has been documented very rarely. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The carcass o...

Biological predispositions influence approach and avoid responses from the time of birth or hatching. Neonates of species that require parental care (e.g. human babies and chicks of the domestic fowl) are attracted by stimuli associated with animate social partners, such as face-like configurations, biological motion and self-propulsion. The property of being filled is used as a cue of animacy ...

Metallothioneins play a key role in maintaining homeostasis of essential metalsand in protecting of cells against metal toxicity as well as oxidative damaging. Exceptinghumans, blood levels of metallothionein have not yet been reported from any animalspecies. Blood plasma samples of 9 animal species were analysed by the adsorptive transferstripping technique to obtain species specific voltammog...