Effect of Post-Hatch Heat-Treatment in Heat-Stressed Transylvanian Naked Neck Chicken
Roland Tóth,
Nikolett Tokodyné Szabadi,
Bence Lázár,
Kitti Buda,
Barbara Végi,
Judit Barna,
Eszter Patakiné Várkonyi,
Krisztina Liptói,
Bertrand Pain,
Elen Gócza
Affiliations
Roland Tóth
Animal Biotechnology Department (AB), Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology (GBI), Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Nikolett Tokodyné Szabadi
Animal Biotechnology Department (AB), Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology (GBI), Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Bence Lázár
Animal Biotechnology Department (AB), Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology (GBI), Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Kitti Buda
Institute for Farm Animal Gene Conservation, National Centre for Biodiversity and Gene Conservation, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Barbara Végi
Institute for Farm Animal Gene Conservation, National Centre for Biodiversity and Gene Conservation, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Judit Barna
Institute for Farm Animal Gene Conservation, National Centre for Biodiversity and Gene Conservation, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Eszter Patakiné Várkonyi
Institute for Farm Animal Gene Conservation, National Centre for Biodiversity and Gene Conservation, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Krisztina Liptói
Institute for Farm Animal Gene Conservation, National Centre for Biodiversity and Gene Conservation, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Bertrand Pain
Stem-Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208 INSERM, USC1361 INRA, 69675 Bron, France
Elen Gócza
Animal Biotechnology Department (AB), Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology (GBI), Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Although numerous studies reported the effects of heat stress in chickens, it was not investigated in the Transylvanian Naked Neck breed. In our research, Transylvanian Naked Neck chickens, 24 h after hatching, were heat-treated at 38.5 °C for 12 h. We compared the control and heat-treated adult chickens’ productivity parameters following 12 weeks of heat-stress at 30 °C. We found that the heat-treated layers had significantly higher egg production in heat stress, but in cockerels, the sperm quality did not differ significantly between the two groups. To detect the effect of heat-treatment on a molecular level, the expression of two heat-shock proteins and four heat-shock factors were analysed in the gonads of control and heat-treated chickens. We found that the expression level of HSP90 and HSF4 increased significantly in heat-treated female chicken gonads. Still, in adult females, the expression of HSF2 and HSF3 were substantially lower compared to the control. In adult heat-treated males, the HSP70, HSF1 and HSF3 expression levels showed a significant increase in both gonads compared to the control. We think that the presented significant differences in egg production might be related to the increased expression level of HSP90 and HSF4 in heat-treated female gonads.
