Growth and the plasma concentrations of growth hormone and prolactin in chicks: Effects of “environmental enrichment”, sex and strain

Abstract

1. The effects of including novel objects in the environment ("environmental enrichment “) on body‐weight gain, relative body‐weight gain, gain : food ratio, plasma growth hormone (GH) and prolactin concentrations in male and female broiler and layer chicks was investigated.

2. Environmental enrichment improved body‐weight gain, relative body‐weight gain and gain: food ratio but had no effect on circulating GH or prolactin concentrations.

3. Weight gain and gain : food ratio were greater in the broilers than in the layer chicks, while plasma GH and prolactin (females only) concentrations were less.

4. There were no sex differences in weight gain and relative weight gain but gain : food ratio was significantly greater in females than in males. In both strains plasma GH concentrations were higher in males than in females and prolactin concentrations were higher in male than in female broilers.