Effects of sex‐linked imperfect albinism in the chicken (s^al‐c) on plasma luteinising hormone concentrations and early egg production

Abstract

1. When measured before and after the onset of darkness, plasma LH concentrations in 40‐day‐old sex‐linked albino pullets (s^al‐c ) were slightly lower than those of nonalbinos (s ⁺ ).

2. This finding prompted an experiment in which plasma LH concentrations were measured between 12 and 33 weeks of age when daylength was increased at 15 or 21 weeks. Egg production of the early and late maturing albino hens was measured.

3. Plasma LH concentrations overall and at 17 weeks were lower for albinos than for nonalbinos. In the early maturing group egg production of albinos was higher than that of nonalbinos.

4. Results suggest that increased egg production of albinos is not the direct result of differences in plasma LH concentrations but may be a consequence of differences in the control of LH secretion.

Notes

Present address: Dept. de zootechnie, Université Laval, Ste‐Foy, Québec, G1K 7P4, Canada.

Station de Recherche Avicole, INRA, 37380 Nouzilly, France.