Changes in Blood Glucose, Blood and Muscle Lactate, and Plasma Lactic Dehydrogenase Levels in the Pigeon on Acute Exposure to cold

Abstract

Adult pigeons were subjected to acute cold exposure (—25 °C; 30 min) after which the levels of blood glucose, blood and muscle lactate and plasma lactic dehydrogenase were measured. Partially defeathered (dorsum and pectoral regions) birds, following exposure to cold, showed marked reduction in blood glucose and blood and muscle (pectoralis) lactate. Fully plumed birds, in contrast, showed no significant reduction in body temperature or blood glucose and only moderately reduced lactate levels indicating the effectiveness of the insulative feather coat in maintaining thermal and metabolic homeostasis. The partially-defeathered pigeons exposed to cold showed a two-to three-fold increase in plasma lactic dehydrogenase activity, which may reflect a molecular adaptation in their calorigenic response to cold.