Abstract: Physiological activity of the pineal gland with specific
responses in the reproductive territory may be interpreted by
monitoring the process parameters used in poultry practice in
different age batches of laying hens. As biological material were
used 105 laying hens, clinically healthy, belonging to ALBO SL-
2000 hybrid, raised on ground, from which blood samples were taken
at the age of 12 and 28 weeks. The haematological examinations
were concerned to obtain the total number of erythrocytes and
leukocytes and the main erythrocyte constant (RBC, PCV, MCV,
MCH, MCHC and WBC). The results allow the interpretation of the
reproductive status through the dynamics of the presented values.
Abstract: The paper is included within the framework of a
complex research program, which was initiated from the hypothesis
arguing on the existence of a correlation between pineal indolic and
peptide hormones and the somatic development rhythm, including
thus the epithalamium-epiphysis complex involvement. At birds,
pineal gland contains a circadian oscillator, playing a main role in the
temporal organization of the cerebral functions. The secretion of
pineal indolic hormones is characterized by a high endogenous
rhythmic alternation, modulated by the light/darkness (L/D)
succession and by temperature as well. The research has been carried
out using 100 chicken broilers - “Ross" commercial hybrid,
randomly allocated in two experimental batches: Lc batch, reared
under a 12L/12D lighting schedule and Lexp batch, which was photic
pinealectomised through continuous exposition to light (150 lux, 24
hours, 56 days). Chemical and physical features of the meat issued
from breast fillet and thighs muscles have been studied, determining
the dry matter, proteins, fat, collagen, salt content and pH value, as
well. Besides the variations of meat chemical composition in relation
with lighting schedule, other parameters have been studied: live
weight dynamics, feed intake and somatic development degree. The
achieved results became significant since chickens have 7 days of
age, some variations of the studied parameters being registered,
revealing that the pineal gland physiologic activity, in relation with
the lighting schedule, could be interpreted through the monitoring of
the somatic development technological parameters, usually studied
within the chicken broilers rearing aviculture practice.