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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #99597
Title: PRIOR THYROID STATUS AND THE BROILERS ADAPTATION TO TRIIODOTHYRONINE

Author
item Rosebrough, Robert
item Kahl, Stanislaw

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/18/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: There are conflicting results concerning the role of the thyroid hormones in lipid metabolism. For example, rat data indicate that T3 stimulates lipogenesis by increasing the abundance of mRNA for fatty acid synthetase. On the other hand, we have shown that T3 severely restricts lipogenesis in chickens. The purpose of this experiment was to study the effects of T3 on metabolic adaptations in hypothyroid or euthyroid birds. Seven-day-old chickens were fed diets containing 18% crude protein + 0 or 1 g methimazole/ kg to produce either euthyroid or hypothyroid groups of birds at 28 d of age. These two groups were then offered diets containing either 0 or 1 mg T3/kg diets. Birds were sampled at 0, 2,5 & 8 d following the onset of the T3 treatment. Hypothyroidism decreased IVL at 28 d of age; however, T3 supplementation for 2 d restored IVL. Paradoxically, continuing T3 replenishment for an additional 3 to 6 d decreased IVL. In contrast, supplemental T3 decreased IVL in euthyroid birds, regardless of the dosing interval. Hypothyroidism increased 5'D activity and T3 replenishment for 8 d decreased 5'D activity. This activity was still greater than that of the controls. In conclusion, the thyroid state of the animal will determine responses to exogenous thyroid hormones. These data may help to explain some of the apparent reported dichotomies in lipid metabolism elicited by changes in the thyroid state of animals.