MARKEDLY REDUCED PANCREATIC GLUCAGON-LEVELS IN BROILER-CHICKENS WITH SPIKING MORTALITY SYNDROME

Pancreata from 19 hypoglycemic field broilers with spiking mortality s yndrome and 19 clinically normal field broilers with normal blood gluc ose levels were collected and quick-frozen in liquid nitrogen immediat ely after the chicks were bled and killed. All chicks were 16 days old and were of the same genetic cross. Pancreata were weighed, and acid- alcohol extractions were made on each specimen. Radioimmunoassays for glucagon levels were made on each extract. Mean pancreatic glucagon co ntent of the hypoglycemic chicks was depressed 14-fold (93.1%) compare d with that of the non-hypoglycemic group. There was a close correlati on between plasma glucose levels and pancreatic glucagon levels (P = 0 .0001).