JEJUNAL GLUCOSE-UPTAKE AND OXYGEN-CONSUMPTION IN TURKEY POULTS SELECTED FOR RAPID GROWTH

Two lines of turkey poults, one selected for rapid growth at 16 wk of age (F line) and the other a randombred control line (RBC2) were used to investigate the effect of selection for rapid growth on jejunal O-2 consumption and glucose transport as well as whole-body O-2 consumpti on. AU. trials used unsexed poults and were designed as a randomized c omplete block with day and line as independent variables. Ln Trial 1, 120 turkey poults, fed a standard starter ration (25.5% CP), were used to examine the effect of selection on feed intake, body weight gain, and efficiency from hatching (Day O) to 13 d of age. At Day 14, 36 of 60 birds from each line were killed to measure intestinal length and w eight and jejunal O-2 consumption after 18 h of feed deprivation. Comp ared with the RBC2 Line, the F line had relatively shorter but heavier small intestinal segments when adjusted by 18 h feed-deprived body we ight (FBW; P < 0.001). The F line consumed more O-2 over the entire je junum adjusted to FBW than RBC2 (43.8 vs 34.6 nmol O-2/min . g FBW; P < 0.001). Jejunal ouabain-and cycloheximide-sensitive O-2 consumption were greater (P < 0.05) in the F line. In Trial 2, 16 14-d-old poults from each line were used to measure in vitro jejunal glucose transport rate. There was no difference in glucose transport of the jejunum (na nomoles per minute per gram of FBW) between the lines. In Trial 3, 20 poults from each line were used to measure whole-body O-2 consumption at 7 to 10 d of age. The F and RBC2 lines had similar whole-body O-2 c onsumption rate per gram of FBW. These data suggest that selection of turkeys for rapid growth at 16 wk of age did not increase efficiency o f jejunal glucose uptake in 14-d-old turkey poults.