Jc. Lopez et al., ENZYMATIC AND ANATOMOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY O F LAYING HENS FEEDING ON LUPINUS-ALBUS SEEDS (SWEET AND BITTER) FOR 22 WEEKS, Archivos de medicina veterinaria, 29(2), 1997, pp. 269-278
The effect produced by the incorporation of lupinus albus var. Multolu
pa seeds in the rations of laying hens was studied. One hundred and si
xty (34 week old) White Leghorn hens (Shaver Starcross 288) were divid
ed into 4 groups. These hens were fed with a basal diet plus 10% lupin
e seeds, with different percentages of alkaloids, for 22 weeks. The he
ns were kept in individual coops. They were fed daily with 112.5 g/fow
l and water was given ad-libitum. The enzymatic study was carried out
by measuring the activity of aspartate-aminotransferase, alanine-amino
transferase and alkaline phosphatase enzimes. Liver, brain and kidney
samples were collected in order to perform macro and microscopic analy
sis. A mortality record was kept. There were no enzymatic values indic
ating disorder in the hepatic functions due to the lupine seeds. The m
ain morphological alterations were degenerative and necrotic changes i
n the brain. Degenerative changes were observed in the tubular portion
s of the kidney. In similar proportions, within the groups, degenerati
ve changes were observed in the liver. In conclusion, the bitter lupin
e seeds (2.63% of total alkaloids), incorporated as 10% of the ration
of laying hens, during the first phase of laying, do not produce alter
ations in the tissues examined.