- Dec 28, 2009
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Quote:
Exactly:
Interesting...Thanks for sharing.
Exactly:
Siopes has found that photoperiod plays a pivotal role in regulating quail and turkey immune systems. Exposing birds to 24-hour periods when the dark period is considerably longer than the light period boosts the birds' immune systems.
"We've developed a way to regulate the immune system of an animal in a simple, inexpensive way without pharmacology," says Siopes.
The immune response to the light-dark cycle occurs quickly. "We can see effects in one to two weeks," Siopes says. The immune systems of birds kept in short-day conditions are much more robust than birds living under longer light regimes.
Siopes explains that exposing turkeys to the light equivalent of short days stimulates the pineal gland, which produces melatonin, a hormone that is a powerful immune system enhancer. The more daily darkness, the more melatonin.
It seems that 3 to 5 percent of turkey hens develop spontaneous ovarian tumors. Siopes first noticed the cancers a number of years ago when doing necropsies on turkeys. When he confirmed the masses he found in some of his birds were cancerous tumors, Siopes decided to see whether photoperiod had any effect on the cancers.
What he found was startling. By adjusting photoperiod for a shorter day length, Siopes was able to eradicate tumors. When he put the turkeys whose tumors had completely disappeared back on longer days, the tumors returned.
"We can literally make these cancers disappear and reappear by manipulating photoperiod," Siopes says. He's also found that melatonin injections will slow tumor development.
From: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/magazine/spring05/night.htm
Just enough to see one's hand in front of one's face is enough. Low light during the day (during winter on a constant basis) can lead to blindness. While treating injured birds, indoors, a low light level will keep them calmer.
"We've developed a way to regulate the immune system of an animal in a simple, inexpensive way without pharmacology," says Siopes.
The immune response to the light-dark cycle occurs quickly. "We can see effects in one to two weeks," Siopes says. The immune systems of birds kept in short-day conditions are much more robust than birds living under longer light regimes.
Siopes explains that exposing turkeys to the light equivalent of short days stimulates the pineal gland, which produces melatonin, a hormone that is a powerful immune system enhancer. The more daily darkness, the more melatonin.
It seems that 3 to 5 percent of turkey hens develop spontaneous ovarian tumors. Siopes first noticed the cancers a number of years ago when doing necropsies on turkeys. When he confirmed the masses he found in some of his birds were cancerous tumors, Siopes decided to see whether photoperiod had any effect on the cancers.
What he found was startling. By adjusting photoperiod for a shorter day length, Siopes was able to eradicate tumors. When he put the turkeys whose tumors had completely disappeared back on longer days, the tumors returned.
"We can literally make these cancers disappear and reappear by manipulating photoperiod," Siopes says. He's also found that melatonin injections will slow tumor development.
From: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/magazine/spring05/night.htm
Just enough to see one's hand in front of one's face is enough. Low light during the day (during winter on a constant basis) can lead to blindness. While treating injured birds, indoors, a low light level will keep them calmer.
Interesting...Thanks for sharing.
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