Effects of caponization on bone characteristics and histological structure in chickens

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of caponization on the bone characteristics, biomechanical property and histology in Taiwan country chickens fed to market age of 26 wks. Male Taiwan country chickens DxL 2 were caponized or sham-operated at 8 wks of age, and selected healthy sham-operated and completely caponized chickens (prominent degenerated comb) were selected at 16 wks old and fed to 26 wks old for the trials. Fifteen intact male chickens (Intact), sham-operated chickens (Sham) and caponized chickens (Capon) were assigned for trial 1, and sixteen Intact and Capon were assigned for trial 2. Results in trial 1 showed that the abdominal fat and relative abdominal fat weights of Capon were significantly heavier than Intact and Sham (p<0.05), while the tibia weight and relative weight were the lightest (p<0.05). The tibia breaking strength, bending moment and stress of Capon were the poorest among groups (p<0.05). The trial 2 produced the similar observation that Capon were significantly lighter than Intact (p<0.05) in the tibia weight, relative tibia weight and their biomechanical properties. On histological determinations, Capon showed a thinner cartilage end and fewer chondrocytes (about 50%) and trabecular, and bigger marrow cavity; while decreased hemopoietic cells number with increased adipocytes than Intact observed by H&E stain and at low magnification. At high magnification, Capon showed a decrease in the chondrocyte size by 33 to 50%, with smaller nucleus located near the cell membrane, and exhibited monocellular form chondrocytes. Capon also showed a less strongly acidic sulfated mucosubstance with weaker dyeing property within cartilage zone, and smaller chondrocytes size by Alcian blue stain.