The effect of pre-sampling handling time on blood plasma biochemical parameters of broilers

Effects of varying periods of handling (capture, restraint, and blood sampling) on selected biochemical indices in hybrid meat poultry breeds were monitored in a group of unsexed 42 day old ROSS 308 broiler chickens. Duration of handling was significantly and positively correlated with corticosterone plasma concentration (p < 0.001). The level of corticosterone in broilers exposed to handling for a period of 6 min was almost seven times that of broilers that underwent handling, including blood sampling within 1,5 min after capture. Positive correlations were also found between duration of handling and lactate level (p < 0.001), whereas negative correlations were found between duration of handling and triglycerides concentration (p < 0.05) as well as between duration of handling and cholesterol level (p < 0.01). It follows from the results that the collection of blood samples in broilers should be performed within 3 min in order to ensure that the values of the monitored parameters are not affected by stress induced by pre-sampling handling.