Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T11:16:46.920Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Concepts and methods for understanding bone metabolism in laying hens

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

W.K. KIM ,
S.A. BLOOMFIELD ,
T. SUGIYAMA  and
S.C. RICKE
W.K. KIM*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB R3T 2N2, Canada
S.A. BLOOMFIELD
Affiliation:
Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station TX 77843-4243, USA
T. SUGIYAMA
Affiliation:
Department of Agrobiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University, Niigata 9502181, Japan
S.C. RICKE
Affiliation:
Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas, Fayatteville, AR 72704-4678, USA
*
Corresponding author: kim@cc.umanitoba.ca
Get access

Abstract

Laying hens have a unique bone turnover due to the daily egg laying cycle. Laying hens have three distinctive kinds of bones related to egg formation: cortical, cancellous, and medullary bones. Cortical bone is a compact structural bone, whereas cancellous bone is the three-dimensional lattice-like honeycomb architecture at the end of long bones. Medullary bone is a highly labile woven bone lying in the marrow cavities. Medullary bone acts as Ca storage for egg shell formation. Thus, bone quality is closely related with egg production and eggshell quality. During the daily egg laying cycle, medullary bone osteoclasts alternately cease and accelerate bone resorption. Although osteoclast numbers are not changed during the daily egg laying cycle, considerable morphological changes in osteoclasts occur along with changes in calcium requirements for egg shell formation. Furthermore, the selection of proper methods is critical to obtain precise bone evaluation data, and include bone ashing, densitometric techniques, mechanical testing, or histomorphometry to evaluate bone status in laying hens. Since bone metabolism in laying hens is related to economic and animal welfare issues, better understanding of bone metabolism in laying hens would be important to enhance productivity and improve animal welfare.

Keywords

laying hensmedullary bonecancellous bonecortical boneosteoclastegg productionbone remodellinghistomorphometrybone density
Type
Review Article
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 68 , Issue 1 , March 2012 , pp. 71 - 82
Copyright
Copyright © World's Poultry Science Association 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

BISHOP, S.C., FLEMING, R.H., McCORMACK, H.A., FLOCK, D.K. and WHITEHEAD, C.C. (2000) Inheritance of bone characteristics affecting osteoporosis in laying hens. British Poultry Science 41: 33-40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
BLOOMFIELD, S.A., HOGAN, H.A. and DELP, M.D. (2002) Decreases in bone blood flow and bone material properties in aging Fischer-344 rats. Clinical Orthopaedics Related Research 396: 248-257.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BUJO, H., YAMAMOTO, T., HAYASHI, K., HERMANN, M., NIMPF, J. and SCHNEIDER, W.J. (1995) Mutant oocytic low density lipoprotein receptor gene family member causes atherosclerosis and female sterility. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA. 92: 9905-9909.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
BUSS, E.G. and GUYER, R.B. (1984) Bone parameters of thick and thin eggshell lines of chickens. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 78A: 449-452.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CANDLISH, J.K. (1971) The formation of mineral and organic matrix of fowl cortical and medullary bone during shell calcification. British Poultry Science 12: 119-127.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
CANDLISH, J.K. and HOLT, F.J. (1971) The proteoglycans of fowl cortical and medullary bone. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 40B: 283-293.Google Scholar
CARTER, D.R., BOUXSEIN, M.L and MARCUS, R. (1992) New approaches for interpreting projected bone densitometry data. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 7: 137-145.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
CRANSBERG, P.H., PARKINSON, G.B., WILSON, S.S. and THORP, B.H. (2001) Sequential studies of skeletal calcium reserves and structural bone volume in a commercial layer flock. British Poultry Science 42: 260-265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DACKE, C.G. (2000) The parathyroids, calcitonin, and vitamin D, in: WHITTOW, G.C. (Ed.) Avian Physiology, pp. 473-488 (London, Academic Press).Google Scholar
DACKE, C.G., ARKLE, S., COOK, D.J., WORMSTONE, I.M., JONES, S., ZAIDI, M. and BASCAL, Z.A. (1993) Medullary bone and avian calcium regulation. Journal of Experimental Biology 184: 63-88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DACKE, C.G., BOELKINS, J.N., SMITH, W.K. and KENNY, A.D. (1972) Plasma calcitonin levels in birds during the ovulation cycle. Journal of Endocrinology 54: 369-370.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
FISHER, L.W. and SCHRAER, H. (1982) Keratan sulphate proteoglycan isolated from the oestrogen-induced medullary bone in Japanese quail. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology 72B: 227-232.Google Scholar
FLEMING, R.H. (2008) Nutritional factors affecting poultry bone health. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 67: 177-183.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
FLEMING, R.H., MCCORMACK, H.A., MCTEIR, L. and WHITEHEAD, C.C. (2006) Relationships between genetic, environmental and nutritional factors influencing osteoporosis in laying hens. British Poultry Science 47: 742-755.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
FLEMING, R.H., MCCORMACK, H.A. and WHITEHEAD, C.C. (2000) Prediction of breaking strength in osteoporotic avian bone using digitized fluoroscopy, a low cost radiographic technique. Calcified Tissue International 67: 309-313.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
GASSER, J. (2003) Bone measurements by peripheral quantitative computed tomography in rodents, in: HELFRICH, M.H. & RALSTON, S.H. (Eds) Methods in Molecular Medicine, Vol. 80, pp. 323-341 (Totowa, NJ, Humana Press),Google Scholar
HESTER, P.Y., SCHREIWEIS, M.A., ORBAN, J.I., MAZZUCO, H., KOPKA, M.N., LEDUR M.C., and MOODY, D.E. (2004) Assessing bone mineral density in vivo: dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Poultry Science 83: 215-221.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
HUDSON, H.A., BRITTON, W.M., ROWLAND, G.N. and BURHR, R.J. (1993) Histomorphometric bone properties of sexually immature and mature White Leghorn Hens with evaluation of fluorochrome injection on egg production traits. Poultry Science 72: 1537-1547.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KIM, W.K., DONALSON, L.M., HERRERA, P., KUBENA, L.F., NISBET, D.J. and RICKE, S.C. (2005) Comparisons of molting diets on skeletal quality and eggshell parameters in hens at the end of the second egg-laying cycle. Poultry Science 84: 522-527.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KIM, W.K., DONALSON, L.M., STALLON, J.L., BLOOMFIEOLD, S.A., KUBENA, L.F., NISBET, D.J. and RICKE, S.C. (2007) Molt performance and bone density of cortical, medullary, and cancellous bone in laying hens during feed restriction or alfalfa-based feed molt. Poultry Science 86: 1821-1830.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KIM, W.K., FORD, B.C., MITCHELL, A., ELKIN, R.G. and JR.LEACH, R.M. (2004) Comparative assessment of bone of wild-type, restricted ovulator, and out of production hens. British Poultry Science 45: 463-470.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
KIM, W.K., DONALSON, L.M., MITCHELL, A.D., KUBENA, L.F., NISBET, D.J. and RICKE, S.C. (2006) Effects of alfalfa and fructooligosaccharide on molting parameters and bone qualities using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and conventional bone assays. Poultry Science 85: 15-20.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MAZZUCO, H. and HESTER, P.Y. (2005) The effect of an induced molt and a second cycle of lay on skeletal integrity of White Leghorns. Poultry Science 84: 771-781.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MITCHELL, A.D., ROSEBROUGH, R.W. and CONWAY, J.M. (1997) Body composition analysis of chickens by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Poultry Science 76: 1746-1752.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MILLER, S.C. (1977) Osteoclast cell-surface changes during the egg-laying cycle in Japanese quail. Journal of Cell Biology 75: 104-118.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MILLER, S.C. (1978) Rapid activation of the medullary bone osteoclast cell surface by parathyroid hormone. Journal of Cell Biology 76: 615-618.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MILLER, S.C. (1981) Osteoclast cell-surface specializations and nuclear kinetics during egg-laying in Japanese quail. American Journal of Anatatomy 162: 35-43.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MILLER, S.C. (1992) Calcium homeostasis and mineral turnover in the laying hen, in: WHITEHEAD, C.C. (Ed.) Bone Biology and Skeletal Disorders in Poultry, pp. 103-116 (Oxfordshire, Carfax Publishing Company).Google Scholar
MUELLER, W.J., SCHRAER, R. and SCHRAER, H. (1964) Calcium metabolism and skeletal dynamics of laying pullets. Journal of Nutrition 84: 20-26.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
NIMPF, J. and SCHNEIDER, W.J. (1991) Receptor-mediated lipoprotein transport in laying hens. Journal of Nutrition 121: 1471-1474.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
ODGAARD, A. (1997) Three-dimensional methods for quantification of cancellous bone architecture. Bone 20: 315-328.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
OHASHI, N., ROBLING, A.G., BURR, D.B. and TURNER, C.H. (2002) The effects of dynamic axial loading on the rat growth plate. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 17: 284-292.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
PARFITT, A.M. (1983) The physiological and clinical significance of bone histomorphometric data, in: RECKER, R.R. (Ed.) Bone Histomorphometry: Techniques and Interpretation, pp. 143-224 (Boca Raton, FL, CRC Press).Google Scholar
RICZU, C.M., SAUNDERS-BLADES, J.L., YNGVESSON, A.K., ROBINSON, F.E. and KORVER, D.R. (2004) End-of-cycle bone quality in white- and brown-egg laying hens. Poultry Science 83: 375-383.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SUGIYAMA, T. and KUSUHARA, S. (1993) Ultrastructural changes of osteoclasts on hen medullary bone during the egg-laying cycle. British Poultry Science 34: 471-477.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SUGIYAMA, T. and KUSUHARA, S. (1994a) The kinetics of actin filaments in osteoclasts on chicken medullary bone during the egg-laying cycle. Bone 15: 351-353.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
SUGIYAMA, T. and KUSUHARA, S. (1994b) Effect of parathyroid hormone on osteoclasts in organ-cultured medullary bone. Japanese Poultry Science 31: 392-399.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SUGIYAMA, T. and KUSUHARA, S. (2001) Avian calcium metabolism and bone function. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 14: 82-90.Google Scholar
SUGIYAMA, T., OHASHI, T. and KUSUHARA, S. (1993) Inhibition of osteoclastic bone resorption by calcitonin in cultured medullary bone of laying hens. Japanese Poultry Science 30: 16-23.Google Scholar
TURNER, C.H. and BURR, D.B. (1993) Basic biomechanical measurements of bone: a tutorial. Bone 14: 595-608.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
VAN DE VELDE, J.P., LOVERIDGE, N. and VERMEIDEN, J.P. (1984a) Parathyroid hormone responses to calcium stress during eggshell calcification. Endocrinology 115: 1901-1904.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
VAN DE VELDE, J.P., VERMEIDEN, J.P., TOUW, J.J. and VELDHUIJZEN, J.P. (1984b) Changes in activity of chicken medullary bone cell populations in relation to the egg-laying cycle. Metabolic Bone Disease and Related Research 5: 191-193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
VAN DE VELDE, J.P., VERMEIDEN, J.P.W. and BLOOT, A.M. (1985) Medullary bone matrix formation, mineralization, and remodelling related to the daily egg-laying cycle of Japanese quail: a histological and radiological study. Bone 6: 321-327.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
WHITEHEAD, C.C. and FLEMING, R.H. (2000) Osteoporosis in cage layers. Poultry Science 79: 1033-1041.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
WILSON, S., SOLOMON, S.E. and THORP, B.H. (1998) Bisphosphonates: a potential role in the prevention of osteoporosis in laying hens. Research in Veterinary Science 64: 37-40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
WILSON, S. and THORP, B.H. (1998) Estrogen and cancellous bone loss in the fowl. Calcified Tissue International 62: 506-511.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
YOSHIKO, Y., KUSUHARA, S. and ISHIDA, K. (1987) Histological studies of the medullary bone of hens producing soft-shelled eggs. Japanese Journal of Zootechnical Science 58: 123-130.Google Scholar
YOSHIKO, Y., KUSUHARA, S. and ISHIDA, K. (1988) Fine structure of medullary bone matrix in hens producing soft-shelled eggs. Bulletin of the Faculty of Agriculture, Niigata University 40: 71-75.Google Scholar
ZHANG, B. and COON, C.N. (1997) The relationship of various tibia bone measurements in hens. Poultry Science 76: 1698-1701.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed