Validation of an Alternative Feather Sampling Method to Measure Corticosterone
The most common feather sampling method for feather corticosterone measurement is by plucking the feathers from the bird’s skin. This procedure performed on living, restrained birds is qualified as an animal experiment according to German/European legislation, which has to be applied for from the co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/11/2054 |
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| author | Marielu Voit Roswitha Merle Katrin Baumgartner Lorenzo von Fersen Lukas Reese Mechthild Ladwig-Wiegard Hermann Will Oriol Tallo-Parra Annaïs Carbajal Manel Lopez-Bejar Christa Thöne-Reineke |
| author_facet | Marielu Voit Roswitha Merle Katrin Baumgartner Lorenzo von Fersen Lukas Reese Mechthild Ladwig-Wiegard Hermann Will Oriol Tallo-Parra Annaïs Carbajal Manel Lopez-Bejar Christa Thöne-Reineke |
| author_sort | Marielu Voit |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The most common feather sampling method for feather corticosterone measurement is by plucking the feathers from the bird’s skin. This procedure performed on living, restrained birds is qualified as an animal experiment according to German/European legislation, which has to be applied for from the competent authorities. The Directive 2010/63/EU requires the full implementation of the 3-R Principle of Russel and Burch in animal experiments, which means not only to replace the use of animals, but also to reduce the number of animals used and to refine procedures whenever possible. In response to this issue, the aim of this study was to validate an alternative, less invasive sampling method by cutting feathers close to the skin in comparison to the gold standard of plucking them. For this proof-of-principle study, a conventional poultry husbandry with trial groups of geese (<i>Anser anser domesticus</i>) and ducks (<i>Anas sterilis</i>) was selected. All birds were kept under the same living conditions to standardize the influencing factors regarding husbandry, and thus, their stress levels. Feather samples were collected between the shoulders from 46 geese and 51 ducks, both by cutting as well as by plucking, directly after slaughter for meat production. Feather corticosterone levels were measured with Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Results were compared using Bland–Altman plots and concordance correlation coefficients (CCC). It could be seen that concordance between corticosterone levels in cut and plucked feathers was rather poor: 0.38 for <i>Anser</i>, and 0.57 for <i>Anas</i>. However, comparing the mean corticosterone values in pg/mm of each species with their respective standard deviations, the differences between the methods were negligible. As the results showed that the differences between the individuals were markedly greater than the differences between the methods, the determination of corticosterone levels in cut feathers is valid compared to using plucked feathers. The validation tests of ELISA showed only acceptable repeatability and reliability. Hence, the results should be verified in further studies. In conclusion, it is recommended for future research to use cut instead of plucked feathers for corticosterone measurement. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:03:25Z |
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| id | doaj.art-ca9de105999f49a2bb4a00a359fa67cf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T15:03:25Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-ca9de105999f49a2bb4a00a359fa67cf2023-11-20T19:59:48ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-11-011011205410.3390/ani10112054Validation of an Alternative Feather Sampling Method to Measure CorticosteroneMarielu Voit0Roswitha Merle1Katrin Baumgartner2Lorenzo von Fersen3Lukas Reese4Mechthild Ladwig-Wiegard5Hermann Will6Oriol Tallo-Parra7Annaïs Carbajal8Manel Lopez-Bejar9Christa Thöne-Reineke10Animal Behaviour and Laboratory Animal Science, Institute of Animal Welfare, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, D-14163 Berlin, GermanyInstitute for Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, D-14163 Berlin, GermanyTiergarten Nürnberg, Am Tiergarten 30, D-90480 Nuremberg, GermanyTiergarten Nürnberg, Am Tiergarten 30, D-90480 Nuremberg, GermanyAnimal Behaviour and Laboratory Animal Science, Institute of Animal Welfare, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, D-14163 Berlin, GermanyAnimal Behaviour and Laboratory Animal Science, Institute of Animal Welfare, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, D-14163 Berlin, GermanyInstitute for Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, D-14163 Berlin, GermanyVeterinary Faculty, Campus UAB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, SpainVeterinary Faculty, Campus UAB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, SpainVeterinary Faculty, Campus UAB, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, SpainAnimal Behaviour and Laboratory Animal Science, Institute of Animal Welfare, Freie Universität Berlin, Königsweg 67, D-14163 Berlin, GermanyThe most common feather sampling method for feather corticosterone measurement is by plucking the feathers from the bird’s skin. This procedure performed on living, restrained birds is qualified as an animal experiment according to German/European legislation, which has to be applied for from the competent authorities. The Directive 2010/63/EU requires the full implementation of the 3-R Principle of Russel and Burch in animal experiments, which means not only to replace the use of animals, but also to reduce the number of animals used and to refine procedures whenever possible. In response to this issue, the aim of this study was to validate an alternative, less invasive sampling method by cutting feathers close to the skin in comparison to the gold standard of plucking them. For this proof-of-principle study, a conventional poultry husbandry with trial groups of geese (<i>Anser anser domesticus</i>) and ducks (<i>Anas sterilis</i>) was selected. All birds were kept under the same living conditions to standardize the influencing factors regarding husbandry, and thus, their stress levels. Feather samples were collected between the shoulders from 46 geese and 51 ducks, both by cutting as well as by plucking, directly after slaughter for meat production. Feather corticosterone levels were measured with Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Results were compared using Bland–Altman plots and concordance correlation coefficients (CCC). It could be seen that concordance between corticosterone levels in cut and plucked feathers was rather poor: 0.38 for <i>Anser</i>, and 0.57 for <i>Anas</i>. However, comparing the mean corticosterone values in pg/mm of each species with their respective standard deviations, the differences between the methods were negligible. As the results showed that the differences between the individuals were markedly greater than the differences between the methods, the determination of corticosterone levels in cut feathers is valid compared to using plucked feathers. The validation tests of ELISA showed only acceptable repeatability and reliability. Hence, the results should be verified in further studies. In conclusion, it is recommended for future research to use cut instead of plucked feathers for corticosterone measurement.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/11/2054feather corticosteronecomparative studyplucked featherscut feathersDomestic GooseMulard Duck |
| spellingShingle | Marielu Voit Roswitha Merle Katrin Baumgartner Lorenzo von Fersen Lukas Reese Mechthild Ladwig-Wiegard Hermann Will Oriol Tallo-Parra Annaïs Carbajal Manel Lopez-Bejar Christa Thöne-Reineke Validation of an Alternative Feather Sampling Method to Measure Corticosterone Animals feather corticosterone comparative study plucked feathers cut feathers Domestic Goose Mulard Duck |
| title | Validation of an Alternative Feather Sampling Method to Measure Corticosterone |
| title_full | Validation of an Alternative Feather Sampling Method to Measure Corticosterone |
| title_fullStr | Validation of an Alternative Feather Sampling Method to Measure Corticosterone |
| title_full_unstemmed | Validation of an Alternative Feather Sampling Method to Measure Corticosterone |
| title_short | Validation of an Alternative Feather Sampling Method to Measure Corticosterone |
| title_sort | validation of an alternative feather sampling method to measure corticosterone |
| topic | feather corticosterone comparative study plucked feathers cut feathers Domestic Goose Mulard Duck |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/11/2054 |
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