Research Note: Sex difference in changes in heterophil to lymphocyte ratios in response to acute exposure of both corticosterone and cortisol in the Pekin duck

Poultry scientists have utilized both direct and indirect measures of stress hormones for monitoring the state of avian welfare. For decades, it has been assumed that the mammalian and avian hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) function similarly to one another. However, there are considerable differences between the 2. Further, it has been assumed that the predominate glucocorticoid (GC) in birds was corticosterone, but recent studies have suggested that both corticosterone and cortisol are secreted. GC release is associated with an increase in blood heterophils due to increased migration from the lymph nodes and a decrease in lymphocytes due to marginalization. Both actions account for an increase in heterophil to lymphocyte ratios (HLR). The goal of this project was to determine the effect of each GC on HLR over time. To achieve this, we intramuscularly injected 2.0 mg/kg of corticosterone or cortisol, a lower dose cortisol treatment (0.5 mg/kg), or safflower oil as vehicle control. Blood was collected prior to intramuscular (IM) injections and blood collected 3 more times at every hour. Blood smears were also collected to assess HLR at the same four time points. HLR assays were completed by avian pathologists from an independent lab who were unaware of the treatments. Data were analyzed by 3-way repeated measures ANOVA with a P < 0.05 considered significant. We found significant sex (P < 0.001) x treatment (P < 0.001) x time (P < 0.001) effects with significant interactions (P = 0.0055). In hens, both GC resulted in significant increase in HLR at 1 h after injection compared to controls. In drakes, however, both GC showed a significant increase in HLR but not until 2 h after injection. The low dose cortisol had no significant effect on HLR in either sex. These data suggest that sex differences need to be considered when assessing duck welfare, and that cortisol may play a role in the HPA axis in ducks.