The Influence of Prolactin on Food Intake of Turkey Hens

The effect of intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of turkey prolactin on food intake of turkey hens was studied. Adult, nonlaying medium-weight turkey hens, exposed to 6 hr of light per day, were used in Experiment 1. In Experiments 2 and 3, medium-weight and large-weight turkey hens, respectively, exposed to a long photoperiod and in production, were used. Prolactin was injected into free-feeding hens at doses ranging from 800 to 3200 ng. The ICV injection of prolactin had no significant effect on food intake of hens maintained under 6 hr light per day and not in egg production. In hens exposed to long photoperiods and in egg production, the ICV injection of prolactin caused a significant decrease in food intake. These results suggest that prolactin, acting at the level of the central nervous system, decreases food intake in photostimulated turkey hens.