The Effect of Environmental Temperature on Immune Response and Metabolism of the Young Chicken

The effect of intramuscular (IM) injection, per se, on heat (H) production was investigated in ad libitum- and restricted-fed pullets held at normal (21 C) and low (10 C) environmental temperatures. At 21 C IM injection, per se, decreased H-production of ad libitum- and restricted-fed pullets for 2 to 4 hr after injection. This effect was significant (P less than .01) in ad libitum-fed pullets, held at 21 C as well as at 10 C. Thus, when studying the effect of an immune response on the energy metabolism, an effect may be confounded with the effect of the IM injection per se when the measurements are made during the first 2 to 4 hr following injection.