METABOLIC AND ANATOMICAL ADAPTATIONS OF LIGHT-BODIED CHICKS TO INTERMITTENT FEEDING

Chicks of a light-bodied strain were deprived of food on alternate days from 15-46 days of age. Hyperphagia, amounting to 2 .times. the intake of control birds early in the experiment, occurred on the repletion day. Final body wt attained 80% of that of the controls. Body fat concentration decreased at 1st but returned to that of controls after 3 wk. A consistent hyperliemia was observed after food deprivation or restoration. There was a marked increase in the digestive enzymes found in the small intestine, but not in the pancreas during the repletion day. These responses may be considered as mechanisms to reduce the physiological manifestations of starvation.