Abstract
This study was designed to determine the effect of using two different ages of mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) adults within the first breeding season on reproductive tests under standard Toxic Substances Control Act avian reproductive guide-lines. The adult age groups were 7 and 11 months at test initiation. The test chemical was an organophosphate insecticide, chlorpyrifos. The parameters evaluated included food consumption, adult body weight, brain acetylcholinesterase levels, egg production, fertility, hatchability, egg shell thickness, egg weight, and duckling survival and weight. Chlorpyrifos exposure reduced adult body weight, brain acetylcholinesterase activity, egg production, egg shell thickness, egg weight, and day 0 duckling weight in both age groups. Statistically, adult age affected only duckling day 14 weight. However, three of the 7-month hens produced phenotypically different ducklings, suggesting the presence of a different genotype which may have impacted the day 14 weight. Overall age ranging between 7 and 11 months at test initiation did not affect this mallard reproductive test. In addition, the results of this study demonstrate the importance of using phenotypicaily and genotypically similar test birds.
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Gile, J.D., Meyers, S.M. Effect of adult mallard age on avian reproductive tests. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 15, 751–755 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01054922
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01054922