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. 2021 May 12;100(8):101243. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2021.101243

Table 3.

Short- (rearing period) and long-term (laying period) effects of stocking density during rearing on number of immune cells [#/µL] and heterophil to lymphocyte ratio in whole blood.1

Rearing period
 Laying period
 P value
Parameter LSD2 HSD3 LSD2 HSD3 Stocking density Stocking density × period
Leukocytes4 46,034 ± 3,302 44,068 ± 3,148 35,797 ± 2,666 35,118 ± 2,762 0.199 0.616
Thrombocytes 50,957 ± 2,732 50,103 ± 2,851 49,549 ± 3,056 49,758 ± 3,137 0.910 0.854
Monocytes4 1,839 ± 196 1,867 ± 195 2,664 ± 298 2,968 ± 368 0.350 0.479
Heterophils4 (H) 1,973 ± 105 2,101 ± 116 3,444 ± 320 5,231 ± 436 0.198 0.656
T lymphocytes4 21,625 ± 549a 20,548 ± 494b 13,153 ± 373a 11,443 ± 406b 0.0002 0.078
T helper cells4 8,605 ± 701 8,349 ± 677 5,830 ± 474 5,231 ± 436 0.110 0.339
γδ T cells4 8,634 ± 354a 7,819 ± 313b 4,345 ± 220a 3,447 ± 199b < 0.0001 0.071
CD8α+ γδ T cells4 3,228 ± 1,540a 2,566 ± 1,223b 360 ± 173a 289 ± 139b 0.007 0.955
CD8α− γδ T cells4 3,211 ± 1,108 3,137 ± 1,086 3,730 ± 1,308 2,937 ± 1,041 0.222 0.311
Cytotoxic T cells4 4,075 ± 270 3,977 ± 289 2,868 ± 204 2,605 ± 198 0.117 0.341
B lymphocytes4 3,203 ± 220 3,222 ± 230 2,619 ± 209 2,210 ± 202 0.306 0.275
Lymphocytes4 (L) 25,176 ± 653a 24,342 ± 581b 15,988 ± 481a 13,966 ± 517b 0.002 0.058
H/L ratio4 0.078 ± 0.004b 0.086 ± 0.005a 0.214 ± 0.021b 0.282 ± 0.037b 0.024 0.284

a,bValues in row with no common superscript letter are significantly different within the respective period (P < 0.05).

1

Data are shown as LSmeans ± SEM based on n = 72 observations per treatment at the end of the rearing period and n = 35–36 during the laying period.

2

LSD, low stocking density during rearing (13 birds/m2).

3

HSD, high stocking density during rearing (23 birds/m2).

4

Data that required logarithmic transformation are reported on the original scale after back transformation.