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Feather - Anatomy & Physiology (view source)
Revision as of 10:54, 16 July 2008
, 10:54, 16 July 2008no edit summary
<big><center>[[Integumentary - Anatomy & Physiology|'''BACK TO INTEGUMENTARY - ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY''']]</center></big>
<big><center>[[Integumentary - Anatomy & Physiology|'''BACK TO INTEGUMENTARY - ANATOMY & PHYSIOLOGY''']]</center></big>
==Introduction==
==Functions of the Feather==
==Functions of the Feather==
There is no indication that (mal)nutrition has any proximal control over the onset of the moult as moult will proceed irrespective of the nutrtional status of the bird.
There is no indication that (mal)nutrition has any proximal control over the onset of the moult as moult will proceed irrespective of the nutrtional status of the bird.
Inadequate nutrition pre- or peri-moult will result in the bird adjusting its moult by:
*delaying or interrupting the moult
*reducing the rate of feather production (to meet nutritive intake or reduce daily needs)
*sustaining the production at the cost of other body functions
*or a combination of the above
The result of these changes is either a protracted moult or poor quality feathers (pigmentation changes, structural defects to the barbs, 'thin' feathers).
'''Fret marks''' (stress lines) appear as clear breaks in the feather colour as a result of interruption in feather growth and malformation of the feather barbs. Nutritional, environmental, disease or drug stresses can result in the production of 'fret marks'.