Blood Characteristics for High Altitude Adaptation in Tibetan Chickens1

ABSTRACT Tibetan chickens, a unique chicken breed native to high altitude, have good adaptation to hypoxia. The experiment was conducted to determine the adaptive blood characteristics in Tibetan chickens. Fertile eggs from Tibetan and Dwarf Recessive White chickens were incubated, and the chicks were reared until 10 wk of age at low altitude (100 m) and high altitude (2,900 m). At 1 d and 2, 6, and 10 wk of age, the hematological characteris-tics, blood gas value, and blood volume were measured. Tibetan chickens had more red blood cells (RBC), smaller mean cell volume, lower pH and partial pressure of oxy-gen, and higher partial pressure of carbon dioxide at hig