4.7. Hepatic enzyme activity

Wild capercaillies had lower EROD activity than hand-reared capercaillies, but no interspecific difference could be detected in the activity of this enzyme. Both capercaillies and grey partridges had similar PROD activity, but hand-reared birds had higher enzyme activity than wild birds of either of the species. Capercaillies had lower COH activity than grey partridges (IV, Table 1), but the enzyme activity was similar in both wild and hand-reared individuals of either of these species.

The quebracho tannin added in the food of hand-reared grey partridges did not affect the hepatic enzyme activity (V, Table 2). Postmortal decrease in the hepatic enzyme activity in grey partridges was obvious (IV, Fig. 1). After 30 minutes the enzyme activity had lowered by about 34–69 % depending on the substrate used.