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This experiment aimed to investigate the effects of Quercetagetin (QG) on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and cecal microbiota of broilers. Two hundred and forty 21-day-old WOD168 broilers with similar body weights were randomly divided into five groups of six replicates each with eight chickens. The control group was fed a basal diet composed of corn and soybean meal, while the experimental groups received basal diets supplemented with 0, 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg QG, along with intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg body weight Diquat (DQ). The experiment lasted for 21 days. The results showed that: (1) QG significantly alleviated the decrease in average daily feed intake and average daily gain induced by Diquat, reduced the elevation of serum ACTH content, and significantly increased GH content (P < 0.05); (2) QG supplementation significantly mitigated the decrease in serum CAT activity and duodenal GSH-Px activity induced by Diquat (P < 0.05), as well as the increase in MDA content (P < 0.05); additionally, QG significantly increased the gene expression levels of GSH-Px, Nrf2 , and Keap1 (P < 0.05); (3) Alpha and Beta diversity analysis revealed that QG supplementation significantly increased the cecal microbial OTUs and Chao1 index of broilers (P < 0.05). At the phylum level, compared with the Diquat group, the LQG group significantly decreased the relative abundance of Firmicutes (P < 0.05) and significantly increased the relative abundance of Bacteroidota (P < 0.05). At the genus level, compared with the CON group, the Diquat group significantly decreased the abundance of Lactobacillus and Alistipes (P < 0.05), while QG supplementation significantly alleviated the decrease in the abundance of Lactobacillus and Alistipes (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the addition of an appropriate amount (20 mg/kg) of QG to the diet can promote the growth of broilers, enhance antioxidant capacity, and improve intestinal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucose oxidase (GOD) has been investigated as a potential additive for enhancing intestinal health and growth performance in poultry. However, limited research exists on the effects of ultra-high doses of GOD in practical poultry production. This study aimed to investigate the impact of high dietary GOD levels on broiler growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal microbiota. A total of 400 healthy, 1-day-old, slow-growing broiler chickens were randomly assigned to four treatment groups. The control group was fed a standard basal diet, while the other groups (G1, G2, and G3) were fed the basal diet supplemented with 4 U/g, 20 U/g, and 100 U/g of VTR GOD, respectively. The results showed that a dose of 100 U/g GOD significantly improved the final body weight and average daily feed intake (ADFI) (p < 0.05). Additionally, the G3 group exhibited a marked increase in glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity (p < 0.05), reflecting enhanced antioxidant function. Gut morphology remained intact across all groups, indicating no adverse effects on intestinal barrier integrity. Microbiota analysis revealed significant increases (p < 0.05) in Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobiota abundance at the phylum level in the GOD-supplemented groups. Moreover, GOD treatments significantly increased the abundance of Faecalibacterium , Mucispirllum , and CHKCI001 at the genus level. Metabolic function predictions suggested that high-dose GOD supplementation enriched carbohydrate metabolism, particularly starch and sucrose metabolism. Correlation analysis indicated that Faecalibacterium and CHCKI001 were two bacteria strongly influenced by GOD supplementation and were associated with enhanced growth performance and improved gut health. In conclusion, high-dose GOD supplementation had no adverse effects and demonstrated significant benefits, promoting both growth performance and gut health in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. This study evaluated the validity, inter-assessor reliability and intra-assessor repeatability of three visual scoring systems for litter quality, one known as the Welfare Quality Assessment Protocol© and two complementary systems for friability and humidity developed by the ClassyFarm initiative.2. In 6 rooms of an experimental barn, 2450 medium-growing broiler chickens were reared on coarse sawdust litter until they reached a body weight of 2.2 kg at 43 days of age, with a stocking density of 33 kg/m2.3. Sixty-six litter samples were analysed for litter moisture at two different time points during the broiler chickens’ production cycle, and were visually scored using the three systems, two consecutive times, by 7 assessors to analyse their validity, inter-reliability and intra-repeatability according to the litter moisture level.4. The three resulting scores were correlated with the litter moisture (p < 0.001) and correlations were stronger when the litter moisture was above 35%. Similarly, inter-assessor reliability and intra-assessor repeatability were better for all three scoring systems when litter moisture was above 35% than when it was below 35%.5. The ClassyFarm Friability system was the most reliable regardless of litter moisture level. The ClassyFarm Humidity system was the least reliable and repeatable when the litter moisture was below 35%. The Welfare Quality scoring system lay between the two ClassyFarm systems considering inter-assessor reliability, but was as repeatable as the ClassyFarm Friability system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: H9N2 avian influenza viruses have been circulating in Bangladesh since 2006, affecting multiple avian species and resulting in economic losses. The recent emergence of tribasic strains, along with co-infections, has increased the risk to poultry health. Therefore, the study aimed to compare the immune responses of Sonali (crossbred) and commercial broiler chickens infected with tribasic H9N2 low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) virus. Methods: Following H9N2 infection, proinflammatory (IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β and TNF-α) and antiviral (IFN-β and IFN-γ) cytokine expressions were observed in the trachea, lungs, intestine, and lymphoid tissues in Sonali and broiler chickens from 1 day post infection (dpi) to 10 dpi by qPCR. Results: Sonali chickens exhibited significantly higher proinflammatory and antiviral cytokine expressions in the trachea at 3–7 days post infection (dpi), while broiler chickens showed lower immune responses. Broiler chickens displayed prolonged IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1β expression in lungs at 3–10 dpi compared to Sonali chickens. In the intestine, broiler chickens showed higher IL-6 and IL-8 expression that peaks at 1–3 dpi, while in Sonali chickens only IL-1β elevated at 10 dpi. In response to the H9N2 viruses, broiler chickens exhibited a stronger early IFN-β responses and a delayed IFN-γ responses in their lymphoid organs compared to Sonali chickens. Conclusion: This suggests distinct immune profiles between the chicken types in response to the H9N2 infection. The information sheds light on the function of innate immunity in the pathophysiology of currently circulating tribasic H9N2 virus and could assist in effective controlling of avian influenza virus spread in poultry and designing vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usage of soyabean meal (SBM) in broiler diets is economically and environmentally unsustainable thus necessitating investigation of alternative protein sources. Therefore, this study investigated effects of incremental inclusion levels of Mucuna pruriens utilis seed meal (MSM) for partial substitution of SBM in broiler diets. In a completely randomized design (CRD), 400 day-old Ross 308 chicks were allotted to 5 iso-caloric-nitrogenous MSM-containing (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%) dietary treatments. Each treatment was replicated 8 times, with each pen having 10 birds, during starter (d1 – 14), grower (d15 – 28), and finisher (d29 – 42) phases. Results showed that dietary MSM decreased feed intake (FI: quadratic: P < 0.001), body weight gain (BWG: linear: P < 0.001), and feed conversion efficiency (FCE: linear: P < 0.001) as it linearly decreased slaughter weight (SW: P < 0.001), hot carcass weight (HCW: P < 0.001), cold carcass weight (CCW: P < 0.001), dressing percentage (P < 0.001), and breast weight (P < 0.05). In contrast, dietary MSM linearly increased the weights of the liver (P < 0.01), proventriculus (P < 0.001), gizzard (P < 0.001), duodenum (P = 0.01), jejunum (P < 0.001), ileum (P < 0.001), caecum (P < 0.01), and colon (P < 0.01). Also, dietary MSM quadratically increased blood heterophils (P < 0.05) and alkaline phosphatase activity (P < 0.05) of the chickens whilst linearly increasing their serum amylase (P = 0.001) and lipase (P = 0.001) activities and linearly decreasing their serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA: P = 0.001) and cholesterol (P < 0.05). Further, dietary MSM linearly decreased chicken breast meat ultimate pH (P < 0.05) whilst linearly increasing its cooking loss (P < 0.01), drip loss (P < 0.05) and shear force (P < 0.01). In conclusion, dietary MSM compromised growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of broilers as it increased the weights of their digestive-metabolic organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The current study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary calcium pidolate (CalP) on performance, slaughtering characteristics, bone biomechanical properties, mineralisation and jejunum histomorphology in male broilers. A total of 200 one-day-old Ross 308 male chicks were randomly assigned to one of four treatments as five pen replicates, each containing 10 chicks. The basal diet without CalP was formulated to supply the nutritional needs of broilers and the treatment diets contained 0.30, 0.45 and 0.60 g/kg CalP, with limestone meeting the remaining calcium requirement.2. The addition of CalP had a quadratic effect on performance (P < 0.05) and the best performance was achieved in the group that included CalP at a dose of 0.45 g/kg but 0.60 g/kg level worsened performance. Supplementing with CalP linearly decreased carcass yield (P < 0.01) and relative breast weight (P ≤ 0.05) but the relative thigh weight increased quadratically (P < 0.05) and reached a maximum at 0.45 g/kg.3. Tibia shear force and stress linearly increased with the use of CalP in the diet (P < 0.05). Supplementation had a quadratic effect on tibial calcium (P < 0.01), reaching a maximum at 0.30 g/kg, although tibial phosphorus levels decreased linearly (P < 0.01).4. The effect of CalP on jejunum histomorphology fluctuated and, compared to the unsupplemented control group, the villus height/crypt depth ratio increased, while the other variables decreased (P < 0.05). Decrease in crypt depth with the addition of CalP was significant (P < 0.05).5. Using Ca-pidolate at a rate of 0.45 g/kg in broiler diets is sufficient to increase performance and tibia strength but 0.60 g/kg level negatively affected performance. In addition, the results of jejunum histomorphology were variable, but the crypt depth decreased with CalP levels and this is an important effect. However, further research is needed to detail the effect of CalP on broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Coccidiosis affects broiler chickens, causing economic losses since infected chickens grow less efficiently than healthy birds. Coccidiosis is caused by a parasite Eimeria that infects the gastrointestinal tract. In the current study, changes in the bacteria of the jejunum and ileum following infection with Eimeria maxima were determined. Samples were taken between 0 and 14 days post-infection. The infection resulted in decreased body weight gain, increased feed conversion ratio, compromised gut morphology, and decreased plasma carotenoid levels. Microbiota composition was determined by sequencing a portion of the 16s rDNA gene. The results indicate that infection affected the diversity within and between bacterial communities, particularly at the height of infection. In samples from infected birds, species of bacteria that can be opportunistic pathogens were more abundant than in healthy birds. In uninfected birds, bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids and are associated with improved growth were more abundant. Eimeria maxima affects the ecology of the small intestine by disrupting its integrity and changes the types of bacteria present to those that could be opportunistic pathogens. Coccidiosis is a complex gastrointestinal disease, and understanding its effects on the host will help find effective control methods in the future. Coccidiosis in broiler chickens continues to be a major disease of the gastrointestinal tract, causing economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. The goal of this study was to generate a symptomatic Eimeria maxima (1000 oocysts) infection to determine its effect on the luminal and mucosal microbiota populations (L and M) in the jejunum and ileum (J and IL). Samples were taken from day 0 to 14 post-infection, and sequencing of 16S rRNA was performed using Illumina technology. Infected birds had significantly (p < 0.0001) lower body weight gain (BWG), higher feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p = 0.0015), increased crypt depth, and decreased villus height (p < 0.05). The significant differences in alpha and beta diversity were observed primarily at height of infection (D7). Analysis of taxonomy indicated that J-L and M were dominated by Lactobacillus, and in IL-M, changeover from Candidatus Arthromitus to Lactobacillus as the major taxon was observed, which occurred quicky in infected animals. LEfSe analysis found that in the J-M of infected chickens, Lactobacillus was significantly more abundant in infected (IF) chickens. These findings show that E. maxima infection affects the microbiota of the small intestine in a time-dependent manner, with different effects on the luminal and mucosal populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of substituting inorganic trace minerals (ITM) with advanced chelate technology-based TM (ACTM) in broiler chicken feed on productive performance, metabolic profile, humoral immunity, antioxidant status, and modulation of NF-kB and Nrf2 signaling pathways in mixed Eimeria species exposure. The study involved 480 newly hatched male broiler chickens, which were divided into 5 treatment groups, each with 6 replicate cages and 16 chickens per replicate. The experimental treatments included an uninfected negative control group fed a basal diet with recommended inorganic TM levels (NC), an infected positive control group fed the same diet (PC), a PC group supplemented with salinomycin (SAL), and two PC groups in which the basal diet was replaced with 50% and 100% ACTM instead of inorganic TM (ACTM50 and ACTM100, respectively). All groups, except for the NC group, were orally challenged with mixed Eimeria species oocysts on day 14. According to the results, the PC group showed lower feed intake, breast yield, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration, lactobacillus spp. counts, and serum IgG levels, but higher jejunal TGF-β expression versus the NC group. The broilers in the NC, SAL, and ACTM100 groups showed higher body weight gain, carcass yield, and TGF-β expression, but lower serum alkaline phosphatase activity, ileal E. coli count, and jejunal expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IFN-γ, Nrf2, and SOD1 compared to the PC group, with the NC group having the highest body weight gain and lowest IL-1β and Nrf2 expression levels. Furthermore, the administration of ACTM100 treatment improved feed efficiency, increased serum iron, zinc, manganese, and copper levels, enhanced total antioxidant capacity and different antioxidant enzyme activities, and reduced malondialdehyde concentration. In conclusion, complete replacement of ITM with ACTM effectively protects broilers from Eimeria infection, with similar positive effects to SAL treatment in terms of productive performance and anti-inflammatory responses and better antioxidant responses and mineral availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance, carcass traits, gut health, and immune response of broilers supplemented potato peel–extracted prebiotic dietary fibers was assessed. The potato peel waste of potato flake processing industry was pre-treated, dried, and powdered constituting 72.37% insoluble and 6.6% soluble dietary fibers, respectively. The growth of probiotic Lactobacillus strain in the presence of prebiotic increased from 108 to 1012 colony-forming unit (CFU)/ml. Antimicrobial effect against pathogenic bacteria S. aureus and E. coli increased by 42.85%. Butyrate production increased from 18 to 30 mmol under in vitro poultry gut. Thereafter, 300 one-day-old straight run broiler chicks were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups and control, replicated 4 times with 15 chicks each as per one-way ANOVA. Control (T0) (Pre-0) was fed with standard broiler diet as per BIS (2007) without antibiotic or prebiotic, and T1 was fed T0 diet + antibiotic @500 g/ton (Ab-500); while T2, T3, and T4 were fed T0 diet + prebiotic supplementation @ 250, 500, and 750 g/ton, respectively (Pre-250, Pre-500, and Pre-750). The cumulative feed intake, body weights, and feed conversion ratio improved significantly (P < 0.05) in prebiotic groups during finisher and overall period. The nutrient metabolizability improved significantly in prebiotic groups. The carcass traits were significantly improved in Pre-500. Prebiotic supplementation improved hematological parameters, immune organs' weight, and HI titer at day 42. Villi length increased significantly in Pre-500. It is concluded that dietary prebiotic supplementation at 500 g/ton improved performance, carcass characteristics, gut health, and immune response of broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The amount of calcium and phosphorus in the empty, feather-free bodies of Cobb 700 breed males and females was measured from hatch to 15 weeks of age.2. A four-phase ad libitum feeding programme was used to feed 400 chicks of each sex. Feeds contained commercial levels of calcium and phosphorus which met or exceeded the requirements for energy, protein and amino acids. All birds were weighed weekly. Ten birds per sex were sampled at 0, 7, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84 and 105 d of age. Defeathered birds were minced, freeze-dried and then analysed for protein, ash, calcium and phosphorus content.3. Amounts of Ca in males and females at 105 d averaged 54 and 37 g, respectively, and 105 d P content in males and females averaged 35 and 27 g, respectively. The allometry of ash, Ca and P with empty, feather-free body protein was assessed. Ash was isometric with body protein, while an allometric exponent greater than 1 was established for Ca and P with body protein.4. The allometric models and means for Ca and P relative to body protein were compared with models and means found in the literature. Comparison of the Ca/protein ratios with previous data suggested that modern broilers may not reach their potential bone mineral deposition with current dietary guidelines, even when growth rates were maximised.5. Theoretical allometric relationships between Ca and P in bone and bone-free body and body protein have now been proposed. The allometric relationship between Ca and P and empty, feather-free body protein offers a suitable way to model the growth of these minerals in the broiler body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing poultry performance and productivity represent the cornerstone in the poultry industry. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of multivitamins (A, B1, B6, D3, E) supplementation on improving the health and immune status of broilers via hematological parameters, lipid profile, and hepato-renal functions of Ross 308 broilers. Forty Ross 308 broilers of both sexes were divided equally into two groups, control group given standard ration and water supply and the supplemented group given standard ration and water supply plus 10 ml of multivitamins per 1 liter of water (vitamin A 1 MUI; vitamin D 30.1 MUI; vitamin E 400 UI; vitamin B1250 mg; vitamin B6 250 mg) for 28 days. Blood was collected at the end of day 28 of the experiment. Complete blood count, liver enzymes, lipid profile and kidney functions were evaluated. Significant differences were reported between the control and multivitamins supplemented group regarding WBCs, RBCs, MCV and MCH, ALP, direct bilirubin. Significant decreases of cholesterol (P=0.007), triglyceride (P=0.011), HDL (P=0.000), LDL (P=0.004) and urea (P=0.000) were also reported between the control and multivitamins supplemented group. In conclusion, the use of multivitamins has a significant positive effect on hematological parameters, WBCs, RBCs, MCV and MCH, level of alkaline phosphatase, direct bilirubin, urea and LDL. The use of multivitamins has a significant effect on decreasing the levels of cholesterol, triglyceride, and HDL. Therefore, the study recommends supplementation of multivitamins to promote the growth and health of broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Campylobacter is one of the most frequent bacterial foodborne pathogens worldwide. Poultry is the disease's most clinically significant host species. Despite their importance to public health, the virulence factors and mechanisms that drive C. jejuni pathogenicity are poorly understood, and the relationships between these genes and strain origins remain unclear. In this study, we intended to examine the prevalence, virulence and biofilm formation genes, and antibiotic resistance of C. jejuni isolated from cloacal swab samples of commercial chicken in Aswan Governorate, Egypt. Random samples of fresh chickens (n = 103) were collected from different retail markets. To identify the virulence genes (flaA, cdtB, and cadF genes), polymerase chain reaction was employed in conjunction with the 23S rRNA and mapA genes unique to Campylobacter and C. jejuni, respectively. 17 (16.5%) of the 103 samples had positive Campylobacter spp. tests. C. jejuni was present in nine (8.7%) of the positive isolates. In 77%, 100%, and 88.8% of C. jejuni strains, the genes flaA, cdtB, and cadF were detected, respectively. The antibiotic resistance of the C. jejuni isolates was determined via the disc diffusion method and was observed most frequently to ceftazidime (88.9%), ceftriaxone (77.8%), cephalexin (77.8%), erythromycin (66.6%), while low resistance to levofloxacin (11.1%), and chloramphenicol (11.1%) was detected. These findings highlight the high prevalence of Campylobacter in fresh chickens, which is thought to be the main risk factor for domestically obtained campylobacteriosis in Aswan Governorate, Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the potential of vitamin C (VC) and/or betaine (Bet) to enhance growth performance, regulate serum metabolism, and bolster antioxidant function aiming to mitigate the impact of heat stress (HS) on broilers. Two hundred Ross 308 broilers at 28 days of age were randomly assigned to five groups. The control group, housed at 24 ± 1℃, was fed a basal diet. High-temperature treatment groups, housed at 32 ± 1℃, received a basal diet with 0 (HS group), 250 mg/kg VC (HSVC group), 1000 mg/kg Bet (HSBe group), and 250 mg/kg VC + 1000 mg/kg Bet (HSVCBe group). On day 42, assessments were made on growth performance, muscle quality, serum biochemistry, and antioxidant function. Results revealed that HS significantly lowered (P < 0.05) average daily feed intake (ADFI), the degree of redness (a*) in muscles, and serum total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) level. It also reduced (P < 0.01) average daily gain (ADG), and serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) level, while increasing (P < 0.05) shear force, serum direct bilirubin (D-BIL), uric acid (UA), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels compared with the control group. Dietary supplementation of VC and Bet, either alone or in combination, significantly decreased shear force and serum UA level, while increasing ADG and serum T-AOC, T-SOD level compared with the HS group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the addition of VC and/or Bet to the diet proves effective in enhancing the growth performance of HS-exposed broilers through the positive regulation of serum chemical metabolism and the alleviation of oxidative damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious bronchitis in birds, caused by a coronavirus, is a highly contagious viral disease that causes economic losses in the poultry industry worldwide. It affects the respiratory, urinary, and genital tracts, and control and prevention are focused on vaccination and biosecurity measures. This study compares histopathological lesions caused by IB88, H120, and IB4-91 vaccines in broiler chickens aged 1 to 5 days. One hundred Ross 308 chickens were divided into four groups: group 1 received the IB4-91 vaccine, group 2 was administered the H120 vaccine, group 3 received the IB88 vaccine, and group 4 served as the control group. Over a period of five days, starting from the second day, five chickens from each group were randomly selected and euthanized. Histopathological samples were collected from the trachea, lungs, and kidneys, processed into slides, and examined under an optical microscope for comparative analysis. When comparing the control and vaccinated groups, there were significant differences regarding histopathological indicators. These included hyperemia and infiltration of inflammatory cells in the kidney, lung hyperemia, infiltration of inflammatory cells, necrosis of respiratory epithelium, and hyperplasia of tracheal mucous cells. Differences were noted between the IB4-91 and H120 groups regarding inflammatory cell infiltration, respiratory epithelium necrosis, tracheal mucous cell hyperplasia, and renal hyperemia. Similarly, variations were observed between the IB88 and H120 groups regarding respiratory epithelium necrosis and tracheal inflammatory cell infiltration. Furthermore, differences were identified in tracheal mucosal hyperplasia and renal hyperemia between the IB4-91 and IB88 groups. These findings highlight distinct histopathological responses induced by different vaccines in broiler chickens and emphasize the importance of vaccine selection in poultry health management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, the effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on feed intake of mammals were studied. However, its role in avian feeding regulation remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of BDNF on the food consumption of broilers and its interaction with the serotonergic system. For this purpose, five experiments were conducted on 220 broiler chickens. In the first treatment, broilers received intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of BDNF (7.5, 15, and 30 μg). BDNF (30 μg), Fluoxetine (10 μg), a serotonin reuptake inhibitor, and BDNF + Fluoxetine were injected in the second treatment. In subsequent treatments, instead of Fluoxetine, PCPA (serotonin synthesis inhibitor, 1.25 μg), SB242084 (antagonist of 5-HT2C receptor, 1.5 µg), and 8-OH-DPAT (agonist of 5-HT1A receptor, 15.25 nmol) were applied. Then, cumulative food intake was recorded for 2 hours. Based on the results, BDNF injection (15 and 30 μg) caused a significant decrease in the food intake of broilers compared to the control group (p<0.05). Simultaneous administration of PCPA and SB242084 with BDNF suppressed BDNF-induced hypophagia (p<0.05), while the injection of Fluoxetine + BDNF strengthened this hypophagic effect (p<0.05). The decrease in feed intake caused by BDNF was not significantly changed by simultaneous injection of BDNF + 8-OH-DPAT (p>0.05). According to the findings, BDNF reduces broilers' food consumption, and this effect is probably mediated via 5-HT2C receptors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: It is vitally important that methods to combat climate change-induced effects on water availability are studied in agriculture. We have previously determined the voluntary water usage of modern broilers and, in this article, further explore the molecular differences between meat-type chickens that consume more or less water than average. We show here that sugar metabolites and the expression of glucose transporter genes in the kidneys are different between these birds. These differences can aid in the selection of birds that drink less water than average for the same feed intake and body weight gain. This could help reduce the use of water in the poultry industry. Molecular differences exist between birds with high residual water intake (HRWI) compared to those with low residual water intake (LRWI). Residual water intake (RWI) is defined as the difference between the water intake of a bird and the expected water intake corrected for metabolic body weight, feed intake, and body weight gain. Tissue metabolomic analysis revealed significantly increased kidney glucose, fructose, and arabitol in the LRWI group compared to the HRWI group. mRNA expression analysis of apical sodium glucose cotransporters SGLT1, SGLT4, SGLT5, and SGLT6 showed decreased expression of SGLTs 1, 5, and 6 in LRWI birds (p < 0.05), whereas SGLT4 expression was increased compared with HRWI birds (p < 0.01). An analysis of basal glucose transporters GLUT1, GLUT2, GLUT5, and GLUT9 showed significantly increased GLUT2 expression in LRWI birds compared with HRWI birds (p < 0.01). We postulate that SGLT4 is the main apical transporter in chicken kidneys and that its increased expression reduces these birds' need for water, resulting in less drinking. This is balanced by the increased expression of the basal transporter GLUT2, indicating better glucose retention, which may partly explain the physiological mechanism behind why these birds drink less water. Innately driven broiler water intake could therefore be influenced by the expression of kidney solute transporters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The black soldier fly has been found to be a rich protein source, containing high amounts of protein and lipids, making them a valuable and sustainable alternative to conventional protein sources, such as fish and soybean meals, for broilers, which has also been demonstrated by multiple studies. Aims: A meta-analysis was conducted using peer-reviewed published research on the use of black soldier flies in poultry diets to test the hypothesis that it enhances growth performance as a sustainable alternative to plant-based protein sources. Methods: To this end, we used publicly available databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Embase) to identify peer-reviewed papers. Retrieved articles were screened for relevance and quality using established criteria. The studies were largely rejected due to non-reporting of variance measures or reporting pooled measures of variance that could not be used. As a result, eight studies were used to extract data for growth performance, including body weight gain. Key results: The meta-analysis showed that the effect of feeding black soldier fly meals on body weight gain was non-significant. However, the subgroup analysis showed that utilisation of the frozen form of the black soldier fly lowers body weight gain compared with the birds fed basal diets. Furthermore, the feed intake was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced when the broilers were fed with diets containing black soldier fly meals. The feed conversion ratio showed non-significant (P > 0.05) differences with the supplementation. Conclusions: The inclusion level of black soldier fly larvae meal in any form was seen to be safe up to 10%, and the effective duration of the supplementation was ≤35 days. Implications: The utilisation of black soldier fly as a sustainable protein source should be encouraged to facilitate farmers in terms of being less dependent on soybean meal, as well as to reduce the competition between humans and animals for plant protein sources. Due to the growing global demand for more sustainably produced animal protein, there is an intensive search for alternative feeds to replace soybeans, which increases the cost of feed due to limited availability in some countries. Black soldier fly shows great potential for substituting soybeans in poultry diets as it is a sustainable and protein-rich alternative to conventional protein sources for broilers. A meta-analysis was conducted to test the hypothesis that it enhances growth performance and can reduce competition for plant protein sources among humans and animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A typical broiler production program includes three feeding phases: Pre-starter (from day 1 to 10), Starter (11-21 days), and Grower (from day 22 to slaughter). The program should allow the bird to express its genetic potential and respond to the nutritional challenges. Objective: To determine the effect of duration of the starter and grower phases on growth performance parameters (feed intake and feed conversion), mortality, skin pigmentation, and carcass yield in broiler chickens. Methods: A total of 1,500 Ross 308 AP male broilers were randomly assigned to five feeding programs with different duration, feed presentation (pellet vs. crumble), and anticoccidial (narasin + nicarbazin vs. salynomicin). The variables evaluated were growth performance (body weight, feed intake, and feed conversion), carcass (weight and yield), breast weight and yield, and skin pigmentation. Statistical evaluations were conducted on d 28 and 40 of age. Results: On d 28 of age, differences (p<0.05) were observed for body weight and feed conversion, but not for feed intake. T4 and T5 resulted in the best weight and feed conversion. Differences (p<0.05) were recorded on d 40 for body weight, with higher values in T4 and T5 compared to T1. Carcass weight differed between T1 and T4 (p<0.05), without difference for carcass or breast performance. The statistical analyses of carcass pigmentation showed an effect on redness ("a") and yellowness ("b") at d 28. Conclusions: Body weight and feed conversion of broilers from d 22 to 28 improve by extending the starter phase one week, using pelleted feed added with an ionophore anticoccidial. Skin pigmentation of broilers at slaughter is not affected by restricting pigment intake for one week. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicken meat enrichment with n − 3 long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) is a viable delivery route for these bioactive compounds to humans. This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of nano‐constructed flaxseed oil on growth performance, the deposition of n − 3 LCPUFA in meat, and the expression of some hepatic genes involved in lipid metabolism. One hundred and eighty‐one‐day‐old Ross 308 chicks were randomly allocated to three treatments. Birds received either basal diet (control), FlxO (basal diet plus 1 mL kg−1 body weight [BW] oral flaxseed oil), or NanoFlxO (basal diet plus 1 mL kg−1 BW oral flaxseed oil nanoemulsion) treatments. In comparison to the control, both bulk and nano‐form flaxseed oil resulted in increased BW but decreased feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05). Birds in the NanoFlxO group had a reduced saturated fatty acid content of breast meat compared to the control group (p > 0.05). The breast meat was more effective than thigh muscle in the accumulation of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid following NanoFlxo treatment. The ratio of n − 6/n − 3 PUFA was significantly lower in the breast and thigh meats following both flaxseed oil treatments. The n − 3 LCPUFA incorporation rate was two times higher in broilers that were given NanoFlxO in comparison to those fed FlaxO. The highest transcript levels of acyl coenzyme A (CoA) oxidase 1, lipoprotein lipase, and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 were observed in birds fed NanoFlxO. In conclusion, NanoFlxO has a promising potential to enrich the n − 3 LCPUFA content of chicken meat as well as improve lipid metabolism. Practical Applications: This study offers further insights into the fortification of chicken meat with omega‐3 fatty acids, essential nutrients that cannot be synthesized by human body but are crucial for overall health. In a wider perspective, this could serve as a safe and practical approach to produce omega‐3 enriched meat rather than relying on supplements that may have potential side effects. Moreover, the findings of this research could pave the way to utilize nanocarriers in upcoming research in the fields of bioactive‐enriched poultry products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production of phytases from Pichia kudriavzevii FSMP-Y17 yeast was enhanced by optimization of the fermentation variables under submerged fermentation conditions. Maximum 3.67 U/mL of phytases was produced using 2.5% orange peel flour as a substrate, at pH 5.0 and temperature 50°C, by supplementing fermentation medium with 0.2% (wt/vol) galactose as carbon source and 0.2% (wt/vol) ammonium nitrate as a nitrogen source. Addition of sodium phytate to the production medium, however, did not cause any enhancing effect on phytase production by P. kudriavzevii FSMP-Y17 under submerged fermentation. The yeast enzyme purified to near homogeneity in three steps (ammonium sulphate precipitation, anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration) was found showing thermostability (from 40 to 70°C, with highest activity at 55°C) and stable at acidic pH (from 4.0 to 7.0, with highest activity at pH from 5.0 to 6.0). The purified enzyme was added to the diets of the broilers. The diets enriched with yeast phytase showed increased feed intake in the birds, while food conversion rate was lowered. The phytase supplementation caused better phosphorus retention in the birds consequently resulting in enhanced growth of the broilers. The augmented diets also showed improved egg production and egg quality in the hens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Aflatoxin B1 is the most dangerous form of aflatoxins that could be produced by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus molds. Contamination of feedstuffs with aflatoxins is problematic during the manufacturing, processing, storage, and transportation stages, and it has adverse effects on the health and productivity of poultry and human health. By using inorganic and organic toxin binders in poultry feed, aflatoxins are not allowed to be absorbed through the animal's digestive system, and it is considered a good solution to reduce their negative effects. Materials and Methods: In this research, the effects of adding a multi-component toxin binder to diets containing aflatoxin B1 were investigated on growth performance, carcass traits, and immune parameters of broilers, by using 180 one-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) in a 3×3 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design with three levels of toxin binder (0.0, 0.5, and 1.0 kg/ton) and three levels of aflatoxin B1 (0.0, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg) in nine treatments, four replications, and five chickens in each replicate. Results and Discussion: The results showed that the using of 1.0 kg/ton of toxin binder significantly reduced the negative effects of 0.5 mg/kg of aflatoxin B1 on the average daily feed intake and weight gain in the finisher and entire production periods and the final live weight in whole production period (P<0.05). The regression equations (Y= -25.033x+ 65.734) with (R²= 0.97), (Y= -23.961x+ 64.844) with (R²= 0.91), and (Y= -15.133x+ 64.319) with (R²= 0.75) were obtained to predict the average daily weight gain of birds fed with treatments containing 0.0, 0.5, and 1.0 kg/ton of "Delta bond®" toxin binder and different levels of aflatoxin B1, respectively. Feeding chickens with diets containing aflatoxin B1 significantly increased liver and spleen weights (P<0.05). All treatments containing 1.0 mg/kg of aflatoxin B1 and treatments containing 0.5 mg/kg of aflatoxin B1 and 0.0 and 0.5 kg/ton of toxin binder showed a significant decrease in the bursa of Fabricius weight compared to the other treatments (P<0.05). In addition, the treatment containing 1.0 mg/kg of aflatoxin B1 without a toxin binder increased heart weight compared to the other treatments (P<0.05). In the case of immune parameters, the amount of heterophils and the ratio of heterophils to lymphocytes were significantly increased and the number of lymphocytes was significantly decreased as the aflatoxin B1 level increased (P<0.05). Furthermore, there were no significant effects for the main and interaction of aflatoxin B1 and the toxin binder for the Newcastle antibody titer. Conclusion: Based on the results, the addition of 1.0 kg/ton of a multi-component toxin binder to diets containing 0.5 mg/kg aflatoxin B1 can improve the average daily feed intake and weight gain in the finisher and entire production periods, final live weight, and bursa of Fabricius weight of broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) is a widespread infectious respiratory pathogen affecting turkeys and chickens, with co-predominance of the subtypes A and B. Objectives: There is no official reports in Morocco about the subtypes of aMPV circulating. Hence, using quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) subtypesspecific A and B, we aimed at detecting and identifying the potential subtype(s) circulating. Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study on three broiler flocks that were strictly not vaccinated against aMPV and were located in two different geographical regions. We studied two flocks that expressed typical swollen head syndrome (SHS) and sampled them once. Furthermore, we sampled dead birds of one flock confirmed seropositive from a previous study. A total of 118 swabs pooled in 24 samples were subjected to RNA extraction and amplified using a triplex RT-PCR for specific detection of aMPV subtypes A and B. Additionally, serum samples were taken at slaughtering age to cross-check the molecular results. A total of 84 sera were analyzed with a commercial indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit to detect and titer antibodies against the two subtypes. Results: Avian metapneumovirus was detected by qRT-PCR in all flocks. About 87.50% of the samples were positive for aMPV-B, and 16.67% for aMPV-A and aMPV-B simultaneously. All flocks showed seropositivity, confirming the molecular findings. Conclusion: The present investigation is the first molecular study in Morocco to elucidate the circulation of aMPV-A and aMPV-B in broiler farms in Morocco with a dominance of aMPV-B and the possibility of co-presence of both subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Necrotic enteritis (NE) is an enteric disease of poultry that alters the structure of the gut microbial community causing dysbiosis. This 28 day experiment investigated the effects of 125% and 135% arginine diets on the gut microbial diversity and composition of broilers during a subclinical NE challenge. One hundred and twenty one-day-old chicks were randomly allocated to 4 treatments with six replicates each-Uninfected + Basal, NE + Basal, NE + Arg 125%, and NE + Arg 135% diet groups. NE was induced by inoculating 1 × 104 E. maxima sporulated oocysts on day 14 and 1 × 108 CFU C. perfringens on days 19, 20, and 21 of age. The NE challenge significantly decreased the number of observed amplicon sequence variants (p = 0.03), the abundance of the phylum Firmicutes (p < 0.01), and the species Mediterraneibacter cottocaccae (p = 0.01) in the ceca of birds on day 21. The NE challenge significantly increased the Bray-Curtis index (p < 0.01), and the abundance of the phylum Bacteroidota (p < 0.01), family Odoribacteraceae (p < 0.01), genus Odoribacter (p < 0.01), and species O. splanchnicus (p = 0.01) on day 21. During NE, the 125% arginine diet restored the abundance of the phylum Bacteroidota (p = 0.03), family Odoribacteraceae (p = 0.03) and Oscillospiraceae (p = 0.03), genus Odoribacter (p = 0.03), and species O. splanchnicus (p = 0.03) and M. cottocaccae (p < 0.01) on day 21. The 135% arginine diet effectively restored the loss in alpha diversity (p = 0.01) caused by NE, the abundance of the phylum Firmicutes (p = 0.01) and Bacteroidota (p < 0.01), family Oscillospiraceae (p = 0.03) and Odoribacteraceae (p < 0.01), genus Odoribacter (p < 0.01), and species O. splanchnicus (p < 0.01) and M. cottocaccae (p < 0.01) on day 21. On day 28, the treatments had a significant effect on the cecal propionate (p = 0.01), butyrate (p = 0.04), and total SCFA (p = 0.04) concentrations. In conclusion, the 125% and 135% arginine diets restored gut microbial composition during a subclinical NE challenge, but not the cecal SCFA profile. Hence, arginine in combination with other feed additives could be used in restoring gut microbial homeostasis during NE in poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Salmonella is an important zoonotic pathogen, of which poultry products are important reservoirs. This study analyzed the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance, and characterization of Salmonella from broiler and laying hen sources in China. Methods: A total of 138 (12.27%) strains of Salmonella were isolated from 1125 samples from broiler slaughterhouses (20.66%, 44/213), broiler farms (18.21%, 55/302), and laying hen farms (6.39%, 39/610). Multiplex PCR was used to identify the serotypes. Antibiotic susceptibility testing to a set of 21 antibiotics was performed and all strains were screened by PCR for 24 selected antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). In addition, 24 strains of Salmonella were screened out by whole-genome sequencing together with 65 released Salmonella genomes to evaluate phylogenetic characteristics, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and plasmid carriage percentages. Results: A total of 11 different serotypes were identified, with the dominance of S. Enteritidis (43/138, 31.16%), S. Newport (30/138, 21.74%), and S. Indiana (19/138, 13.77%). The results showed that S. Enteritidis (34.34%, 34/99) and S. Newport (51.28%, 20/39) were the dominant serotypes of isolates from broilers and laying hens, respectively. The 138 isolates showed the highest resistance to sulfisoxazole (SXZ, 100%), nalidixic acid (NAL, 54.35%), tetracycline (TET, 47.83%), streptomycin (STR, 39.86%), ampicillin (AMP, 39.13%), and chloramphenicol (CHL, 30.43%), while all the strains were sensitive to both tigacycline (TIG) and colistin (COL). A total of 45.65% (63/138) of the isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, and most of them (61/63, 96.83%) were from broiler sources. The results of PCR assays revealed that 63.77% of the isolates were carrying the quinolone resistance gene qnrD, followed by gyrB (58.70%) and the trimethoprim resistance gene dfrA12 (52.17%). Moreover, a total of thirty-four ARGs, eighty-nine virulence genes, and eight plasmid replicons were detected in the twenty-four screened Salmonella strains, among which S. Indiana was detected to carry the most ARGs and the fewest plasmid replicons and virulence genes compared to the other serotypes. Conclusions: This study revealed a high percentage of multidrug-resistant Salmonella from poultry sources, stressing the importance of continuous monitoring of Salmonella serotypes and antimicrobial resistance in the poultry chain, and emergency strategies should be implemented to address this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although several studies have investigated the effect of either probiotic feed additives or postmortem meat treatment on the quality of obtained chicken meat, the impact of combined treatment with probiotic feed additives along with meat dipping in essential oil nano-emulsion on meat shelf-life is barely examined. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of combined treatment with Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast (SCY) and rosemary oil nano-emulsion (RNE) on the quality and shelf-life of chilled broiler meat. The experimental part consisted of adding SCY as a feed additive to broiler ration and/or dipping the resulting chicken meat in RNE 10% for 24 hours. Afterward, chicken meat from different treated groups, as well as the control one was refrigerated (4±1°C) and periodically examined on 0, 3rd, 7th, and 9th days of storage. The obtained results revealed significant reductions in total colony, Total Enterobacteriaceae, total Staphylococci, and total fungal counts of the SCY+RNE-treated group were reduced by about 79.4%, 34%, 72.8% and 32.5% as compared to control, respectively (p<0.001). While of RNE-treated group, they were decreased by about 71.6%, 16.5%,14.4% and 26% as compared to control, respectively (p=0.001). Whereas of the SCY-treated group, they were reduced about 57.2%, 59%, 28.5% and 24.7% as compared to control, respectively (p=0.001). Additionally, meat spoilage indicators (pH, TBA-RS, TVBN) came in harmony with the microbiological results. As control group samples had the highest values of pH, TBA-RS, and TVBN, followed by the RNE-treated group and the SCY-treated group. On the other hand, the SCY+RNE-treated group showed the lowest pH, TBA-RS, and TVBN levels (p<0.001). These results confirm that treatment with SCY alone, RNE alone, and SCY+RNE prolonged the shelf-life of broiler chicken meat. To conclude, the addition of SCY as a probiotic additive to chicken feed in combination with meat dipping in RNE has a potential synergistic favorable effect on chicken meat quality and shelf-life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of three feed forms (pellet, crumble and mash) with or without CIBENZA enzyme supplementing (0.005%) on growth performance, blood parameters, and carcass traits of broiler. A total number of 576 unsexed one-day-old Cobb broiler chicks were grown over a 35-d period. Chicks were similar concerning body weight and sex. The experimental design was factorial 3x2; three forms of feed (pellet, crumble, and mash) with or without supplementing CIBENZA enzyme (0.005%) in diets. All diets were nearly iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric based on digestible energy and contained similar levels of microelements. The results showed that chicks fed pellets diet recorded the highest final body weight, while those fed mash diet had the lowest value (P<0.001). Enzyme supplementing in diets led to a significant increase in final body weight by 1.04%, as compared with un-supplemented diets. Chicks fed pellets diet had the highest carcass weight percentage; while those fed mash diet had the lowest value (P<0.05). Serum total protein was significantly decreased with chicks fed mash diet, as compared with those fed pellets and crumble diets. Conclusively, it could be concluded that pellets feed form in broiler nutrition improved growth performance, feed efficiency, and blood metabolite profile when compared to crumble and mash feed form. Supplementation of protease enzyme in diets enhanced growth performance of broiler chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to examine the effect of liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) extract on growth performance, gut morphometry, and economics in broilers. One hundred and twenty days old broiler chicks were used for the experiment and were divided into four groups each with three replicates of ten birds. Group 1 was control with normal water while 1, 1.5, and 2ml/liter of liquorice extract (LE) in drinking water were provided to the remaining three groups. The results showed significantly reduced feed consumption, increased weight gain, and better FCR in 2ml/l of LE group. Similarly, 2ml/l of LE group showed increased (P<0.05) villus height, crypt depth, villus width, and villus height to crypt depth ratio. The digestibility of dry matter, ash, crude fiber, crude protein, ether extract, and calcium was also calculated significantly higher in the 2ml/l of LE group. Total cost in the control group while the gross and net return was recorded significantly higher in the group containing 2ml/l of LE. The dressing percentage had a significantly higher value in 1.5, and 2ml/l of LE groups than in the remaining treatment groups. Mortality was recorded significantly higher in 1 ml/l of LE group as compared to all other groups. It was concluded that liquorice extract at 2ml/l water has a useful effect on growth performance, gut morphology, and economics in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND RESULTS CONCLUSION Distiller's grains are a by‐product of liquor production with a higher yield than liquor. Developing and utilizing distiller's grains well could alleviate the problem of scarce feed resources. Our present experiment was conducted with 6000 yellow‐feathered broilers to study the effects of adding distiller's grains yeast cultures (DGYC) to the diet on growth performance and immunity of broilers. The broilers were divided into five groups, receiving different DGYC concentrations during two stages. Growth performance, intestinal microorganisms and immune organ development were measured.The results showed that groups B and D, supplemented with medium and high concentrations of DGYC, respectively, had significantly improved growth performance compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Group D also showed higher immune organ index (P < 0.01), increased serum total protein, high‐density lipoprotein and immunoglobulin levels (P < 0.05) and lower levels of low‐density lipoprotein, triglycerides, interleukin 1β and tumor necrosis factor α (P < 0.05). Hematoxylin and eosin staining confirmed improved immune organ development in group D (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in high‐concentration group D, levels of short‐chain fatty acids (SCFA; acetic, propionic and butyric acids) in cecal chyme were significantly increased (P < 0.05). The richness (Chao1) and diversity (Faith‐pd) index of cecal microbiota were significantly higher in group D compared to the control group (P < 0.05). The microbial composition in group D differed from the control and medium‐concentration group B. Seven bacteria (Clostridia‐UCG‐014, UCG‐009, DTU089, UCG‐010, Campylobacter, Harryflintia, Shuttleworthia) showed significant differences (P < 0.05). After DGYC feeding, DTU089 decreased, while other SCFA‐producing bacteria increased (P < 0.05). Subsequently, KEGG function and corresponding signal pathway predictions were performed on bacteria with significant differences. Group D exhibited a higher enrichment of immune function pathways (P < 0.01) and showed significant changes in four immune signaling pathways according to the signal pathway heatmap.Our data suggest that high concentrations of DGYC can be applied as a feed additive for broilers that promotes growth, improves intestinal health and enhances certain immunity. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The present study explores the effect of ginseng stem leaf (GSL) extract on the production performance, meat quality, antioxidant status, immune function, and lipid metabolism of white feathered broilers. Methods: There were 6 replicates in each group, with 10 broilers in each replicate. In the 42 day trial, 300 AA broilers were randomly divided into five groups: control group (CON), 1.25% GSL extract group (GSL-L), 2.5% GSL group (GSL-M), 5% GSL group (GSL-H), and 45 mg/kg chlortetracycline group (CTC). Results: The results showed that different doses of GSL extract could improve the body weight, feed to gain ratio (F/G), average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), and meat quality of broilers. Compared with the control group, the addition of different doses of GSL improved the antioxidant and immune abilities of broilers to varying degrees, and the effect of GSL extract was significant in the GSL-H group (p < 0.05). In addition, medium and high doses of GSL extract significantly reduced the blood triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) contents of broilers (p < 0.05). Discussion: Adding GSL extract to the feed has a positive impact on the body weight, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, immunity, and blood lipids of broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of different proportions of new feed material, such as restaurant plate leftovers (CSS), on the quality, growth performances, apparent nutrient digestibility, slaughter performances, meat quality, immune-organ index and serum biochemical indicators of white-feather broilers. 504 1-day-old white-feather broiler roosters were selected and randomly divided into 4 groups, with 6 replicates in each group and 21 chickens in each replicate. In the early stage of the experiment (1th to 21th days), the same diet was fed; In the later stage (22th to 42th days), four types of diets were designed. The control group was fed the corn-soybean meal basal diet, and the experimental groups were fed three different CSS inclusion ratios, 10%, 20% and 30%, and the formula used CSS instead of corn and soybean meal in the basal diet The results showed that: ① the addition of different proportions of CSS had a significant impact on powder content, hardness and PDI of pellet feed (P< 0.01), with the increase of the ratio, the powder content of pellet feed increased, and the hardness and durability (PDI) decreased; ② with the increase of the proportion of CSS, the inclusion of 20% CSS significantly reduced the average body weight of broilers (P<0.05), and the inclusion of 30% CSS significantly reduced the average body weight, average daily feed intake and average daily weight gain of broilers (P<0.05); ③ except for the inclusion of 30% CSS significantly reduced the pectoral muscle rate (P<0.05), the remaining proportions had no significant effect on the slaughter performances (P>0.05); ④ the inclusion of different proportions of CSS did not significantly affect the color, drip loss, acidity, cooking loss, and shear strength of broiler breast and leg muscles at 24, 48, and 72 h (P>0.05). In summary, CSS has good application value as an energy and protein resource that can replace corn and soybean meal in 10% of the basal diet in poultry farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Canola meal is a protein-rich feedstuff with an amino acid profile that is reasonably well balanced and has the potential to replace soybean meal in poultry diets. Aim: The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between the crude protein content and apparent ileal digestible amino acid contents of Australian canola meals. Methods: Thirteen canola meal samples, processed by expeller or solvent extractions, were collected. The digestibility assay diets were based on dextrose and contained canola meal as the sole source of protein. The proportions of dextrose and canola meal were varied in each diet to obtain ~200 g/kg crude protein. Each diet was fed to three cages of six 35-day-old broilers for 7 days. At the end of the assay, digesta from the terminal ileum was collected for digestibility determination. Key results: Crude protein contents were positively correlated with amino acid contents (P < 0.05 to 0.001), except that of serine (r = 0.43; P = 0.11). Significant correlations between the crude protein content and ileal digestible contents were observed for most of amino acids, with coefficients of >0.80 (P < 0.05 to 0.001). Low correlation coefficients were observed for lysine (r = 0.48; P = 0.11) and serine (r = 0.55; P = 0.06). The poor correlation for lysine may be reflective of reduced lysine availability during processing. Conclusions: The results showed that the crude protein content of canola meal could serve as a predictor of apparent ileal digestible content of most amino acids for broiler chickens. Implications: Regression equations developed in the present study could be used to predict the content of ileal digestible amino acids in canola meal by using analysed crude protein contents. Canola meal (CM) is a potentially important protein source for poultry. The amino acid profile of CM is reasonably well balanced, but digestibility of amino acids is key to the nutritional value of CM. Amino acid analysis and in vivo digestibility assays are costly and time consuming. The aim of this study was to determine whether the digestible amino acid content of CM could be deduced from its crude protein content, which is routinely determined. This article belongs to the Collection Sustainable Animal Agriculture for Developing Countries 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study aimed to assess the effect of a partial dietary substitution of corn with dried orange pulp (DOP) powder in broiler diets and their effect on Pectoralis major meat quality. Furthermore, the study investigated the relationship between physicochemical parameters and sensory characteristics of breast meat even of control and experimental broilers groups. Methods: Four dietary treatments namely basal diet (control), 5, 10 and 15% DOP were given to 200 broilers 16 days-old for 49 days. Throughout all breeding periods, the control group was fed a diet primarily composed of corn, soybean meal and wheat bran. The experimental groups were given the same initial diet as the control group, but their grower and finisher diets contained 5%, 10% and 15% of orange pulp powder respectively. Physicochemical parameters, proximate composition, lipid oxidation index and sensory characteristics of broiler breast muscle were determined. Result: Significant decreases in moisture and fats were observed in the experimental groups (P<0.0001). However, the experimental diets positively affected the lipid oxidation of breast meat samples, as indicated by the lower malondialdehyde content (P<0.05). The partial substitution with orange pulp powder did not show an effect (P>0.05) on sensory attributes of breast meat except for overall acceptability by the degustation panel. According to the panel degustation results, the flavor in experimental diets breast meat had a significant correlation on some sensory characteristic like juiciness and color of experimental breast samples (P<0.001). Pearson's correlation revealed that flavor of control breast meat was negatively correlated with 2 physicochemical parameters (pH and lipid peroxidation). Similarly, the flavor of experimental groups was negatively correlated with the sensory attributes (juiciness and color). Additionally, a significant positive correlation was found between juiciness and the parameters (color and pH) of experimental meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since its discovery in 1926, Newcastle disease (ND) is still emerging in many avian species worldwide causing severe economic losses due to high mortality. Aim: This article aims to discuss the challenge of virulent ND in poultry in Libya, focusing on recent outbreaks investigated in Alzintan, Alrayaina, Nalut, and Surman, cities located in the western region of Libya. Methods: Clinical signs and lesions were recorded. Tissues, as well as tracheal and cloacal swabs, were collected. RNA extraction was performed for confirmation using PCR and sequencing. Results: Mortality, in general, reached 50%-100% in vaccinated flocks with respiratory distress, diarrhea, swelling of the face, and nasal discharges. Necropsy revealed severe hemorrhages in the proventriculus, necrosis, and hemorrhages in the intestine and cecal tonsils. All tested samples were positive for avian orthoavulavirus 1 (AOAV-1) using rRTPCR and genetic analysis. The sequences obtained are referable to AOAV-1, which is the same strain in all tested samples. The amino acid sequences deduced from the cleavage site of the F protein are referable to a velogenic strain of AOAV-1 belonging to genotype VII.2. The detected strains in the current study revealed 86%-91% identity with European isolates identified between 2020 and 2022 and isolates from Asia and Africa and 97% identity to the previous isolated Libyan strains in 2013 and 2016. It is slightly different by the presence of amino acid lycine at position 111 on the cleavage site of the F0 gene as compared to previous Libyan strains in which arginine was found in the same position. The nucleotide sequence at this position changed from (aga) in AOAV-1 strains of years 2013 and 2016 to (aag) of the year 2023. Conclusion: ND remains a significant threat to the poultry industry in Libya. Therefore, there is an urgent need to conduct an epidemiological study with a representative number of samples from all regions of the country, alongside the implementation of an inactivated vaccine targeting genotype VII. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 150 unsexed one-day old Arbor acers broiler chicks were randomly divided into five experimental groups. Each group consisted of 30 chicks distributed among 3 replicates with 10 chicks per replicate. The control group (G1) received a basal diet (yellow corn-soybean meal diet). Groups 2 and 3 received the basal diet after replacing 25% of yellow corn with whole de-pitted low grade dates meal (WDDM), either without (G2) or with (G3) multienzyme mixture (xylanase, β-glucanase and cellulase). Moreover, Groups 4 and 5 received the basal diet after replacing 50% of yellow corn with WDDM either without (G4) or with (G5) multienzyme mixture. The experiment prolonged for 6 weeks and the birds received starter diet from 0 to 3 weeks of age and grower diet from 4 to 6 weeks of age. The results revealed that replacing 25% of yellow corn with WDDM plus enzyme mixture supplementation (G3) significantly increased body weight and body weight gain compared to G2, G4 and G5. However, broilers of G2 exhibited higher body weight than those fed WDDM in place of 50% of yellow corn without enzymes supplementation (G4), and surpassed those fed WDDM in place of 50% of yellow corn with enzymes (G5). Despite of the slight decrease of BW of G2, G3, G4 and G5 as compared with the control group (G1) (92.83, 98.49. 85.58 and 90.93 vs. 100%, respectively), however, because of the high cost of yellow corn and low cost of WDDM, the relative economic efficiency compared to the control group was better for all groups received WDDM without enzymes (105% and 109% for G2 and G4, resp.) or with enzymes (115% and 113% for G3 and G5, resp.). The diet contained WDDM instead of 25% of yellow corn fortified with enzymes (G3) also improved feed conversion ratio and digestibility of dry matter, ether extract, and crude fiber. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences in crude protein digestibility or feed intake among the experimental groups. However, replacing 25% or 50 %of corn with WDDM plus enzymes increased cholesterol and LDL without affecting triglycerides or HDL levels. Nevertheless, there were no significant effects on liver and kidney functions, antioxidant capacity, or hematological parameters. In conclusion, based on the relative economic efficiency and on the local availability of WDDM compared to imported yellow corn, replacing from 25% up to 50% yellow corn with whole low grade de-pitted dates meal plus enzymes mixture may be recommended for practical application in broiler diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the effects of alternation methods (AM) of drinking saline well water (SWW) with tap water (TW) on liver enzymes, blood minerals, and triiodothyronine in broiler chickens. A total number 180 unsexed commercial broiler chicks Ross Alananny one day old were randomly divided into six equal groups, the first group, chicks drank TW containing 450 ppm total dissolved solids (TDS) from one day old to 36 day of age (the end of the experiment) and considered as control group (C). Treatment 1 (Tr1), chicks drank SWW containing 3100 ppm TDS from one day old to the end of the experiment, Tr2, chicks drank SWW every other day alternatively with TW from one day old to the end of the experiment, Tr3, chicks drank SWW every other week alternatively with TW from one day old to the end of the experiment, Tr4, chicks drank TW during the first 18 days of age and drank SWW from 19-36 days of age, Tr5, chicks drank SWW during the first 18 days of age and drank TW from 19-36 days of age, Tr2 to Tr5 considered as alternation methods. Total protein significantly decreased in all treatments when compared with C. Globulin was significantly decreased in Tr2, Tr4 and Tr5 when compared with C. There were insignificant differences between AM treatments and C in alanine aminotransferase, Aspartate aminotransferase and triiodothyronine hormone. There were insignificant differences among Tr2, Tr3 and Tr5 when compared with C in sodium level. In conclusion, drinking SWW containing 3100 ppm TDS for broiler chickens caused some negative effects on liver enzymes, blood minerals and tri-iodothyronine, Therefore, when it is necessary to use saline water, it is preferable to alternately drink SWW with TW every other week, or drink SWW during the first 18 days of age, followed by TW, to enhance these negative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this experiment was to study the effects of alginic acid oligosaccharides (AOS) added to drinking water on the growth performance, carcass weight, immune organ index, intestinal morphology and small intestinal digestive enzyme activity of broilers. A total of 360 one-day-old Cobb 500 broilers were randomly divided into two groups, with 18 replicates in each group and ten broilers in each replicate. The control group was feed a basal diet, and AOS group was feed a basal diet and added 200 mg/L alginic acid oligosaccharides to drinking water from 1 to 21 days of age. The experimental period was 42 days. The results showed that compared with the control group, the average daily gain of broilers in AOS group was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the feed to gain ratio was significantly decreased from 1 to 21 days (P<0.05). During the whole experiment period, the average daily gain of broilers in the AOS group was significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared to the control group, the carcass weight of broilers in the AOS group was significantly increased at 21 and 42 days (P<0.05), as well as the spleen index and the bursa of Fabricius index at 21 days (P<0.05). The villus height of the small intestine in the AOS group broilers was significantly higher at 21 and 42 days, along with a significant increase in the villus-to-crypt ratio and intestinal lipase activity at 21 days (P<0.05). Studies show that adding the 200 mg/L alginic acid oligosaccharides group to drinking water can improve the growth performance, immunity, intestinal development and digestion of broilers, thereby improving the economic benefits of breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Campylobacter is the most common food‐borne pathogen in the European Union. In 2018, the crude incidence rate in Ireland was 63.6 per 100,000 population. Chicken is considered an important source of infection for humans. In 2015, the Campylobacter Stakeholders' Group (CSG) was established to reduce Campylobacter contamination levels in Irish broiler flocks. Aims: This work aimed to describe the Campylobacter monitoring programme that was established by the CSG, to analyse the results of this testing between 2019 and 2022, and to assess progress. Methods and Results: This paper describes the monitoring programme that was established by the CSG, which harmonized Campylobacter enumeration testing across all Irish broiler processors and allowed comparability of results for trend analysis. An analysis of the 2019–2022 data is presented here and compared to previous studies of Campylobacter levels in Irish broilers. An analysis of the 2019–2022 data showed a significant reduction in levels in both caeca and neck skin when the results from 2022 were compared to those from 2019 to 2020. Campylobacter spp. were detected in 37% of caecal samples from first depopulation (pre‐thin) broilers and 30% of neck skin samples in 2022, with just 4% of carcases (in neck skin samples) with ≥1000 colony‐forming units per gram detected in 2022. Campylobacter levels detected in Irish broilers, in the present monitoring programme were less than those reported in previous studies in both caecal and carcase samples, although not directly comparable for statistical significance because of differences in study methods. Conclusions: The cooperation between stakeholders and regulators of the Irish broiler chicken industry over the past decade has facilitated a coordinated approach to monitoring of Campylobacter levels in broilers, and implementation of control measures. This has enabled a steady reduction in the levels of Campylobacter in Irish chicken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were conducted to assess the efficiency of including the novel protein ingredient Arthrospira platensis or improved soybean meal in a broiler diet. The first experiment aimed to determine the feeding value of soybean meal produced from varieties of soybeans bred for increased amino acid content (SBAA) and improved oil content (SBO) compared to a conventional soybean variety in an ANOVA design fed to Cobb 500 female broilers for 28–42 d. The SBAA and SBO soybeans contained overall higher amino acid content and lower oligosaccharide content compared to the conventional soybean variety in addition to improved oil quality. The second experiment assessed the novel protein ingredient microalgae, Arthrospira platensis (algae), and was conducted to evaluate algae and corn distillers' grain (DDGS) inclusion on broiler performance for a 28–42 d feeding period in Cobb CF05 male broilers with a 2 × 2 factorial treatment array. Prior to the experimental period, all birds were reared on common feeds. In Experiment 1, birds were fed a diet containing 20% inclusion of an experimental soybean source in the form of full-fat soybean meal. In Experiment 2, the four dietary treatments consisted of diets containing algae at inclusion levels of either 0 or 2% and DDGS at inclusion levels of 0% and 8%. Diets were fed to 288 female broilers (Experiment 1) and 384 male broilers (Experiment 2), placed in eight replicate pens of twelve birds, and live performance was assessed from d 28 to 42. At d 42, six birds from each pen were randomly selected and processed for evaluation of carcass traits and incidence of woody breast. For Experiment 1, all performance data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA using JMP Pro 16 software with diet as the fixed effect and block as a random effect. Statistical significance was considered at p ≤ 0.05. No significant responses were observed for any recorded measurement for live performance, carcass traits, or woody breast. All data in Experiment 2 were analyzed as a full factorial with a mixed model using JMP software with algae, DDGS, and algae × DDGS as fixed effects and block as a random effect. The F-protected Fisher's LSD test was used to separate means when p ≤ 0.05. No significant responses were observed for the algae, DDGS, and algae × DDGS influences on BWG, FI, and FCR or processing characteristics; the ingredient source did not affect bird performance. Experimental soybean lines developed at the University of Arkansas were able to be incorporated into broiler diets without decreasing performance. Algae has the potential to be a protein-contributing ingredient for broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to determine the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn) of defatted black soldier fly larvae meal (BSM), full-fat dry larvae meal (BSL), and larvae fat (LF) for broiler chickens. The BSM, BSL, and LF contained on a g/kg basis, respectively, crude protein, 459, 399, 0; crude fat, 171, 240, 923; dry matter, 963, 940, 997; neutral detergent fiber, 210, 333, 0; acid detergent fibers, 95, 93, 0; and gross energy (MJ/kg), 22.04, 22.78, 38.16. An AME bioassay was performed wherein broilers were fed four experimental diets (a maize–wheat–soy basal diet and three test diets containing 100 g/kg BSM, BSL, or LF, respectively). The AME of BSM, BSL, and LF was calculated based on the differences between the AME values of basal and test diets (substitution method). The AME and AMEn for BSM, BSL, and LF were determined to be 18.20 and 17.40; 17.60 and 16.50; and 36.50 and 35.60 MJ/kg DM, respectively. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between nutrient retention coefficients of dry matter, N, and fat. The results showed that the examined products from black soldier fly larvae are a good source of available energy and crude protein (BSL and BSM) and can be incorporated in broiler diets as alternative protein and energy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating farm-scale energy used for broiler production can provide insight into how these facilities use energy and allow for seasonal and managerial influences to be evaluated. This study evaluated farm-scale energy consumption for South Carolina broiler production using energy records from 17 broiler and 4 pullet farms. Monthly electric use showed low to moderate correlation (r ranging from 0.476–0.630) with ambient temperature but had limited predictive usefulness. There was no clear pattern in monthly electrical energy use for broiler barns. However, pullet barns were more consistent and could be grouped into seasons. No significant differences (p < 0.05) in annual electric or gas use were observed between farms with generally better equipment and otherwise similar farms, but production type did influence annual electric use. The average annual electrical use was 23.6 kWh m−2 for farms producing larger birds, 8.7 kWh m−2 for those producing smaller birds, and 17.0 kWh m−2 for pullet farms. Electrical energy use accounted for 37% of total energy in broiler barns and 32% of energy in pullet barns. Combined electric and gas consumption averaged 214 MJ m−2 yr−1 across all farms. These findings help better quantify farm-scale energy used for broiler production and provide benchmark values for energy use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Infectious bronchitis (IB) is an important disease of poultry, and vaccination is the best method of preventing IB in the poultry industry worldwide. Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate cytokine and acute‐phase protein (APP) responses and their correlations with antibody titres following vaccination regimes against IB in the broiler. Materials and Methods: Broilers were vaccinated with H120 and 1/96 vaccine strains, and MIX (H120 + 1/96) vaccine strains on Days 0 and 14. Heterophils/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, APPs including chicken serum amyloid A (SAA), chicken pentraxin 3 (chPTX3), chicken interleukin 1β (IL‐1β), chicken interleukin 6 (IL‐6) levels and antibody titres were measured. Results: An increase in the H/L ratio, SAA, chPTX3, IL‐1β and IL‐6 levels in vaccinated groups was observed 1 day after the first (highest rates) and second (lower levels) vaccination up to 3 days in three different patterns and then started to decrease. The results showed an immediate, short‐lived response and moderate increases in all criteria. Changing patterns of APPs were different but in similar pattern after the first and second immunization in vaccinated groups. A positive correlation between all criteria values on Days 1 and 15 with antibody titres on Day 28 may indicate agonistic cross‐regulation. Conclusion: Different types of IB vaccines could induce different patterns of APPs responses, which can be used to evaluate immune response outcomes in vaccine design, development and administration. The IL‐6 with the highest increase can be a sensitive parameter and chPTX3 with the high increase could be an important criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study aimed to elucidate the protective effects of hesperidin on intestinal damage induced by high-temperature heat stress in yellow-feathered broilers. The findings indicate that dietary supplementation with hesperidin significantly attenuated serum corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels elevated by heat stress. Specifically, supplementation with 300 mg/kg and 450 mg/kg of hesperidin was associated with enhanced intestinal morphology, reduced endotoxin and D-lactic acid levels, and the upregulated expression of tight junction proteins in the small intestine. Hesperidin supplementation was observed to decrease pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and NF-κB mRNA expression. These results indicate that hesperidin may serve as a viable intervention to mitigate intestinal damage induced by heat stress in broilers, thereby providing novel insights for enhancing broiler health and welfare. To investigate the possible protective effect of hesperidin on intestinal damage caused by high-temperature heat stress in yellow-feathered broilers, 960 broilers aged 21 days were randomly divided into four groups: HT, HT300, HT450, and HT600, with each group receiving different amounts of hesperidin supplementation (0, 300, 450, and 600 mg/kg). The dietary supplementation of hesperidin could mitigate the elevation of corticosterone (CORT) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ATCH) levels in serum from yellow-feathered broilers induced by heat stress. The supplementation of 300 mg/kg and 450 mg/kg of hesperidin reduced crypt depth and increased the V/C ratio in the small intestine compared to the HT group. The dietary supplementation of hesperidin decreased endotoxin and D-lactic acid levels in the blood, and dietary supplementation of 300 mg/kg of hesperidin increased the expression of claudin-1 and ZO-1 mRNA in the jejunum compared with the HT group. Furthermore, the dietary supplementation of 300 mg/kg of hesperidin decreased serum IL-1β and IL-6 levels. In comparison, supplementation with 300 mg/kg and 450 mg/kg of hesperidin decreased serum TNF-α levels in yellow-feathered broilers compared to the HT group. Moreover, the dietary supplementation of hesperidin decreased NF-κB mRNA levels. Overall, these data suggest that dietary supplementation with hesperidin potentially improves intestinal injury caused by heat stress in yellow-feathered broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore potential factors contributing to high fluoroquinolone resistance levels, it is essential to develop analytical methods capable of detecting residues and trace amounts of antibiotic use in broilers. The aim of the present study was to develop and in-house validate a sensitive UHPLC-MS/MS method capable of determining enrofloxacin (ENR) and flumequine (FLU) residues at slaughter age (day 45) when the animals were treated with these antimicrobials one day after hatching. Residue depletion of ENR and FLU in feathers was also assessed. Two experimental trials were performed, both consisting of 5 different treatment groups. In the first trial animals were treated with ENR and in the second one with FLU. The developed method was successfully validated and was found to be sensitive enough to detect residues of fluoroquinolones in the feathers up until slaughter age in all treatment groups. Average ENR concentration on day 45 was 10 ng g−1 feather after drinking water treatment, with all concentrations above the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 5 ng g−1 feather. For FLU average concentration on day 45 after drinking water administration was 4 ng g−1 feather, with an LOQ of 1 ng g−1 feather. Therefore, the method is suited for application to monitor fluoroquinolone use in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore both the toxic effects of aflatoxins (AFs) and the protective effects of degrading enzymes (DE) on broilers exposed to AFs. RESULTS: The findings reveal that a diet contaminated with 69.15 μg kg−1 of aflatoxin B1 had significant adverse effects on broilers. Specifically, it led to a reduction in average daily gain, dressed yield percentage, half‐eviscerated yield with giblet yield percentage, eviscerated yield percentage, as well as serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase activity and liver SOD activity (P < 0.05). Conversely, the diet increased the feed conversion ratio, liver index, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase levels and malondialdehyde levels in both serum and liver (P < 0.05). Additionally, AFs disrupted the intestinal microflora significantly (P < 0.05), altering the relative abundance of Enterococcus, Lactobacillus and Escherichia in broiler jejunum. The addition of DE to AF‐contaminated feed mitigated these negative effects and reduced the residues of aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin B2 and aflatoxin M1 in the liver and duodenum (P < 0.05). We also observed that broilers fed the diet pelleted at 80 °C exhibited improved dressing percentage and water holding capacity compared to those on the 75 °C diet. CONCLUSION: In summary, DE serves as an effective feed additive for mitigating AF contamination in poultry production. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The current study explored the influence of dietary supplementation of Chlorella vulgaris dried powder (CV) with zinc-oxide-nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), and/or selenium-nanoparticles (Se-NPs) on broilers’ growth, antioxidant capacity, immune status, histological responses, and gene expression of some related genes. Several 200 one-day-old Cobb-500 male chicks were distributed into 5 groups with four replicates each. In the 1st group, birds were fed the basal diet (BD). In the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th groups, birds received the BD supplemented with CV only, CV + ZnO-NPs, CV + Se-NPs, and CV + ZnO-NPs + Se-NPs, respectively. The CV dried powder, ZnO-NPs, and Se-NPs were added to the BD at a rate of 1 g, 40 mg, and 0.3 mg/kg diet, respectively. After 6 weeks of feeding, increases in final body weights (P < 0.05), body weight gain (P < 0.05), and feed intake (P < 0.05) were linked with improvements in FCR (P < 0.05) and intestinal morphometric indices (P < 0.05), and marked up-regulations of MYOS (P < 0.05), GHR (P < 0.05), and IGF (P < 0.05) genes were established. Additionally, distinct increases in antioxidant enzyme activities of SOD (P < 0.05), and GPX (P < 0.05) with increases in the mRNA copies of their genes were measured. Moreover, slight improvement in immunity indices, WBCs count (P > 0.05), and phagocytic and lysozyme activities (P > 0.05) were found. However, distinct increases in phagocytic index (P < 0.05) and up-regulations of IL-1β and TNF, and down-regulation of IL-10 mRNA levels were reported (P < 0.05). These findings were prominent in the case of the separate supplementation of CV with ZnO-NPs or Se-NPs confirming the synergistic mechanisms of CV with ZnO-NPs or Se-NPs. Thus, the synergetic supplementation of CV with ZnO-NPs, or Se-NPs in the broiler’s diet could augment their growth and antioxidant response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Insects and their larvae have attracted attention as a sustainable alternative to traditional commodities in animal feeds. There are currently eight authorised insect species, where most of the research is taking place, the most prominent ones being the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) and the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor). There are, however, many other alternatives, such as the superworm (Zophobas morio), which, although widely researched, have not yet been approved for use. This review provides a detailed examination of the chemical composition of these three insect species and their impact on broiler growth. Based on the analysis of recent scientific studies, it can be inferred that all three species demonstrate high protein content and a well-balanced composition of amino and fatty acids, along with substantial amounts of minerals, fibre and vitamins. Of particular note is their moderately low ash content, which enhances feed palatability, and the presence of essential minerals that can be further adjusted through substrate enrichment applications. All three species also present considerable amounts of vitamins and especially those of the vitamin B complex, enhancing various physiological functions. Should the challenges related to financial, risk and consumer acceptance factors be effectively managed, we can expect a swift advancement in the use of insects as feed ingredients in the very near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The existence of pathogenic microorganisms in the poultry industry associated with the progression of antimicrobial resistance highlights the need to explore natural antimicrobial agents in maintaining poultry antibacterial standards. Essential oils are broad-spectrum natural agents against bacteria, showing a remarkable ability to combat bacterial resistance. These natural compounds demonstrate more effective antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant strains than synthetic chemical antibiotics. Therefore, this review identifies the antibacterial benefits of Syzygium aromaticum essential oil in bacterial control of poultry and poultry products. The compilation of researched studies confirms that Syzygium aromaticum essential oil has proven to be a safe and effective oral antibiotic, promoting the preservation of eggs and meat without adverse impacts. Eugenol is the most significant contributor to its antibacterial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A factorial experiment with a completely randomized design was carried out to examine the effects of reducing dietary crude protein (CP) and incorporating threonine, arginine, valine, isoleucine, and tryptophan synthetic amino acids supplements (SAA) on broiler chickens. The experiment involved 180 Ross 308 broilers divided into six treatments with six replicates each. The experimental treatments were as follows: 1- Standard diet, 2- Standard diet + SAA, 3-Diet with 2% reduced CP, 4-Diet with 2% reduced CP + SAA, 5- Diet with 4% reduced CP, and 6- Diet with 4% reduced CP + SAA. The 4% CP reduction diet decreased body weight gain in the starter and finisher periods (P < 0.05). The 4% lower CP also decreased feed intake in the grower, finisher and whole of the experiment (P < 0.05), and the same effect was observed for the 2% reduced CP diet only in the grower and entire experiment (P < 0.05). The same negative effects of lower dietary CP were also found for feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P < 0.05). The SAA supplements improved weight gain in the starter and the whole experimental period (P < 0.05). Feed intake did not show any change following SAA incorporation; however, SAA had a significant positive effect on FCR (P < 0.05). The only significant effect of experimental factors on small intestine morphology was a higher villus thickness in birds fed 2% less CP compared to the control (P < 0.05). The lower dietary CP led to increased serum cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL-c concentrations (P < 0.05). The serum total protein and albumen in the group fed 2% less CP was higher than the two other groups (P < 0.05). The only effect of SAA was an increased serum HDL level (P < 0.05). The results suggest that SAA supplementation could compensate for the negative effects of 2% but not the 4% lower dietary CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress (HS) poses a great challenge to the poultry industry by inducing oxidative damage to the liver, endangering the health and production of broilers. As an important type of seaweed polyphenols, phlorotannin has been shown to have antioxidant properties. The present study evaluated the protective effects of dietary phlorotannin on HS-induced liver injury in broilers based on oxidative damage parameters. A total of 108 twenty-one days old male Arbor Acres plus (AA+) broilers were randomly divided into three groups: TN group (thermoneutral, 24 ± 1 °C, fed with basal diet), HS group (HS, 33 ± 1 °C for 8 h/day, fed with basal diet), and HS + phlorotannin group (HS + 600 mg/kg phlorotannin). Each group has six replicate cages with six birds per cage. The feeding experiment lasted 21 days. At the termination of the feeding experiment (42 days old), samples were collected for analysis of morphological and biochemical features. The results showed that HS decreased the liver index, serum albumin (ALB) content, hepatic antioxidant enzymes activities of catalase (CAT), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (p < 0.05), while increasing the hepatic histopathology score, apoptosis rate, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content (p < 0.05) in 42-day-old broilers. Compared with the HS group, dietary phlorotannin improved the activities of antioxidant enzymes (GST and GSH-Px) but decreased the histopathology score and apoptosis rate in the liver (p < 0.05). Moreover, HS down-regulated hepatic mRNA expression of CAT1, NQO1, HO-1, and SLC7A11 (p < 0.05), while up-regulated hepatic mRNA expression of Keap1, MafG, IκBα, NF-κB P65, IFN-γ, TFR1, ACSL4, Bax, and Caspase-9 (p < 0.05). Compared with HS group, dietary phlorotannin up-regulated hepatic mRNA expression of Nrf2, CAT1, MafF, GSTT1, NQO1, HO-1, GCLC, GPX1, TNF-α, Fpn1, and SLC7A11 (p < 0.05), while down-regulated hepatic mRNA expression of IκBα, Bax, Caspase-9, and TFR1 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 600 mg/kg phlorotannin could alleviate HS-induced liver injury via regulating oxidative status, apoptosis, and ferroptosis in broilers; these roles of phlorotannin might be associated with the regulation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]