ABSTRACT (1) Background: Vaccine programs have been failing to provide complete immunity against the Newcastle disease virus (NDV). This study examines the immunological responses to the live LaSota and Avinew (VG/GA) vaccines given through spray or drinking water to broiler chickens; (2) Methods: The experimental vaccination included one unvaccinated control group and four other groups of the same size. There were three duplicates, each with 30 birds, with each group amounting to ninety birds. In addition to the status of the cellular and humoral immunity, we examined the weights and histology of the bursa and spleen; (3) Results: The bursa weight index (BWI) significantly increased on days 28 and 42 in the vaccinated groups, regardless of the vaccination method (p≤0.05). The spleen weight index (SWI) significantly increased on day 42 in VG/GA vaccinated birds, and on day 28 in chicks vaccinated with the LaSota strain (p≤0.05). T cell proliferation in response to stimulation with PHA was significantly higher across all vaccinated groups compared to the unvaccinated ones. Serum IgG was significantly elevated on days 21, 28, and 42 post-vaccination with VG/GA or LaSota strain for both vaccination routes (p≤0.05); (4) Conclusions: The data generated from this study demonstrated that significant immune responses can be generated with the two examined Newcastle vaccine strains using the spray and drinking water vaccination routes.

ABSTRACT The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of nutritional selenium (Se) supplementation on the hatching characteristics, chick quality traits, and selenium retention of Japanese quails. A total of 250 adult Japanese quails were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments: sodium selenite (SS, 0.30 ppm), selenium methionine (SM, 0.30 ppm), selenium yeast (SY, 0.30 ppm), selenium nanoparticles (SNPs, 0.30 ppm), and a control group without Se supplementation, with five replicates of 10 birds each (7 females and 3 males), under a completely randomized design. Hens fed SY and SNPs produced significantly more settable eggs compared to the other groups. Supplementation with SNPs improved fertility, hatchability, and reduced embryonic mortality. Chicks hatched from SNP-fed hens exhibited greater body weight, longer chick length, and longer leg lengths, with similar leg length benefits observed in the SY group. A higher proportion of A-grade chicks was recorded in the SM, SY, and SNP groups compared to other groups. Birds fed SNPs retained more selenium in the breast muscle, feathers, liver, and heart, whereas selenium retention in the kidney was highest in the sodium selenite-fed group. Plasma selenium levels were notably higher in the SNP-supplemented group, and hens receiving SNPs laid eggs with the highest selenium concentrations in the albumin, yolk, and shell. It was concluded that dietary supplementation with organic selenium, particularly SNPs, is a highly effective strategy to enhance hatching traits and minimize embryonic mortality in Japanese quails.

ABSTRACT Follistatin (FST) is a cysteine-rich monomeric protein capable of binding and neutralizing the action of several members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) family, such as myostatin and activin, by binding to their receptors. The aim of the present study was to characterize the FST gene and its receptors in quail. Genomic sequences of the FST gene and its receptors in quail were obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. Analyses of evolutionary relationship, conserved domain, gene structure, and motif pattern of the FST gene family showed the evolutionary conserved nature in quail and other related avian species. Most of the FST proteins are acidic, thermostable, unstable, and hydrophilic in nature, except for FSTL2 and FSTL3, which were basic in nature. A comparative amino acid analysis showed a higher amino acid variation in quail FST genes, as a total of 102 single amino acid changes were identified in all quail FST genes. Mutation analysis showed that 15 mutations had an overall deleterious effect on the structure and functions of the proteins in quail. Molecular docking and Dynamic Simulation (MD) simulation were performed to study dynamics of more promising compounds such as isovitexin, apigetrin, and fleminchaloneto, revealing stability of ligand-protein complex. The values of Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD), Root Mean Square Fluctuation (RMSF), and results of isovitexin indicated that ligand-protein complex was more compacted than enzymes that are native. This study provides insights into the molecular structure of FST genes in avian species, while exploring the potential of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in selective breeding of quail for better performance.

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, 100 mg CoQ10/kg diet) and its form on egg quality, transfer of CoQ10 into the yolk, and antioxidant indices in laying hens. A total of 36, 40-week-old Lohman Brown layers were randomly assigned to three groups and provided with either a basal diet (CON), a basal diet supplemented with powdered CoQ10 (PCQ), or a basal diet with emulsified CoQ10 (ECQ) for five weeks. Dietary supplementation with CoQ10 showed no significant effects on body weight and gain. Egg quality criteria, including egg weight, eggshell weight, shell color, albumen height, and Haugh unit were unaffected by the dietary CoQ10 supplement or its form. However, the ECQ group showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in yolk color compared to the CON and PCQ groups. The concentration of yolk CoQ10 in the ECQ group showed a significant increase (p<0.05) compared to that of the CON group. The total antioxidant power in the serum and liver of the ECQ group was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of the CON group. In addition, the scavenging rate of 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl hydrate (DPPH) in the yolk increased markedly (p<0.05) in response to the dietary supplementation of emulsified CoQ10. Malondialdehyde (MDA) of the serum, liver, and egg yolk in the ECQ group was significantly lower (p<0.05) than in the CON group. In conclusion, the dietary emulsified CoQ10 supplement resulted in a significant increase in yolk color, CoQ10 content, and antioxidant parameters in layers.

ABSTRACT The mtDNA D-loops of four chicken breeds (Betong, Khao Chang, Srivijaya Naked-Neck, and Dang) from the native chicken populations of Narathiwat province and Red jungle fowl from the southern region of Thailand were analyzed to assess their genetic diversity and genetic relationships. The 558 fragments of the mtDNA D-loop were genotyped using PCR, and 20 variation sites and 23 haplotypes were detected in 326 mtDNA D-loop sequences. The haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity of the Red jungle fowl were 0.936 ± 0.034 and 0.00806 ± 0.00087, respectively. Thai native chicken populations had a haplotype diversity of 0.000 to 0.9050, and a nucleotide diversity of 0.00000 to 0.00856, thus revealing the high genetic diversity of the native Thai chicken breeds. Analysis of molecular variance indicated that most of the variation was within the population (78.20%). The results of the median-joining network and phylogenetic tree were consistent and revealed that Thai local chicken breeds and Red jungle fowl were divided into eight main haplogroups (A-F, H, and V). The greatest number of haplotypes was classified into haplogroup B (6 haplotypes), followed by haplogroup V (5 haplotypes). Moreover, there was no breed-specific haplogroup. These results suggest that the breeds likely originated from multiple matrilineal lines, and the mtDNA D-loops assessed in this study appear to lack breed specificity.

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effect of probiotics on antimicrobial peptides and cytokines’ mRNA synthesis in the proventriculus and cecum of broiler chicks exposed to Campylobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharides (LPS). The chicks were divided into two groups: the probiotic-supplemented group, which received 0.4% probiotics in their feed for seven days, and the control group, which did not receive probiotics. On the seventh day, both groups were further divided and exposed to either no LPS (0-LPS) or 1 µg LPS (1-LPS) (n=6 per group). Five hours post-LPS administration, tissue samples from the proventriculi and ceca were collected, and the expression of avian beta defensins (AvBDs), cathelicidins (CATHs), and proinflammatory cytokines was assessed via real-time PCR. The expression of CATH, AvBD4 and AvBD6 in the proventriculus, and CATH1, CATH3, AvBD2, AvBD4, AvBD6 and AvBD7 in the cecum was downregulated in the probiotic group compared to the control group following 1-LPS exposure. Probiotic upregulated the levels of IL6 and TNFSF15 in the cecum, and IL6 in the proventriculus after exposure to 1-LPS. This study concluded that Campylobacter LPS either downregulated or had no significant effect on AvBDs and CATHs expressions in probiotic-fed chicks. In addition, the innate immune response in the form of AvBDs, CATHs and cytokines may be modulated according to the nature of the pathogen and the supplemented probiotics.

ABSTRACT This study examined the critical role of image color accuracy in surveillance systems, particularly in poultry houses, using affordable video cameras. Variations in commercial camera color processing can lead to inconsistent metrics. Therefore, common cameras were evaluated on the Raspberry Pi platform, aiming to minimize color differences through a three-stage correction process. The analysis without correction revealed significant color discrepancies, particularly in the PI cameras using an automatic white balance, with differences of approximately 50. Gamma correction was applied to improve accuracy, thereby reducing the color differences to within 20 for most cameras. Polynomial regression further decreased the differences to less than 10 across various temperatures, demonstrating superior performance, especially for large initial discrepancies. Field experiments with and without color charts confirmed the effectiveness of color restoration using correction matrices. The study concluded that polynomial regression significantly enhances color accuracy on the Raspberry Pi platform, offering valuable applications across different temperatures and scenarios, thereby contributing to advancements in related fields.

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the efficacy of an attenuated coccidiosis vaccine containing early-maturing Eimeria strains, combined with a nutritional additive, as an alternative to anticoccidial drugs in broilers. A total of 672 male Ross chicks were allocated in a 4×2 factorial design (4 control programs: anticoccidial, additive + anticoccidial, vaccine and additive + vaccine vs. challenged or not with live coccidiosis vaccine and Escherichia coli), totaling eight treatments with six replicates of 14 birds. Data were analyzed using ANOVA (GLM procedure, SAS software). Challenged birds showed reduced productive performance (p<0.05) regardless of treatment, with no differences between control programs. The vaccine improved jejunal morphometry, notably villus width and crypt depth, and was associated with enhanced regenerative capacity at 28 days. No significant effects (p>0.05) were observed for mitotic index. Serum FITC-d levels were lower (p<0.05) in challenged birds, and foot coloration was higher with the vaccine plus additive. These findings support the use of an early attenuated vaccine as a viable and effective alternative to traditional anticoccidials, especially when paired with nutritional additives.

ABSTRACT Numerous alternative methods have already been evaluated to avoid the side effects of chemical insecticides for pest control, including plant extracts with insecticidal potential. This research aimed to evaluate the insecticidal potential (using the degree of lethality (DL%) as the parameter) of different plant extracts: timbó root (Derris urucu), neem (Azadirachta indica), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), garlic (Allium sativum), Persicaria lapathifolia, pyroligneous extract, neem+andiroba, and azadirachtin concentrate. For comparison, negative control (water) and commercial positive control, Termidil 200 SC (imidacloprid) were used. Statistical analysis demonstrated the existence of three distinct groups in terms of their efficiency in controlling red mites in laying hens. The group with the highest efficiency (DL>80) includes the alcoholic extract of timbó (86.10%), neem essential oil (84.20%), neem+andiroba in combination (85.36%), and Azadirachtin concentrate (81.06%). The medium efficiency group (80<DL<60) comprised Persicaria lapathifolia (66.79%), and cinnamon (61.81%); while the low efficiency group (DL<50) included garlic (44.60%), pyroligneous extract (43.10%) and the positive control (38.50%). Based on these results, alcoholic extract of Timbó root, Neem essential oil, Neem + Andiroba in combination and Azadirachtin concentrated extract are recommended, due to their DL>80%. Garlic and pyroligneous extracts as well as chemical insecticides are not recommended due to their low efficiency. Moreover, it was demonstrated that there is the possibility of resistance against commercial chemical insecticide due to its continuous use on the farm where the insects were collected. Persicaria lapathifolia and cinnamon can be used, but their efficiency is between 60-80%.