Chicken Health Research Articles

Orally delivered Bacillus subtilis expressing chicken NK-2 peptide stabilizes gut microbiota and enhances intestinal health and local immunity in coccidiosis-infected broiler chickens

We recently reported a stable Bacillus subtilis-carrying chicken NK-lysin peptide (B. subtilis-cNK-2) as an effective oral delivery system of an antimicrobial peptide to the gut with therapeutic effect against Eimeria parasites in broiler chickens. To further investigate the effects of a higher dose of an oral B. subtilis-cNK-2 treatment on coccidiosis, intestinal health, and gut microbiota composition, 100 (14-day-old) broiler chickens were allocated into 4 treatment groups in a randomized design: 1) uninfected control (CON), 2) infected control without B. subtilis (NC), 3) B. subtilis with empty vector (EV), and 4) B. subtilis with cNK-2 (NK). All chickens, except the CON group, were infected with 5,000 sporulated Eimeria acervulina (E. acervulina) oocysts on d 15. Chickens given B. subtilis (EV and NK) were orally gavaged (1×1012 cfu/mL) daily from d 14 to 18. Growth performances were measured on d 6, 9, and 13 postinfection (dpi). Spleen and duodenal samples were collected on 6 dpi to assess the gut microbiota, and gene expressions of gut integrity and local inflammation makers. Fecal samples were collected from 6 to 9 dpi to enumerate oocyst shedding. Blood samples were collected on 13 dpi to measure the serum 3-1E antibody levels. Chickens in the NK group showed significantly improved (P < 0.05) growth performance, gut integrity, reduced fecal oocyst shedding and mucosal immunity compared to NC. Interestingly, there was a distinct shift in the gut microbiota profile in the NK group compared to that of NC and EV chickens. Upon challenge with E. acervulina, the percentage of Firmicutes was reduced and that of Cyanobacteria increased. In NK chickens, however, the ratio between Firmicutes and Cyanobacteria was not affected and was similar to that of CON chickens. Taken together, NK treatment restored dysbiosis incurred by E. acervulina infection and showed the general protective effects of orally delivered B. subtilis-cNK-2 on coccidiosis infection. This includes reduction of fecal oocyst shedding, enhancement of local protective immunity, and maintenance of gut microbiota homeostasis in broiler chickens.

Effects of dietary Galla Chinensis tannin supplementation on immune function and liver health in broiler chickens challenged with lipopolysaccharide.

Herein, Galla Chinensis tannin (GCT) was examined for its influence on preventing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver damage in broiler chickens. Approximately 486 one-day-old healthy broilers were randomly allocated to 3 treatment groups (control, LPS, and LPS + GCT). The control and LPS groups were fed a basal diet and the LPS+GCT group was fed the basal diet supplemented with 300 mg/kg GCT. LPS was intraperitoneally injected (1 mg/kg body weight BW) in broilers in the LPS and LPS+GCT groups at 17, 19, and 21 days of age. The results manifested that dietary GCT addition attenuated LPS-induced deleterious effects on serum parameters and significantly increased serum immunoglobulin and complement C3 concentrations relative to the control and LPS groups. Dietary supplementation of GCT inhibited LPS-induced increase in broiler hepatic inflammatory cytokines, caspases activities, and TLR4/NF-κB pathway-related gene mRNA expression. Therefore, 300 mg/kg GCT addition to the diet improved the immune function of broilers and inhibit liver inflammation by blocking the TLR4/NF-κB pathway. Our findings provide support for the application of GCT in poultry production.

Effect of Vernonia amygdalina leaf meal on growth performance, intestinal mucosa activity, digestive enzymes, absorption capacity, and immunity in broiler chickens

Gut health is multifaceted and is largely influenced by the rearing environment and the diet. The use of phytochemicals rich in phenolics and flavonoids can improve the digestive health of chickens and lead to better growth performance. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of dietary Vernonia amygdalina leaf meal (VALM) on growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, absorption function, organ weights and immunity of broilers. Two hundred and forty, one-day-old male Cobb 500 broiler chicks were randomly divided into four groups: an unsupplemented control and VA-1, VA-3 and VA-5 receiving VALM incorporation at concentrations of 1, 3 and 5 g/kg, respectively. Each treatment had six replicates of 10 chickens. On d 42, six chickens per replicate were isolated and euthanised. Digesta from the jejunal segments (10 cm) was collected for analysis of the digestive enzymes. The remaining digesta was then washed out with ice-cold phosphate-buffered saline before the jejunal segments (10 cm) were opened longitudinally to collect the mucosa by scraping. For the preparation of the homogenate, intestinal mucosa samples were homogenised with 154 mmol/l of ice-cold sodium chloride solution and centrifuged at 4 °C for 900 s. To determine immunoglobulins, glutathione and D-xylose, the supernatant was extracted and stored at -20 °C. Supplementation with VALM did not significantly influence the relative weights of organs in the different treatments. However, VALM at 3 g/kg caused a significant increase in amylase and trypsin concentration (P&lt;0.05). Immunoglobulin A and intestinal secretory immunoglobulin G concentrations were significantly improved (P&lt;0.05) in the birds fed 3 g/kg VALM. This supported the premise that 3 g/kg VALM in feed can improve gastric immunity status and digestive enzyme secretion.

Effects of feeding a thermomechanical, enzyme-facilitated, coprocessed yeast and soybean meal on growth performance, organ weights, leg health, and gut development of broiler chickens

The development of a healthy gut during prestarter and starter phases is crucial to drive chicken's productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a thermomechanical, enzyme-facilitated, coprocessed yeast and soybean meal (pYSM) on growth performance, organ weights, leg health, and gut development in broiler chickens. A total of 576 as-hatched broiler chicks were randomly allotted to 3 dietary treatments (8 replicates/treatment, 24 chickens/replicate): a control group (C) without the pYSM, a treatment group 1 (T1), in which the pSYM was included at 20, 10, 5, 0, and 0% levels in the prestarter, starter, grower, finisher I, and finisher II feeding phases, respectively, and a treatment group 2 (T2), in which the pSYM was included at 5, 5, 5, 0, and 0% levels in each feeding phase. On d 3 and 10, 16 broilers/treatment were euthanized. The T1 broilers tended to show higher live weight (d 3 and 7) and average daily gain (prestarter and starter phases) than the other groups (P ≤ 0.10). Differently, pYSM-based diets did not influence the growth performance of the other feeding phases and the whole experimental period (P > 0.05). Relative weights of pancreas and liver were also unaffected by pYSM utilization (P > 0.05). Litter quality tended to have higher average scores in C group (P=0.079), but no differences were observed for leg health (P > 0.05). Histomorphometry of gut, liver, and bursa of Fabricius was not affected by diet (P > 0.05). Gut immunity was driven to an anti-inflammatory pattern, with the reduction of IL-2, INF-γ, and TNF-α in the duodenum of treated birds (d 3, P < 0.05). Also, MUC-2 was greater in the duodenum of C and T2 group when compared to T1 (d 3, P=0.016). Finally, T1-fed chickens displayed greater aminopeptidase activity in the duodenum (d 3 and 10, P < 0.05) and jejunum (d 3, P < 0.05). Feeding high levels of pYSM (10-20%) to broilers in the first 10 d tended to improve growth performance in the prestarter and starter phases. It also positively downregulated proinflammatory cytokines during the first 3 d, as well as stimulated the aminopeptidase activity in the prestarter and starter periods.

The effects of carrot (Daucus carota L.) waste juice on the performances of native chicken in North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract The abundance of agricultural products often causes environmental problems. The utilization of agricultural waste from carrots can reduce both the feed cost and environmental pollution and become a source of vitamin A for the health of the native chicken. The study aims to analyze carrot (Daucus carota L.) waste juice on native chicken performance. It was conducted from April to July 2019 at Pandu experimental field in North Minahasa Regency. The practical method used was a completely randomized design with four replications. The experimental livestock used in the study was 80-day-old chickens of native chicken. The concentration of carrot juice during the study was as follows: 100% drinking water without carrot juice (W0), 80% water drinking + 20% carrot juice (W1), 60% drinking water + 40% carrot juice (W2), and 20% drinking water + 80% carrot juice (W3). Observed variables included feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and mortality rate. The results showed that carrot waste juice significantly impacted the body weight gain, feed conversion rate, and 0% mortality rate during the 8 weeks. The concentration of 20% drinking water + 80% carrot juice (W3) with the feed intake ratio of 1.608 g, body weight gain value of 775.63 ± 301 g, and the FCR of 2.1 ± 0.06. However, the consumption ratio did not differ among treatments. The addition of carrot waste juice, as much as 80%, in the drinking water of native chickens showed an increase in body weight compared to other treatments. In conclusion, the current study showed that treatment of carrot waste juice has a significant effect on body weight in 8 weeks of maintenance. Meanwhile, the feed intake ratio of carrot waste juice treatment has no real effect. There was no dead chicken (0%) in the present study. The carrot waste juice can be used in chicken drinks 40–80% by paying attention to the balance of energy content and feed proteins used to grow chickens.

Effects of exogenous protease on performance, economic evaluation, nutrient digestibility, fecal score, intestinal morphology, blood profile, carcass trait, and meat quality in broilers fed normal diets and diets considered with matrix value

This study was conducted to estimate the effects of exogenous protease on performance, economic evaluation, nutrient digestibility, fecal score, intestinal morphology, blood profile, carcass traits, and meat quality in broilers fed normal diets and diets considered with matrix value. A total of 90, one-day-old Arbor Acres broiler chickens were randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments with 6 replicates and each replicate of 5 broiler chickens. Treatments were as follows: 1) Basal diet (positive control, PC), 2) Basal diet formulated with full ProAct 360 matrix at 50 g/MT without addition of ProAct 360 (negative control, NC), 3) NC+50 g/MT ProAct 360 (PA). Supplementation of exogenous protease to nutrient deficient NC diet by matrix values (PA) tended to increase growth performance and significantly improved intestinal morphology compared with the NC group. The PA group had significantly lower fecal score, and higher ATTD of crude protein and amino acids than those of the NC group. Furthermore, supplementation of exogenous protease to NC diet decreased feed cost, resulting in improved profit margin. However, there was no significant difference on carcass yield and relative organ weight. In conclusion, supplementation of exogenous protease using matrix value could be used as economic additive to improve growth, profit margin, digestibility, and gut health in broiler chickens.

Multi-country metabolic signature discovery for chicken health classification

IntroductionTo decrease antibiotic resistance, their use as growth promoters in the agricultural sector has been largely abandoned. This may lead to decreased health due to infectious disease or microbiome changes leading to gut inflammation.ObjectivesWe aimed to generate a m/z signature classifying chicken health in blood, and obtain biological insights from the resulting m/z signature.MethodsWe used direct infusion mass-spectrometry to determine a machine-learned metabolomics signature that classifies chicken health from a blood sample. We then challenged the resulting models by investigating the classification capability of the signature on novel data obtained at poultry houses in previously unseen countries using a Leave-One-Country-Out (LOCO) cross-validation strategy. Additionally, we optimised the number of mass/charge (m/z) values required to maximise the classification capability of Random Forest models, by developing a novel ranking system based on combined univariate t-test and fold-change analyses and building models based on this ranking through forward and reverse feature selection.ResultsThe multi-country and LOCO models could classify chicken health. Both resulting 25-m/z and 3784-m/z signatures reliably classified chicken health in multiple countries. Through mummichog enrichment analysis on the large m/z signature, we found changes in amino acid metabolism, including branched chain amino acids and polyamines.ConclusionWe reliably classified chicken health from blood, independent of genetic-, farm-, feed- and country-specific confounding factors. The 25-m/z signature can be used to aid development of a per-metabolite panel. The extended 3784-m/z version can be used to gain a deeper understanding of the metabolic causes and consequences of low chicken health. Together, they may facilitate future treatment, prevention and intervention.

Effects of arginine replacement with L-citrulline on the arginine/nitric oxide metabolism in chickens: An animal model without urea cycle

BackgroundThis study examined the efficacy of L-citrulline supplementation on the arginine/nitric oxide metabolism, and intestinal functions of broilers during arginine deficiency. A total of 288 day-old Arbor Acre broilers were randomly assigned to either an arginine deficient basal diet (NC diet), NC diet + 0.50% L-arginine (PC diet), or NC diet + 0.50% L-citrulline (NCL diet). Production performance was recorded, and at 21 days old, chickens were euthanized for tissue collection.ResultsThe dietary treatments did not affect the growth performance of broilers (P > 0.05), although NC diet increased the plasma alanine aminotransferase, urate, and several amino acids, except arginine (P < 0.05). In contrast, NCL diet elevated the arginine and ornithine concentration higher than NC diet, and it increased the plasma citrulline greater than the PC diet (P < 0.05). The nitric oxide concentration in the kidney and liver tissues, along with the plasma and liver eNOS activities were promoted by NCL diet higher than PC diet (P < 0.05). In the liver, the activities of arginase 1, ASS, and ASL, as well as, the gene expression of iNOS and OTC were induced by PC diet greater than NC diet (P < 0.05). In the kidney, the arginase 1, ASS and ASL enzymes were also increased by PC diet significantly higher than the NC and NCL diets. Comparatively, the kidney had higher abundance of nNOS, ASS, ARG2, and OTC genes than the liver tissue (P < 0.05). In addition, NCL diet upregulated (P < 0.05) the mRNA expression of intestinal nutrient transporters (EAAT3 and PEPT1), tight junction proteins (Claudin 1 and Occludin), and intestinal mucosal defense (MUC2 and pIgR). The intestinal morphology revealed that both PC and NCL diets improved (P < 0.05) the ileal VH/CD ratio and the jejunal VH and VH/CD ratio compared to the NC fed broilers.ConclusionThis study revealed that NCL diet supported arginine metabolism, nitric oxide synthesis, and promoted the intestinal function of broilers. Thus, L-citrulline may serve as a partial arginine replacement in broiler's diet without detrimental impacts on the performance, arginine metabolism and gut health of chickens.

Growing Healthier Chickens by Feeding Their Gut Microbes

All living things need nutrients to grow and stay healthy. Like humans, animals get most of their nutrients from food. Supplements added to animal feed to boost its nutritional value are called feed additives and they come in various forms to suit an animal’s unique needs. Despite their differences, feed additives have one common purpose: to improve an animal’s health. One way to promote animal health is by helping good gut microbes to grow. Feed additives that support good microbes are called pre-biotics. Plant-based pre-biotics are commonly used in the poultry industry. Some examples of plant-based pre-biotics are essential oils, fruit peels, and herbs. This article focuses on these plant-based feed pre-biotics and explores how they improve the health of chickens by changing the microbial diversity in their digestive system.

Effects of moldy corn on the performance, antioxidant capacity, immune function, metabolism and residues of mycotoxins in eggs, muscle, and edible viscera of laying hens

Mycotoxins, including aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), zearalenone (ZEN) and deoxynivalenol (DON), are common contaminants of moldy feeds. Mycotoxins can cause deleterious effects on the health of chickens and can be carried over in poultry food products. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of moldy corn (containing AFB1, ZEN, and DON) on the performance, health, and mycotoxin residues of laying hens. One hundred and eighty 400-day-old laying hens were divided into 4 treatments: basal diet (Control), basal diet containing 20% moldy corn (MC20), 40% moldy corn (MC40) and 60% moldy corn (MC60). At d 20, 40, and 60, the performance, oxidative stress, immune function, metabolism, and mycotoxin residues in eggs were determined. At d 60, mycotoxin residues in muscle and edible viscera were measured. Results showed the average daily feed intake (ADFI) and laying performance of laying hens were decreased with moldy corn treatments. All the moldy corn treatments also induced significant oxidative stress and immunosuppression, reflected by decreased antioxidase activities, contents of cytokines, immunoglobulins, and increased malonaldehyde level. Moreover, the activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase were increased by moldy corn treatments. The lipid metabolism was influenced in laying hens receiving moldy corn, reflected by lowered levels of total protein, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, and increased total triglyceride as well as uric acid. The above impairments were aggravated with the increase of mycotoxin levels. Furthermore, AFB1 and ZEN residues were found in eggs, muscle, and edible viscera with moldy corn treatments, but the residues were below the maximum residue limits. In conclusion, moldy corn impaired the performance, antioxidant capacity, immune function, liver function, and metabolism of laying hens at d 20, 40, and 60. Moldy corn also led to AFB1 residue in eggs at d 20, 40, and 60, and led to both AFB1 and ZEN residues in eggs at days 40 and 60, and in muscle and edible viscera at d 60. The toxic effects and mycotoxin residues were elevated with the increase of moldy corn levels in feed.

Influence of dietary Bacillus coagulans and/or Bacillus licheniformis-based probiotics on performance, gut health, gene expression, and litter quality of broiler chickens

Probiotics are non-pathogenic microorganisms that are potentially important non-antibiotic alternatives. This study aimed to compare novel multi-strain and single-strain Bacillus probiotics and their respective influences on broiler chickens’ performance, gut health, litter quality, immune response, and NBN and TLR gene expression. A total of 1200 Arbor-Acres 1-day-old broiler chicks were randomly allocated into three treatments (T1 was a control, T2 was supplemented with a combined Bacillus coagulans (2 × 109 cfu/g) and Bacillus licheniformis (8 × 109 cfu/g) probiotic strains (0.2 kg/ton of feed), and T3 was supplemented with Bacillus licheniformis (3.2 × 109 cfu/g) probiotic (0.5 kg/ton of feed) with eight replicas of each. Supplementing the broiler diet with either the single-strain (T3) or the multi-strain (T2) Bacillus-based probiotic raised the overall birds’ body weight, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and European production efficiency factor compared to the control (T1), with a significant enhancement achieved by the multi-strain Bacillus product (P = 0.005). T2 and T3 exhibited significantly improved cholesterol, Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase levels than the control (P ≤ 0.05). The transcript levels of both NBN and TLR genes were upregulated in the liver in the T2 and T3 groups. The T2 group experienced significant reductions in gut bacterial counts, especially for Clostridia, and recorded the lowest litter moisture and nitrogen. In conclusion, supplementing broiler diets with probiotics of multiple Bacillus strains increased production profitability by promoting bird growth, improving feed intake, enhancing gut mucosa and immune organs, and upregulating genes responsible for immunity. All these inhibit the overgrowth of enteric pathogens and sustain litter quality.

INFLUENCE OF PHYTOBIOTIC AND SYNBIOTIC-ACIDIFIER BLEND SUPPLEMENTS ON HEMATO-BIOCHEMICAL INDICES, ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES AND GUT MICROFLORA OF BROILER CHICKEN

This study examined the effect of phytobiotic (Superliv powder®, SP) and symbiotic-acidifier blend (Bacflora-F®, BF) feed additives on hemato-biochemical indices, antioxidant enzymes, and gut microflora of broiler chicken. A total of 120-day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments, with three replicates of ten birds per treatment as follows, Diet 1 (basal/control diet), Diet 2 (basal + 0.05 g/kg SP), Diet 3 (basal + 1g/kg BF) and Diet 4 (basal + 0.05g/kg SP and 1g/kg BF). The result revealed significant differences (P &lt;0.05) in values of all haematological parameters except monocyte counts. Broiler chickens fed a diet supplemented with SP and BF had higher packed cell volume, red blood cell, and haemoglobin concentration but lower white blood cells and lymphocyte count compared to the control group. The dietary supplementation of SP and BF did not influence the concentration of alanine aminotransferase, creatinine, total protein, and globulin contents (P &gt; 0.05) but significantly reduced cholesterol levels of the broiler chicken compared to the control group. The result further showed that broiler chickens fed the diet supplemented with of SP and BF had higher (P &lt;0.05) concentration of total glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) compared to the control group. There was no significant difference in aerobic bacteria, lactic acid-producing bacteria and coliform bacteria (p &gt; 0.05) count across the experimental treatments. In conclusion, the dietary supplementation of SP and BF can be used to enhance the antioxidative status, reduce cholesterol levels and maintain the gut health of broiler chickens during production.

Assessment of Production Performances of Exotic Chickens Under Village Production System in Kembata-Tembaro Zone, Southern Ethiopia

The current study was carried out between July 2019 and October 2021 in the districts of Doyogena, Hadero- Tunto (HT), and Angecha of kembata-Tembaro (KT) Zone, Southern Ethiopia, with the aim of assessing management practices and production performance of various exotic chickens under village production system. Based on the possibility for distributing exotic chicken, the districts were deliberately selected. A random selection of nine kebeles was made. Data from a household survey were gathered utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire and file monitoring. To evaluate the data quantitatively, descriptive statistics were employed. For the purpose of strengthening data from the household survey, information from focus groups and individual observations was qualitatively evaluated. The study found out that, the chicken house was constricted 60.4% of the respondents share with people, 20.4% separate with animals and 19.2% constricted separate chicken house. The main feed supplements used for chicken were maize and wheat grains (55.6%), industrial by products (15.2%) and kitchen waste (29.2%). The respondents were provided water as free access (32.2%), in the morning and evening (30%) and provided only in the morning (37.8%). About (78.9%) of the respondents did not used vaccine to their chicken against different diseases. The average mean (60.4%) and (70.2%) of the respondents had good market access to buy chicken production inputs and to sell eggs and chicken, respectively. The breed (BB) was superior for number of egg/year (221.47±12.8) than (SSB) breed (202.91±16.15) and (PK)breed (184.29±5.65); whereas (PK)breed was superior for average age at first egg lying (155±0.94) than (SSB) breed (176.92±0.49) and (BB)breed (168.21±2.78). Diseases and feed shortage were major constraints in the study areas. The overall results of the present study reveal that the majority of the respondents were not used separate chicken housing system and the main feed resources used for their chicken was obtained from grains. Disease and feed problems were the first and the second constraint of exotic chicken production in the study areas. The overall finding indicate that the performance of exotic chicken under farmers’ management condition (BB) breed had better egg production performance than (SSB) and (PK) breeds; whereas (PK)breed was reach better sexual maturity at first egg laying than (SSB) and (BB)breeds in the study areas. However, the performance of the three breeds in the study areas was lower than other findings on similar exotic chicken. The attention given to exotic chicken, particularly in supplementary feeding, health care and housing practices was very low in the study areas. Hence, better housing system, improving the health of chicken, practicing supplementary feeding could increase the productivity.

Effects of dietary supplementation with dandelion tannins or soybean isoflavones on growth performance, antioxidant function, intestinal morphology, and microbiota composition in Wenchang chickens.

Many benefits have been found in supplementing tannins or soybean isoflavones to poultry, including increased body weight gain, antioxidant activity, and better intestinal morphology. However, few studies tested the influence of dandelion tannins or soybean isoflavones supplementation on Wenchang chickens. This study investigates the effects of dietary supplementation with dandelion tannins or soybean isoflavones on the growth performance, antioxidant function, and intestinal health of female Wenchang chickens. A total of 300 chickens were randomly divided into five groups, with six replicates per group and 10 broilers per replicate. The chickens in the control group (Con) were fed a basal diet; the four experimental groups were fed a basal diet with different supplements: 300 mg/kg of dandelion tannin (DT1), 500 mg/kg of dandelion tannin (DT2), 300 mg/kg of soybean isoflavone (SI1), or 500 mg/kg of soybean isoflavone (SI2). The experiment lasted 40 days. The results showed that the final body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) were higher in the DT2 and SI1 groups than in the Con group (P < 0.05). In addition, dietary supplementation with dandelion tannin or soybean isoflavone increased the level of serum albumin (P <0.05); the concentrations of serum aspartate aminotransferase and glucose were significantly higher in the SI1 group (P < 0.05) than in the Con group and the concentration of triglycerides in the DT1 group (P < 0.05). The serum catalase (CAT) level was higher in the DT1 and SI1 groups than in the Con group (P < 0.05). The ileum pH value was lower in the DT2 or SI1 group than in the Con group (P < 0.05). The jejunum villus height and mucosal muscularis thickness were increased in the DT2 and SI1 groups (P < 0.05), whereas the jejunum crypt depth was decreased in the DT1 or DT2 group compared to the Con group (P < 0.05). In addition, the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression level of zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1) in the duodenum of the SI1 group and those of occludin, ZO-1, and claudin-1 in the ileum of the DT2 and SI1 groups were upregulated (P < 0.05) compared to the Con group. Moreover, the DT2 and SI1 groups exhibited reduced intestinal microbiota diversity relative to the Con group, as evidenced by decreased Simpson and Shannon indexes. Compared to the Con group, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria was lower and that of Barnesiella was higher in the DT2 group (P < 0.05). Overall, dietary supplementation with 500 mg/kg of dandelion tannin or 300 mg/kg of soybean isoflavone improved the growth performance, serum biochemical indexes, antioxidant function, and intestinal morphology and modulated the cecal microbiota composition of Wenchang chickens.

Compound bioengineering protein improves growth performance and intestinal health in broiler chickens under high-temperature conditions.

In recent years, more frequent and prolonged periods of high ambient temperature in summer compromised poultry production worldwide. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of compound bioengineering protein (CBP) on the growth performance and intestinal health of broilers under high ambient temperatures. A total of 400 one-day-old Arbor Acres birds were randomly distributed into five treatment groups: control group (CON) with basal diet, or a basal diet supplemented with CBP 250, 500, 750, and 1,000 mg/kg, respectively. The trial lasted 42 d, all birds were raised at normal ambient temperature for the first 21 d and then subjected to the artificial hyperthermal condition with the temperature at 32 ± 2 °C and relative humidity at 60 ± 5% during 22 to 42 d. Dietary CBP supplementation improved the growth performance and serum antioxidant capacity (total antioxidant capacity and total superoxide dismutase), and decreased serum cortisol, aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase of broilers. Dietary CBP inclusion enhanced intestinal barrier function by promoting intestinal morphology and reducing intestinal permeability (diamine oxidase), increased the intestinal antioxidant capacity by elevating glutathione peroxidase activity in the duodenum, reducing malondialdehyde content in the jejunum. Dietary CBP supplementation also alleviated intestinal inflammation by decreasing interleukin (IL)-6 content in the jejunum and ileum, promoting IL-10 levels in the ileum, down-regulating the mRNA abundance of intestinal inflammatory-related genes interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in the duodenum and up-regulating IL-10 in the jejunum. Additionally, CBP increased the population of total bacteria and Lactobacillus in cecal chyme. Collectively, dietary CBP inclusion exerts beneficial effects on the broilers, which are reflected by enhancing antioxidant capacity, promoting intestinal barrier function, ameliorating intestinal immune response, and regulating intestinal bacteria, thus improving the growth performance of broilers under high-temperature conditions. In general, 750 mg/kg CBP supplementation is more effective.

Detection of abnormal chicken droppings based on improved Faster R-CNN

The characteristics of chicken droppings are closely related to the health of chickens. Veterinarians often judge the health of a chicken by looking at whether the chicken poop is normal. At present, the inspection of abnormal chicken droppings in chicken coops relies on manual observation, which is inefficient, accurate varies from person to person, labor-intensive, and has the risk of cross-infection. To achieve efficient, accurate, and intelligent identification of abnormal chicken droppings, an abnormal chicken droppings detection method based on improved Faster Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (Faster R-CNN) was proposed in this study. In the feature extraction network stage, deformable convolution was used and combined with Path Augmentation-Feature Pyramid Network (PA-FPN) to improve the extraction ability of features at different scales. In the Region Proposal Network (RPN) stage, the K-means++ algorithm was used to cluster the dataset and obtain the Anchor-ratio which is more suitable for the chicken poop object, and the FocalLoss classification loss function was used to improve the classification ability of difficult samples. In the regional convolutional network stage, the region of interest calibration algorithm was used instead to obtain more accurate localization information. The experimental results show that the improved Faster R-CNN structure can reach an accuracy of 98.8% for abnormal chicken poop detection, and the average accuracy mean value was improved by 27.8%. The results can provide a key core technology support for establishing an efficient abnormal chicken droppings online detection system. Keywords: abnormal chicken droppings, Faster R-CNN, detection, non-destructive monitoring, PA-FPN DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20231601.7732 Citation: Zhu J H, Cui Z H, Wang H Y, Zhou M, Sun X Q. Detection of abnormal chicken droppings based on improved Faster R-CNN. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2023; 16(1): 243–249.

Mechanisms underlying the Effects of Heat Stress on Intestinal Integrity, Inflammation, and Microbiota in Chickens.

Poultry meat and egg production benefits from a smaller carbon footprint, as well as feed and water consumption, per unit of product, than other protein sources. Therefore, maintaining a sustainable production of poultry meat is important to meet the increasing global demand for this staple. Heat stress experienced during the summer season or in tropical/subtropical areas negatively affects the productivity and health of chickens. Crucially, its impact is predicted to grow with the acceleration of global warming. Heat stress affects the physiology, metabolism, and immune response of chickens, causing electrolyte imbalance, oxidative stress, endocrine disorders, inflammation, and immunosuppression. These changes do not occur independently, pointing to a systemic mechanism. Recently, intestinal homeostasis has been identified as an important contributor to nutrient absorption and the progression of systemic inflammation. Its mechanism of action is thought to involve neuroendocrine signaling, antioxidant response, the presence of oxidants in the diet, and microbiota composition. The present review focuses on the effect of heat stress on intestinal dysfunction in chickens and the underlying causative factors. Understanding these mechanisms will direct the design of strategies to mitigate the negative effect of heat stress, while benefiting both animal health and sustainable poultry production.

Assessment on backyard chicken feeding practices and health management in Fogera district Amhara region, Ethiopia

The study was conducted in Fogera District of South Gonder Zone of Amhara Region of Ethiopia, with the study objective of generating baseline information and assessment on backyard chicken feeding practices and health management system of chicken in Fogera District. Two Kebeles (Quar Abo and Quar Michel) were selected purposively and a total of 15 households were randomly selected per each Kebele and totally, 30 randomly selected households from two Kebeles were included in the study area. The data collected was analyzed by using Microsoft exce. The highest proportions of respondents, about 53.33% were male whereas the remaining (46.67%) were female. In the study area (40%) of the house hold young age from (20-40), 42-62 age of house hold has 43.33% whereas>62 age of house hold has 16.67%. The result of the study indicated that the dominant flock structure in the study area were layers which account (6.73±2.89), pullets (3.96±2.31), cocks (2.46±1.70), cockerels (1.25±0.53) and chicken (3.33±1.98).The important of chicken production was household consumption (13.33%), income generation or sell (40%) and 46.67% for both consumption and selling purpose their chicken and egg during holidays. Our survey result showed that the highest proportion of respondents provided supplementary feed like, maize (20%, Rice (60%) and sorghum (20%) in addition to scavenging and the rest were scavenging only. The common feed source in the study areas are scavenging (13.33%), scavenging with supplementary feeding (23.33%), purchase from the market (26.67%) and 40% other like use at home. We conclude village chicken play a vital role in the human livelihoods and contribute to food security of the rural communities. In the study area the respondents most of the time feeding system in the ground within the group, so better to use the Federer place and provide feeds by separating of chicken based on the age.

MEAT QUALITY OF BROILER CHICKENS BY FEEDING INORGANIC FORM OF SELENIUM

The addition of selenium is necessary to maintain the health and high productivity of broiler chickens and to improve the palatability and chemical composition of the meat. This helps to increase the content of dry matter, protein and fat in the breast and thigh muscles, and also increases the nutritional and biological value of poultry meat. Determination of the optimal dose of the inorganic form of selenium in the feed of broiler chickens remains a problematic issue. The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of different doses of selenium (0.2 mg/kg, 0.3 and 0.4 mg/kg) on the chemical composition, energy and biological value of muscle tissue of broiler chickens. Broiler chickens in the amount of 40 heads served as the research material. Poultry of the control group (10 heads) received compound feed according to the growing periods, and experimental groups (30 heads) received compound feed with the addition of different amounts of sodium selenite: group 2 – 0.2 mg/kg, group 3 – 0.3 mg/kg and group 4 – 0.4 mg/kg. Current methods were used to determine the chemical composition of the pectoral and femoral muscles of broiler chickens, in particular, the mass fraction of moisture, the total content of fat, nitrogen, and the mass fraction of total ash. The content of selenium was determined by the method of atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma, the toxicological assessment was carried out using Tetrachimena piriformis strain WH14 ciliates, the energy value was determined by the calculation method, according to the chemical composition of muscle tissue. It was found that the fat content increased in the pectoral muscles of broiler chickens of experimental group 2 by 0.1% (p &lt; 0.05), 3 – by 0.3 (p &lt; 0.01) and 4 – by 0.3 % (p &lt; 0.05) compared to the control group. The indicator of energy value of breast muscles of broiler chickens of experimental group 3 increased by 2.2% (p &lt; 0.05), and 4 – by 2.8% (p &lt; 0.05) compared to the control group. Selenium concentration increased in the pectoral muscles of broiler chickens of experimental group 2 by 21.7% (p &lt; 0.05), 3 – by 70% (p &lt; 0.01), 4 – by 106% (p &lt; 0.001) compared to the control group. At the same time, the concentration of selenium in the femoral muscles of broiler chickens of experimental group 2 increased by 12.9% (p &lt; 0.01), 3 – by 57.1 (p &lt; 0.001), 4 – by 85.7% (p &lt; 0.001) compared to the control group. Therefore, the concentration of selenium in the muscle tissue of the pectoral and thigh muscles depends on the dose of this trace element in feed. The quality of meat of broiler chickens improved with the addition of inorganic form of selenium to compound feed at a dose of 0.3 and 0.4 mg/kg.

Encapsulation as a Way to Improve the Phytogenic Effects of Herbal Additives in Broilers – An Overview

Abstract The prohibition of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) and the restriction of synthetic antioxidants have had a negative impact on the productivity and health of broiler chickens. To ensure sustainability in broiler production, poultry nutritionists continue to look for alternatives to AGP and antioxidants. Using herbal ingredients is one alternative that is widely used today. However, the use of herbal ingredients in small doses is often constrained by bioavailability problems, thereby reducing the effectiveness of using herbal additives for broiler chickens. At higher doses, the use of herbal ingredients can increase feed costs and negatively impact palatability, digestion and protein utilization, and liver health. Encapsulation is a method that can improve the stability, palatability, and bioavailability of herbal additives, which may enhance the efficacy of herbs as AGP and antioxidant alternatives for broilers. This review article provides a comprehensive insight into the application of and problems related to herbal additives, benefits of encapsulation technology on herbs, and use of encapsulated herbs in broiler production.