Poultry Production Research Articles

High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) continues to be a major threat to poultry production in Bangladesh, where poultry is a primary source of affordable protein and outbreaks also pose zoonotic risks to humans. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 331 commercial broiler, layer, and Sonali poultry farms to evaluate biosecurity and farm management practices across different poultry production systems in relation to government-recommended biosecurity guidelines, and to identify risk factors associated with avian influenza (AI) outbreaks, as well as to assist in mitigating AI outbreak risks and improving disease prevention in poultry farms. We found that 93.4% of farms were in residential areas and 68.8% of the farms were near waterbodies. A significant number of farms had access to domestic and wild animals, with limited implementation of disinfection and hygiene practices. Overall, most farms did not fully comply with government suggested standard biosecurity and good farm management guidelines. In total, 51 (15.4%) farms reported AI outbreaks with the highest proportion in layer farms (29.1%), followed by broiler (10.6%) and Sonali (7.8%). AI outbreaks were significantly associated with outbreak history on nearby farms, farmers or workers visiting other farms, and farm management by workers or multiple individuals rather than owners. Veterinarian visits were also found to be associated with outbreaks on farms, which may reflect reporting bias rather than causality. Our findings underscore that substantial gaps in biosecurity compliance remain widespread across all farm types. We recommend strengthening biosecurity protocols, addressing environmental risks, and providing comprehensive training programs for farmers to control AI spread, prevent future outbreaks, and ultimately safeguard both poultry and public health.

Globally, heat stress (HS) is a major concern in poultry farming, adversely impacting bird productivity, health, welfare, and economic returns. As climate change intensifies, the occurrence and severity of HS are anticipated to rise, posing greater risks to the poultry industry and the increasing demand for food. Birds respond to HS by exhibiting different mechanisms, including behavioral and physiological changes, to regulate their body temperature. In poultry, HS has been associated with reduced feed consumption, growth, feed efficiency, quantity and quality of eggs produced, meat quality, reproductive performance, impaired gut health, and increased mortality. Also, HS induces acid–base imbalance, causing both respiratory alkalosis and metabolic acidosis. During HS, birds pant to cool down and exhale excessive carbon dioxide, leading to a decrease in blood pH. Nutritional interventions have emerged as a viable strategy to mitigate HS effects, with various dietary supplements demonstrating efficacy in improving poultry resilience. Vitamins (A, C, D, and E), minerals (selenium, zinc, chromium, sodium, potassium, and chloride), fat, amino acids, electrolytes, and in ovo feeding have been revealed to boost thermotolerance, support growth, and improve feed efficiency of birds under HS conditions. This review integrates current literature on the impact of HS on poultry production and examines how nutritional supplements can help alleviate the effects of this environmental stressor in the avian species.

Salmonella enterica is a significant zoonotic pathogen, posing a serious public health threat through its presence in the food supply chain, particularly in poultry production facilities. This study aimed to investigate the genetic diversity, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profiles and phylogenetic relationships of S. enterica serovars isolated from various stages of the broiler supply chain in Harare, Zimbabwe. Whole-genome sequencing was employed to analyse 28 Salmonella isolates from broiler farms, slaughter facilities and retail markets. The overall prevalence of Salmonella was 5.1% out of 552 samples tested. Contamination rates were higher at slaughter facilities, where 11% of 100 samples tested positive and at retail markets, where 20% of 20 samples were contaminated. In contrast, farms had a significantly lower prevalence, with only 3.0% of 432 samples showing Salmonella presence. Eight serovars were identified, with S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium being the most prevalent at 27.6%. Notably, 34.5% of the isolates harboured resistance genes, including fosA3, fosA7.2 and qnrB19, and exhibited mutations in the gyrA and parC regions. An extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar Kentucky ST198 strain was isolated from retail chicken cuts. All isolates carried virulence genes such as iroC, iroB and sinH, with sodC1 present in 47.4% of the isolates. Approximately 31% of the isolates co-harboured antimicrobial, stress tolerance and virulence genes. Genomic analysis identified distinct sequence types while also revealing identical core SNPs in genomes across various stages of the supply chain. This study highlights the transmission of Salmonella and AMR in the broiler supply chain, emphasizing the urgent need for improved surveillance and intervention strategies to reduce public health risks from contaminated poultry products.

The extensive application of antibiotics in poultry production has resulted in the emergence of resistant bacteria, which pose a great threat to the health of birds and humans. In this review, the literature is searched using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Studies concerning antimicrobial resistance in poultry, the One Health approach, and alternative strategies to antibiotics are included, while studies not in English, opinion-based papers, and studies not related to poultry or AMR are excluded. This review explores the increasing challenges of antibiotic resistance in poultry, emphasizing the One Health framework related to animal, human, and environmental health. The risks of zoonotic transmission from poultry, the mode of development of resistance, and alternative antibiotics (comprising probiotics, prebiotics, enzymes, and essential oils) are the key topics discussed. This review further touches on critical barriers in fighting antibiotic resistance, which include economic constraints, a lack of awareness, and coordination challenges. This study highlights regulatory and consumer-driven changes in antibiotic use. The poultry industry can reduce the use of antibiotics by adopting the One Health approach and implementing evidence-based alternatives that support productivity. However, sustainable solutions require further research, policy reforms, and collaboration across sectors.

The experiment was conducted during November 2023 at Madras Veterinary College, Chennai. In poultry production, environmental stressors such as high ambient temperature decreased productivity of birds to counter these adverse effects, HSP70 and HSP90 are rapidly synthesized under heat stress to protect cells by stabilizing denatured proteins, preventing aggregation, and promoting proper refolding, thereby mitigating cellular damage in Poultry. This study evaluated the expression of HSP70 and HSP90 genes in four chicken genotypes namely, indigenous Siruvidai, TANUVAS Aseel, White Leghorn, and commercial broiler subjected to acute heat stress (38 ± 1 °C for 1 h). Heat shock proteins (HSPs) were essential molecular chaperones that protected cells by stabilizing misfolded proteins and preventing aggregation under stress. Liver tissues were collected from six heat-treated and three control birds per group. Total RNA was extracted, reverse transcribed to cDNA, and analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR using β-actin as a reference gene. Relative expression was calculated using the ΔΔCt method. Results showed that HSP70 expression was upregulated in indigenous Siruvidai (1.42 ± 0.12fold), TANUVAS Aseel (1.19 ± 0.09 fold), and White Leghorn (7.57 ± 0.31fold), but downregulated in broilers (0.40 ± 0.05fold) compared to their respective controls. In contrast, HSP90 was strongly upregulated in indigenous Siruvidai (4.76 ± 0.20 fold), but downregulated in TANUVAS Aseel (0.63 ± 0.07fold), White Leghorn (0.17 ±0.03fold), and broilers (0.18 ± 0.04 fold). These findings suggested that indigenous breeds exhibited a balanced and adaptive thermotolerance strategy with moderate HSP induction, whereas White Leghorns mount an exaggerated HSP70 response and broilers showed a blunted chaperone response, reflecting their thermal susceptibility. Overall, the results highlighted the genetic potential of native breeds for heat resilience and supported the use of HSP70 and HSP90 expression profiles as molecular markers in breeding programs to enhance thermotolerance in commercial poultry. In future, HSP70 and HSP90 expression profiling could aid in selecting and breeding poultry strains with improved heat tolerance and adaptability to climate change.

Background: The association between unprocessed red and processed meat intake and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) remains controversial, particularly for unprocessed red meat. Moreover, few studies have evaluated the health effects of replacing these meats with different protein sources. Methods: We examined associations between intakes of unprocessed red and processed (red and non-red) meat and CHD risk in a pooled analysis of 25 international prospective cohorts including 1,090,325 women and 673,694 men. Dietary intake was assessed at baseline within each cohort using a food frequency questionnaire. We calculated cohort- and sex-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using proportional hazards regression and pooled estimates using random-effects models. We further conducted isocaloric substitution analyses by comparing coefficients for unprocessed red and processed meat with those of alternative animal- and plant-based protein sources. Results: Over a maximum follow-up ranging from 7 to 30 years across cohorts, we documented 62,336 CHD death. After multivariable adjustment for body mass index, demographic, lifestyle, and medical factors, greater intakes of unprocessed red meat and processed meat were associated with a higher risk of fatal CHD, with stronger associations observed among women (p for heterogeneity due to sex <0.001). The HRs comparing extreme intake categories (≥125 vs. <10 g/d) of unprocessed red meat were 1.34 (95% CI: 1.15, 1.55; p for trend=0.003) for women and 1.06 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.17; p for trend=0.009) for men. For processed meat, the corresponding HRs (comparing ≥50 vs. <2 g/d) were 1.39 (95% CI: 1.22, 1.59; p for trend<0.001) for women and 1.13 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.25; p for trend<0.001) for men. Isocaloric replacement of unprocessed red meat or processed meat with nuts and seeds was associated with a lower fatal CHD risk in both sexes. Additionally, in women, the replacement of processed meat with soy products, poultry, seafood, or dairy products, while the replacement of unprocessed red meat with soy products and dairy products was associated with a lower risk. Conclusions: These findings support global dietary recommendations to limit the intake of unprocessed red meat and processed meat for cardiovascular health, highlighting the benefits of replacing these meats with plant protein sources, particularly among women.

Salmonella is a significant food safety and public health concern. Poultry products have been considered the main vehicles of Salmonella infections in humans. Salmonella being present in visually healthy poultry is suggested as the preeminent human transmission risk factor, allowing bacteria to easily transmit from eggs and poultry to humans. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been suggested as promising alternatives to current antibiotics because of their low propensity for resistance development. In this study, we tested the efficacy of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG)-derived small peptides (P1-NPSRQERR, P2- PDENK, and P4-MLNERVK) against Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) and Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) both in vitro and in chickens. Peptides inhibited ST, SE, and other public health-relevant Salmonella serovars in vitro. The antibacterial activity of peptides is likely due to their effect on Salmonella membranes. Importantly, P1 and P2 effectively reduced the colonization of ST by 2.2 and 1.8 logs, respectively, in chickens at 7 days post-infection. P1, P2, and P4 possessed no adverse effect on chicken cecum microbial community, but chickens not treated and challenged with Salmonella showed a difference in microbial richness and evenness compared to the unchallenged chickens. Furthermore, peptides retain their activity upon exposure to heat and protease treatments-characteristics necessary for the use of antimicrobial products in the poultry industry. In summary, these small peptides can provide a promising approach to develop novel strategies for controlling Salmonella infections in chickens.IMPORTANCESalmonella is the most frequently reported bacterial cause of foodborne illness in the United States. Poultry products (eggs and poultry meat) have been considered the main vehicles of Salmonella infections in humans. There is a need for developing and implementing effective antibiotic alternatives to reduce Salmonella in chickens, minimize human exposures, and simultaneously contribute to alleviating antibiotic resistance. AMPs have been suggested as promising alternatives to current antibiotics because of their low propensity for resistance development. Our study showed that LGG-derived peptides (P1-NPSRQERR, P2-PDENK, and P4-MLNERVK) significantly inhibit ST, SE and other Salmonella serovars in vitro and in chickens. Overall, our results demonstrate that small peptides can facilitate the development of promising approaches to control Salmonella infections in poultry, thus contributing to improved food safety and public health.

BackgroundGallibacterium anatis is an emerging pathogen causing substantial economic losses in global poultry production. Despite its growing clinical significance, the genomic basis of pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance in this species remains poorly understood, particularly in China.ResultsWe sequenced and analyzed five clinical G. anatis isolates from Chinese layer chickens alongside 31 global strains, their genomes ranged from 2.25 to 2.81 Mb with 39.8% average GC content. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Chinese isolates cluster according to historical breeding stock importation patterns, reflecting international trade influences on pathogen distribution. Contemporary isolates showed extensive multidrug resistance compared to the antimicrobial-sensitive historical strain F149, with resistance profiles correlating directly with documented antibiotic usage in Chinese poultry production. Virulence analysis identified universal conservation of the RTX toxin system (97–100% prevalence) across all strains, contrasting sharply with variable distribution of other factors including fimbriae (30–35%) and secretion systems (50–60%). All strains harbored CRISPR-Cas systems, predominantly types I and III, indicating strain-specific phage defense adaptations.ConclusionsThe RTX toxin system represents a core virulence mechanism and potential universal vaccine target for G. anatis. The rapid evolution from antimicrobial-sensitive to extensively resistant phenotypes demonstrates how global poultry trade accelerates both pathogen spread and resistance development. These findings provide molecular insights for targeted interventions against an increasingly problematic poultry pathogen.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12866-025-04440-3.

This article presents the analysis and scientific research of waste-free technology of chicken stomachs processing. Preservation and rational utilization of meat and other poultry products is the primary task of the poultry processing industry. Rational processing can be ensured only on the basis of waste-free technology - this is a complete gutting of poultry, production of poultry meat products using giblets and fat. The economic well-being of a poultry processing plant depends to a large extent on how efficiently it utilizes raw materials, main and by-products of poultry processing. It is important not only to operate without loss of raw materials and products, but also to utilize them optimally. With the use of appropriate processing technologies, unused animal body parts can be recycled into useful products and their utilization will also reduce the economic and environmental burden on the producers of these wastes. The prepared products can be widely used, for example, in the food industry, therapeutic and prophylactic, as well as in the production of feed for livestock and pets. In the course of the research the chemical and amino acid composition of poultry stomach byproducts has been studied, and the rational utilization of the inner shell of chicken stomachs for obtaining biologically active additives for food and therapeutic and prophylactic purposes has been proposed.

The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in livestock pathogens necessitates the development of effective alternatives to conventional antibiotics. This review aims to assess the potential of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as alternatives to traditional antibiotics in farm animal production systems, examining their mechanisms of action, efficacy, and applications. A thorough examination of recent literature was conducted to evaluate the properties, classification, and mechanisms of action of AMPs, their natural occurrence, and their applications in poultry, swine, and ruminant production. The review also compared AMPs with conventional antibiotics, antifungals, and antiparasitic drugs. Specific AMPs have shown effectiveness against livestock pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens, along with drug-resistant fungi. One of the primary benefits of AMPs is their strong antimicrobial activity against a wide range of pathogens relevant to farm animal health. Innovative delivery systems, such as self-assembly techniques and nanoparticle encapsulation, can tackle the stability and bioavailability issues associated with AMP administration in farm settings. AMPs represent promising alternatives to conventional antimicrobials in livestock production, offering significant benefits, including a reduced risk of resistance development, immunomodulatory effects, and broad-spectrum activity. However, addressing disadvantages related to production costs, stability, and delivery systems is crucial for their successful commercial application. Integrating AMPs into sustainable farming, after overcoming their shortcomings, could significantly contribute to global efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.

Coccidiosis, caused by Eimeria species, is a major parasitic disease constraining poultry productivity in Nigeria. While national prevalence studies exist, localized data for specific communities like Gwallameji in Bauchi State are scarce, hindering the development of targeted control strategies. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of coccidiosis in chickens in the Gwallameji area and to compare infection rates between layer and broiler chickens. A cross-sectional study was conducted in July-August. A total of 100 fresh fecal samples (40 from layers, 60 from broilers) were randomly collected from five commercial poultry farms. Samples were analyzed using the saturated sodium chloride flotation technique to identify Eimeria oocysts. Data on prevalence were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test. The overall prevalence of coccidiosis was 55.0% (55/100). A higher prevalence was observed in layer chickens (67.5%, 27/40) compared to broilers (46.7%, 28/60). However, this difference was not statistically significant (χ² = 3.41, df = 1, p = 0.065). The findings indicate a high endemicity of coccidiosis in the Gwallameji area, affecting both layer and broiler chickens substantially. The lack of a significant difference in prevalence suggests that overarching management and environmental factors, rather than chicken type alone, are key drivers of infection. This underscores the urgent need for improved biosecurity, farmer education, and holistic flock management practices to mitigate the economic impact of coccidiosis in this region.

Light incubation affects embryo development and post-hatch performance in poultry.

Solid-state fermented Artemisia argyi residue improves immune response and intestinal integrity of broilers challenged with Clostridium perfringens.

Comparative effects of probiotic and postbiotic in ovo administration on broiler intestinal development and health.

Effects of dietary lysozyme supplementation on growth performance, intestinal morphology, immune function, antioxidant capacity, and gut microbiota in broilers.

Chick embryo development assessment and fertility detection using pixel-wise hyperspectral image analysis and deep learning.

Drug repurposing with non-antibiotic strategies against S. aureus and molecular profiling of resistance genes in Nile tilapia.

Effects of Dietary Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio Molitor) supplementation on meat and structural egg quality of different aged-laying hens.

Parquetina nigrescens leaf extract mitigates aflatoxin B1-induced stress, immune and growth disruptions in broilers.

Thermal stability of multi-tier layer hen housing with all-year sidewall inlet ventilation system.