Poultry Research Research Articles

Evaluation of Infectivity, Length of Infection, and Immune Response of Avian Reovirus Variants in Egg-laying Hens.

ABSTRACTWe conducted research studies on avian reovirus (ARV) infectivity in egg-laying hens, focusing on three variants (δC genotypes 2, 3, and 5) detected in layer chickens in Pennsylvania to date. Day-old chicks (Hy-Line North America, LLC, PA), raised at the Poultry Education and Research Center of Penn State University Park campus, showed healthy growth and normal egg production after 20 weeks of age. ARV variants were propagated in LMH cell cultures, with concentrations measured at TCID50/mL. Each group of 10 hens received a 1.0 mL dose containing 103 to 104 TCID50/mL of one ARV variant through oral, nasal, and ocular routes. Infected hens showed normal egg production, with minimal symptoms of watery droppings in the first-week post-inoculation (pi). Cloacal and oral pharyngeal swabs were collected daily in the first week pi and every other day in the second-week pi to monitor virus shedding. Virus shedding began 24 hours pi through feces, peaked at 2 to 4 days pi, decreased by 5 to 7 days pi, and ceased after 12 to 14 days pi. A few birds' oral pharyngeal swabs were weakly positive for 1 to 3 days pi, then all turned negative. Infected hens developed high serum and egg yolk antibody titers at 2 to 3 weeks pi, showing 100% protection against subsequent infections with the same variant strain, demonstrating a 100% protection rate.

The potential use of Alpinia galanga and Piper betle as growth promoters in the broiler industry: A review

Phytogenic feed additives (PFA) have been studied in many poultry researches primarily as growth promoters due to the growing interest in using natural products in farming. However, few researchers opted to study Piper betle and Alpinia galanga as growth promoters in broilers despite these plants' abundance of beneficial phytoconstituents. Thus, this narrative review aims to provide insights to the readers on the characteristics and properties of Piper betle and Alpinia galanga to be used as growth promoters. This article also reviewed previous research on supplementing Piper betle and Alpinia galanga in broiler in-vivo studies. Issues and knowledge addressed in this review article help poultry researchers and industry to explore the potential of Piper betle and Alpinia galanga to improve the performance of poultry flocks in the future.

GROSS MORPHOLOGY AND MORPHOMETRICAL STUDY OF FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE TRACT IN SIRUVIDAI CHICKEN DURING LAYING AND BROODINESS PHASE

Avian species reproduce sexually by the fusion of male and female gamete spermatogonia and oogonia-produced by differentiated testes and ovaries. Fertilization is internal and all birds are oviparous. Reproduction in birds entirely varies from other animals. The two essential reproductive organs ere the ovary and oviduct which were involved in the synthesis of egg in adult laying hen. Gross and morphometrical studies were carried out on the female reproductive tract in twelve Siruvidai chicken of which six at laying phase and six at broodiness phase. The birds were reared in Poultry Research Station, Madhavaram, Chennai-51. In laying phase, the left ovary showed mature ovarian follicles whereas the ovary during broodiness phase was in the form of a bunch of grapes with no hierarchical follicles. There was no significant difference in the body weight of the bird during laying and broodiness. The mean length, weight and width of ovary and oviduct had a highly significant difference during laying and broodiness phase. Gross morphology revealed that only the left female reproductive tract was well-developed both during laying and broodiness phase and the morphometric data analyzed will provide a baseline for subsequent studies and also for comparison with other avian species.

Harnessing blue light for cost-effective and eco-friendly antimicrobial solutions in poultry farming

Blue light in the visible spectrum naturally fights bacteria and effectively deactivates various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi using photodynamic processes. It works against drug-resistant strains within these species and is gentler on mammalian cells than ultraviolet rays or chemicals. This study evaluated blue light as an affordable way to sanitize surfaces in poultry settings, such as eggs and litter. The study used an light-emitting diode array to remove harmful Esche¬richia coli and Staphylococcus aureus from these items and observed how blue light affected their survival rates. Blue light (455 nm) at 30 mW/cm2 for one hour decreased the survival of S. aureus and E. coli on solid agar plates to 29.88% and 21.04%, respectively, compared to non-irradiated cultures. Similarly, on untreated surfaces (such as plastic used for feeding and drinking), the survival rates dropped to 25.8% and 15.6%, respectively. The survival percentages on treated eggs were 50% (S. aureus) and 48.2% (E. coli) and 59% (S. aureus) and 36.46% (E. coli) on treated litter. Hence, blue light technology offers a promising alternative to traditional antimicrobial methods by leveraging specific wavelengths to target microbial cells. This approach can significantly reduce the microbial load in poultry environments, enhancing food safety and animal health. This paper reports the first use of blue light as an antibacterial within poultry research in Iraq, offering a fresh approach to disinfection in this field.

Effect of Biosynthesised Nano-zinc on Blood Biochemical Profile, Antioxidant Status and Immune Response in Vanaraja Birds

The experiment was conducted during December, 2021 to February, 2022 at the location of research was poultry farm, directorate of poultry research Hyderabad, Telangana, India to investigate the efficacy of biosynthesized nano-zinc as a substitute for traditional zinc salt in the diet of Vanaraja chickens, focusing on its impact on blood biochemical profile, antioxidant status, and immune response. A total of 324-day-old Vanaraja chicks were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments, including a negative control (no supplemental zinc), a basal diet supplemented with zinc oxide (60 mg Zn kg-1), and four groups receiving biosynthesized nano-zinc at levels of 15, 30, 45, and 60 mg Zn kg-1 diet. The trial spanned 56 days with 9 replicates per treatment group. Results demonstrated that nano-zinc supplementation at 30 mg kg-1 significantly (p<0.05) improved humoral immunity compared to the control, matching the immune response achieved with 60 mg kg-1 zinc oxide. No adverse effects on serum enzyme profiles or biochemical parameters were observed across treatments, indicating the safety of nano-zinc as a feed additive. From the current study, it may be concluded that the conventional zinc oxide can be replaced with nanoparticle forms at a reduced level without any adverse effect on health assessed through serum biochemical profile. In order to recommend the level of dose reduction, more studies with different breeds, indifferent agro-climatic zones during different seasons are recommended.

EFFECTS OF LIVE BODY WEIGHT AND LEPTIN CONCENTRATION ON IRAQI CHICKENS FERTILITY AND HATCHABILITY

This Study was conducted out at the Ministry of Agriculture's Poultry Research Station/Animal Resources Department/Agricultural Research Center. To see how body weight (BW) and leptin hormone (LEP) levels in breeder blood affect fertility and hatchability. 140 Iraqi local laying chickens (120 females + 20 males) aged 28 weeks were used in the study. Following the numbering of females, the birds were grown in individual cages and dispersed sequentially on cages. The experiment was divided into three periods, each lasting 28 days, during which the breeder's live body weight was recorded and divided into two categories (greater than 1.5 kg and less than 1.5 kg), and blood samples were collected at the end of each period to determine the concentration of leptin hormone in the breeders' blood. For comparison between mothers' performance, hormone concentration is separated into three groups: high, medium, and low. The percentage of fertile eggs (FE), the percentage of hatched chicks from total eggs (HAT), the percentage of hatched chicks from fertile eggs (HAF), and the percentage of mortality (MO) all showed a significant increase (p<0.05), and a linear relationship was discovered between the studied traits and hormone concentration levels. Leptin arrived at the best predictive values that reflect reality by computing regression and correlation coefficients and using a hypothetical technique in estimating prediction results. This study concludes that body weight and leptin levels have unknown impacts on hatching fertility rates.

Chicken intestinal organoids: a novel method to measure the mode of action of feed additives.

There is a rapidly growing interest in how the avian intestine is affected by dietary components and feed additives. The paucity of physiologically relevant models has limited research in this field of poultry gut health and led to an over-reliance on the use of live birds for experiments. The development of complex 3D intestinal organoids or "mini-guts" has created ample opportunities for poultry research in this field. A major advantage of the floating chicken intestinal organoids is the combination of a complex cell system with an easily accessible apical-out orientation grown in a simple culture medium without an extracellular matrix. The objective was to investigate the impact of a commercial proprietary blend of organic acids and essential oils (OA+EO) on the innate immune responses and kinome of chicken intestinal organoids in a Salmonella challenge model. To mimic the in vivo prolonged exposure of the intestine to the product, the intestinal organoids were treated for 2 days with 0.5 or 0.25 mg/mL OA+EO and either uninfected or infected with Salmonella and bacterial load in the organoids was quantified at 3 hours post infection. The bacteria were also treated with OA+EO for 1 day prior to challenge of the organoids to mimic intestinal exposure. The treatment of the organoids with OA+EO resulted in a significant decrease in the bacterial load compared to untreated infected organoids. The expression of 88 innate immune genes was investigated using a high throughput qPCR array, measuring the expression of 88 innate immune genes. Salmonella invasion of the untreated intestinal organoids resulted in a significant increase in the expression of inflammatory cytokine and chemokines as well as genes involved in intracellular signaling. In contrast, when the organoids were treated with OA+EO and challenged with Salmonella, the inflammatory responses were significantly downregulated. The kinome array data suggested decreased phosphorylation elicited by the OA+EO with Salmonella in agreement with the gene expression data sets. This study demonstrates that the in vitro chicken intestinal organoids are a new tool to measure the effect of the feed additives in a bacterial challenge model by measuring innate immune and protein kinases responses.

Quality of hatching eggs and young quails of different breeds depending on the age of the birds

The most important link in the production technology of poultry products is the production of high-quality hatching eggs. Assessing egg quality is the fi rst necessary step for successful brooding. In order to realize the maximum genetic productivity potential of any breed, it is necessary to obtain high-quality young stock for rearing. In order to do this, it is also necessary to have information about the quality of hatching eggs, the characteristics of the embryonic development of quails and the requirements for the quality of day-old quails, both in general and separately for each breed. These issues have been little studied in quail breeds of meat and meat-egg productivity. The purpose of the research was to study the brooding traits of eggs and the quality of day-old young quails of meat and meat-egg breeds at the beginning, middle and end of the productive period. Research was carried out at the Siberian Poultry Research Institute on eggs and young quails of Omsk and Radonezh breeds of meat-egg and meat productivity. It has been established that the age of the quails aff ected the quality of hatching quail eggs, and accordingly the results of brooding the quality of day-old young quails, and further productivity. In order to improve the quality of the herd and the economic effi ciency of production, eggs obtained from laying quails aged 126–238 days should be used for brooding. The hatchability of eggs at this age was higher in Omsk breed by 2,56–8,14 abs.%, in the Radonezh breed by 2,39–8,73 abs.%. The hatching was also higher for breeds Omsk by 3,55–8,43 abs.%, Radonezh by 2,74–8,89 abs.%. Quails from small eggs obtained from a young laying quails grow more intensively. The livability of young quails was higher among breeds Omsk by 2–4 abs.%, Radonezh by 4 abs.%

Peter Martin Biggs. 13 August 1926—27 December 2021

Peter Biggs was a towering figure in poultry health research, making substantial contributions in avian infectious diseases in the second half of the twentieth century and first two decades of the twenty-first century. The world's poultry industry owes an immense debt to his pioneering research into Marek's disease (MD), a major threat to poultry health in the early years of intensive poultry production. On graduating from the Royal Veterinary College, London, in 1953, Peter chose a research career studying avian diseases. Peter's dedicated research in the 1960s led to the identification of the MD virus and the subsequent development of a vaccine against MD. The development of MD vaccine, the first ever vaccine against a virus-induced cancer, had a major impact on sustaining the fledgling poultry farming that was crucial for the thriving modern poultry industry. Later, as the director of the Houghton Poultry Research Station in Cambridgeshire, UK, Peter led a programme of innovative scientific research exploiting scientific developments and technological advances to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding poultry industry. In addition to his outstanding leadership on research, Peter also contributed immensely to the formation of the World Veterinary Poultry Association, a global professional association for avian health specialists, and establishment of the journal Avian Pathology . Even after retirement, Peter continued to make valuable contributions to avian science through august bodies such as the Royal Society, Animal Health Trust, British Egg Marketing Board, British Veterinary Association and Houghton Trust. Peter was also a great mentor to many scientists who went on to leading roles.

Effect of using Plantago ovata psyllium seed powder in the diet on productive performance and water consumption of broiler chickens

This study took place from January 13 to February 23, 2023, at the poultry field of the Office of Agricultural Research, Animal Resource Department, and Poultry Research Station. An average weight of 38.1 grams was employed in the experiment with 300 Ross 308 chicks that were one day old. Within a confined hallway with thirty chambers, the chicks were nurtured. With five treatments and five replications for every treatment, a total of ten birds were assigned at random to the chicks throughout the quarantine period. Both the food and the feeding schedule for the birds were balanced. The amount of psyllium in Plantago ovata seeds varied depending on the treatment (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5): 0, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1% of the ration. Out of the experiment’s third, fourth, fifth, and sixth weeks, the average body weight of the T4 treatment was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that of the control treatment and the remaining treatments. Comparing the T4 therapy to the control treatment and all other research treatments during the course of the trial, the findings likewise revealed a substantial increase (P < 0.05) in the rate of weight gain and consumption. The weekly feed conversion coefficient for each experimental treatment for comparison with the control treatment and for each experimental period shown a substantial improvement (P < 0.05) in the findings. Regarding the weekly water consumption rate, there were no appreciable variations across the testing treatments. After 42 days of raising broiler chicks, the study’s findings indicate that adding psyllium seed powder to broiler meals at a rate of 0.4-1% increased performance.

Chitosan oligosaccharides as dietary antioxidants in nutrition of broiler chickens

Chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) have attracted considerable attention in poultry research due to their diverse biological activities and possible effects on the welfare and productivity of broiler chickens. A thorough examination of many studies indicates that the influence of COS on indices such as antioxidative functions, growth performance, immunological responses, and metabolic implications in broilers is significant. For example, specific dosage levels of COS have significantly enhanced antioxidant activity, regulation of cholesterol levels, and improved growth performance. The research findings have provided evidence for COS's antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties and its capacity to mitigate the effects caused by stress. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of reactions might be influenced by the dosage and may demonstrate variances. Broiler chickens are suggested to consume dietary COS levels between 350 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg feed to obtain antioxidant and immunological advantages. Nevertheless, the most favorable results regarding growth and the ability to absorb nutrients are typically found when the intake ranges from 0.5 g/kg to 1.0 g/kg feed. For yellow-feather broilers experiencing heat stress, it is advisable to administer a dosage of 200 mg/kg feed of COS. However, it is essential to closely observe dosages exceeding 2.5 g/kg since they may significantly impair growth performance. The diverse research on using COS in broiler management has provided valuable insights into its intricate nature. This review has highlighted the potential benefits of COS in enhancing chicken health and nutrition. However, it has also underscored the need for additional research to optimize its effectiveness in broiler production fully. It can be concluded that dietary COS in broiler chickens in doses ranging from 200 mg to 1000 mg/kg feed has a positive effect on growth performance, antioxidative properties, regulation of lipid metabolism, ability to mitigate stress, impact on meat quality, and carcass traits, but exceeding 2.5 g/kg feed may significantly impair in growth performance in the broiler.

Growth and Reproductive Performance of Kadaknath Chicken Reared under Deep Litter System in the Hill Ecosystem of Meghalaya, India

The Kadaknath is important native chicken breed in India. The present study was undertaken with the objective to evaluate the performance of Kadaknath chicken under deep litter system in agro-climatic condition of Meghalaya to check for its adaptability in the hill ecosystem. The study was conducted at Poultry Farm, Indian Council of Agricultural Research ( ICAR)Complex for North Eastern Hill (NEH) Region, Umiam, India. A total of 300 Kadaknath parent stock chicks were procured from Directorate of Poultry Research (DPR), Hyderabad, India. The chicks were reared upto 72nd weeks to check their production performance viz., Average weekly body weight (gm), body weight gain (gm), feed intake (gm) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Egg production traits and reproductive performances were also recorded upto 72 weeks of rearing. The result reveals that the average body weight of day old Kadaknath chicks was about 27.05±0.32 gm. At 4th week of age, the average body weight was 117.37±2.69 gm andat 8th week of age, about 250.34±2.51 gm. In terms of average body weight gain (gm), it was found that the overall body weight gain from 0-8 weeks of age was 223.29±14.39 gm. The total feed consumption was about 771.43±1.94 gm upto 8th weeks of rearing. The FCR from 0-8 weeks of age was 3.56. The mortality rate of kadaknath chicks was observed to be about 5.00 % and 0.67 % during 0-4 and 4-8 weeks of age respectively. In conclusion, the Kadaknath chicken is adapted well to the hill ecosystem of Meghalaya.

Reduction of Bacterial Load on Broiler Carcasses Using Low-Volume Fluidic Nozzles in Combination with 60 °C Water at 450 Psi Pressure

With the changing regulations in poultry processing, increased pressure is placed on integrators to reduce the number of human enteropathogenic bacteria on the final carcass and/or parts. Reducing the total number of bacteria on broiler carcasses before entering the evisceration side of the processing plant is projected to reduce the number of bacteria on the carcasses after chilling. This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a prototype wash cabinet using low volume, fluidic nozzles in combination with high pressure (450 psi) and hot water (60 °C) to remove bacteria from pre-scald, post-scald, or post picked carcasses. Carcasses (n = 5) from each location were obtained from a commercial processing plant, placed into individual sterile sample bags, placed into an insulated container, and transported to the U.S. National Poultry Research Center Pilot Plant within 30 min of collection. Carcasses were hung in standard shackles and sampled pre-wash with pre-moistened, cellulose swabs. All carcasses were washed in the prototype wash cabinet with 60 °C water at 450 psi at a line speed of 52 birds/minute on 15.24 cm centered shackles. Post-wash breast sponge samples were collected identical to pre-wash swabs. Buffered peptone water (BPW) was added, sponges stomached and serially diluted before plating onto total aerobic count (TAC), Enterobacteriaceae (ENT) and Escherichia. coli (EC) Petrifilm® cards. All PetriFilm® cards were incubated at 37 °C for 24 ± 2 h. After incubation, bacterial counts were recorded and converted to log10 CFU/swab. Samples were processed for Campylobacter species using the Tempo® CAM protocol. Four replications were conducted on separate dates. Paired t-tests were used to compare numbers recovered from breast swabs collected before and after the wash cabinet, significance reported at p &lt; 0.05. Pre-scald samples had significant reductions of 2.50, 2.01, and 1.73 log10 colony-forming units/carcass (CFU/carcass) for TAC, Ent, and EC Petrifilm®, respectively, and a 2.21 CFU/mL reduction of Campylobacter species using Tempo® CAM. Post-scald, there were significant reductions of 2.09, 1.23, and 0.90 CFU/carcass for TA, Ent, and EC Petrifilm®, respectively, and a 1.14 CFU/mL reduction of Campylobacter species using Tempo® CAM. Post-pick, significant reductions of 0.73, 1.53, and 0.99 CFU/carcass for TA, Ent, and EC Petrifilm®, respectively, and a 0.86 CFU/carcass reduction of Campylobacter species using Tempo® CAM were reported. These data indicate that hot water at high pressure can reduce total bacterial load on carcasses and reduce pathogenic bacteria on carcasses prior to evisceration.

Poultry analysis and research on the preparation of crushed blue grass feed for poultry

Poultry is considered an important part of the biosystem. The demand for poultry meat in the world is increasing, and it is currently the second place among the meat products grown and consumed with 34 percent, and by 2030 it is expected to take the first place. The analysis of the state of poultry breeding in the world and in Uzbekistan was carried out. Currently, in Uzbekistan, great importance is attached to the development of poultry farming, and more chickens, quails, turkeys, geese and ducks are raised. If we take into account that these birds also eat blue grass and feeding them with blue grass is also beneficial for growth and development, it is reasonable to introduce chopped blue grass to the diet of the birds during the 1st phase: 18-45 weeks of age and the 2nd phase: 46-65 weeks of age. A device for crushing green grass has been developed. In this device, the crushed grass contains up to 5.9% of fractions larger than 20 mm, and when they are given to birds of the above age, they do not bend and come out, so it is necessary to separate them before feeding them to the birds.

The Effect of Adding Xylanase Enzyme to Diets of Broilers Containing De-Hulled Sunflower Meal as a Substitute for Soybean Meal on Growth, Gastrointestinal Mass, Biology, and Intestinal Morphology, Blood Serum Biochemical Traits

This study was conducted in the Poultry Research Hall of the Department of Animal Production/College of Agriculture and Forestry/University of Mosul, with the aim of studying the effect of adding xylanase enzyme to broiler rations containing de-hulled sunflower meal instead of soybean meal on digestive mass, biology and morphology of the intestines, and serum biochemicals Traits. It used 360 non-sexed broiler chicks (Ross-308), with an average hatching weight of 41.50 grams. the chicks were randomly distributed in a factorial experiment with two factors (4×2) to eight feeding treatments, with three replicates for each treatment and 15 chicks for each replicate, homogeneous in their weights. And for a period of 42 days of age. The results indicated that the substitution of de-hulled sunflower meal by 33% did not have a significant effect on live body weight, feed consumption, intestinal morphology and biology, and blood serum biochemistry compared with the control treatment. While it was observed that a significant deterioration (P≤0.05) occurred in all of these characteristics when the substitution level was increased to 66 and 100%, these two treatments also caused an increase in the relative weight of the gizzard and small intestine and in the number of pathogenic bacteria (E. coli) compared with the control treatment. The results of the statistical analysis of the interference case showed a significant decrease (p≤ 0.05) for the partial and total substitution treatments (66 and 100% Dh-SFM with or without xylanase enzyme) in the live body weight, with a deterioration in the morphological characteristics of the jejunum segment and an increase in the relative weight of the gizzard. And small intestine compared with the negative and positive control treatments.

Genetic and Phenotypic Trend and Inbreeding Effects for Sexual and Egg Production Traits of Iraqi Local Chickens

A study was conducted to estimate genetic and phenotypic trend and inbreeding effect on a sexual and egg production trait in Iraqi brown local chickens. Data on 2234 hens raised in poultry research stations from successive 6 generations of selection for high egg production during the first 24 weeks of production were used. Data of age at sexual maturity (ASM), body weight at sexual maturity (BWSM), first egg weight (FEWT), egg weight (EW), egg number (EN), and egg mass (EM) were recorded individually. The univariate animal models under Average Information Restricted Maximum Likelihood (AI-REML) of Wombat package were applied to estimate the heritability, BLUP-breeding value and inbreeding rate. The heritability estimates based on individual animal model was 0.39±0.05, 0.42±0.05, 0.17±0.04, 0.68±0.04, 0.40±0.05 and 0.40±0.05 for the traits mentioned above respectively. Average breeding values across generation tend to be positive in productive traits but it was negative in ASM, BWSM and FEW. The overall predicted genetic gains, after 6 generations of selection, estimated by the regression coefficients of the breeding value on generation number were equal to -0.010, 0.029, 0.033, -0.397, -1.514, and -41.541, for ASM, BWSM, FEWT, EW, EN and EM, respectively. In conclusion, the moderate to high heritability estimated for egg production traits suggested that these traits could be improved through selection. The effect of the inbreeding rate negatively on some traits and positively on other traits suggested that both traits could not be improved simultaneously using additive selection. The inconsistency between phenotypic and genetic trends suggests that genetic progress was not achieved in a higher magnitude.

The dual sugar test (lactulose plus mannitol) is an unreliable indicator of feed withdrawal-associated changes in intestinal permeability in broiler chickens

Despite its importance in poultry research, there is lack of standardized and practical techniques to measure intestinal permeability in a noninvasive manner. Therefore, this research sought to standardize a procedure using lactulose (Lac) and mannitol (Man) to measure intestinal barrier function in broilers. Twenty-one-day-old male and female Ross 308 birds were orally gavaged (either 2 mL/kg BW or fixed 3 mL per bird) with a solution containing 5 to 25 g Lac and 1 to 5 g Man dissolved in pure water to reach 100 mL of final solution. Feed withdrawal (FW; 2-24-h duration) prior to dosing with Lac and Man (LacMan) was mainly used to induce graded intestinal permeability. Blood samples were collected at 60-, 90-, or 120-min after LacMan dosing using serum or plasma (K2EDTA and/or Na-Heparin) blood tubes. Lac and Man concentrations were quantified by HPLC. Plasma samples collected 90-min after LacMan dosing elicited the least variable response (22.4% vs. 22.8% or 23.4% CV when compared with 60- and 120-min sampling time-points, respectively), and both markers were detectable after administering a solution containing the lowest concentration of Lac and Man. However, analytical problems arose when using Na-Heparin anticoagulant as high glucose levels interfered with Lac quantification. Upon improving the chromatographic technique, it became evident that a 24-h FW increased (P < 0.01) Lac concentrations. In the last trial, a more severe glucose interference was observed, resulting in no Lac detection within an entire treatment group. Twelve hours of FW increased (P < 0.01) Man concentration in the plasma of birds receiving the solution containing 3 g Man, but had no effect on the birds receiving the solution containing 5 g Man. A 24-h FW did not affect the Man concentrations in birds receiving the solution containing either 3 or 5 g Man. With inconsistency of Lac detection throughout our trials, it was concluded that the combination of Lac and Man is an unreliable marker to predict intestinal barrier function in broilers.

Strategies for promoting sustainable use and conservation of indigenous chicken breeds in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from low-income countries

This review explores innovative and sustainable strategies for the utilization and conservation of indigenous chickens (IC) (Gallus domesticus) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), drawing lessons from selected low-income countries. Small-scale farmers (SSF) have kept IC for hundreds of years to meet their households’ nutritional needs, incomes, and social-cultural and religious uses. The commitment exhibited by SSF to keeping IC has made them the significant custodians of essential animal genetic resources AnGR in most low-income countries. Between 1991 and 2012, Zambia’s private breeders invested over US$95 million in the commercial poultry sector, resulting in over a 100% increase in the annual production of day-old chicks to 65 million. However, high production costs and low market access hindered rural farmers’ full participation, hence their continued dependence on IC breeds. The erosion of AnGR poses the biggest threat to IC in SSA. The Food and Agriculture Organisation, an international body of the United Nations, highlighted that over 3.5% (60) of chicken breeds were extinct, 21.3% (368) were at risk of extinction, and nearly 67% (1068) were under unknown risk status. The report stated that 12.3% of the known chicken breeds were not at risk. Poultry diseases, lack of sustainable conservation strategies and poor use have significantly contributed to these losses. In 2012, 60% of IC were reportedly diseased in parts of SSA. The continued loss of IC-AnGR may negatively impact rural livelihoods and impede future poultry research and breeding programs. This paper reviews the IC sector in SSA, the socioeconomic, cultural and religious roles of IC and lessons on researcher-community-stakeholder strategies from selected low-income countries. The paper concludes and outlines some recommendations for future research.

THE INFLUENCE OF GENISTEIN IMPLANTATION ON OFFSPRING SEX RATIOS AND THEIR RELATION TO ESTROGEN LEVELS IN THE BLOOD OF IRAQI CHICKENS

This study was carried out at the Poultry Research Station / Agricultural Research Department / Ministry of Agriculture, to investigate the effects of implanting genistein (GE) for the period of 1/February/2021 to 16/August/2021. into Iraqi local chickens at various ages on primary (PSF) and secondary (SSF) sex ratios of female, fertility (FE), and hatchability (HA) traits. At the age of 12 weeks, 100 hens and 20 roosters of Iraqi local chickens from the Poultry Research Station were used in this study. After numbering the hens, the birds were housed in individual cages and divided into four treatments (each with 25 chickens) as follows: T1: none implantation; T2, T3, and T4: implantation of 10 mg GE /kg weight at 14, 18, and 22 weeks of age, respectively. The experiment was divided into three periods, each for 28 weeks, and then rated according to the overall average and all of the traits studied. The results showed that implanting GE into hens had a positive influence on FE, PSF, SSF, and estrogen level (ES), especially at 18 weeks of age. There were also significant correlations between traits and ES in hens’ blood. It was also shown that the regression of most traits on ES is first order linear. As a result, it can be concluded that GE has a positive effect on ES, PSF, SSF, with the possibility of predicting sex ratios and sex offspring based on estrogen levels in the blood, and that implantation at 18 weeks of age has produced great results.

Inheritance of growth and production traits in Gramapriya male line chicken

A comprehensive study was carried out in Gramapriya male line (PD-6) chicken with respect to growth, production and egg quality traits utilizing the data generated from 1995 chicks and 230 hens in S-8 generation at ICAR-Directorate of Poultry Research, Hyderabad, Telangana. Highly significant differences among hatches were observed for body weight, shank length, age at sexual maturity (ASM), egg production (EP), egg weight (EW) and egg mass (EM). The least squares mean of body weights (BW) at 2, 4, 6, 20 and 40 weeks of age were 187.03±0.97, 499.74±1.58, 838.67±5.69, 2074.93±9.82 and 2891.26±15.25 g, respectively. The least squares mean of shank lengths at 4 and 6 weeks of age were 70.19±0.09 and 87.48±0.12 mm respectively. The h2 for body weight and shank length at six weeks of age was 0.31±0.06 and 0.23±0.05, respectively, which were moderate to high in magnitude. The ASM was 168.94±0.71 days. The EP40 was 69.87±1.24 eggs with an egg weight of 55.11±0.22 g. The EM40 was 3840.02±67.52 g. The heritability estimate was low for EP40 (0.09±0.11). The gradual improvement in primary trait (SL6) in parent line will improve the performance in terminal cross ‘Gramapriya’ which ultimately benefits the farmers.