Sussex Chickens Research Articles

Egg quality characteristics of sussex chickens reared under the housing conditions of Cukurova University farm

This work was conducted to evaluate the egg quality characteristic of Sussex multi-purpose chickens reared under the housing conditions of the Cukurova University Farm. A total of 81 Sussex chickens from the Poultry and Research Unit of Cukurova University were used in this study. The external and internal egg-quality paraemeters were determined using 30 eggs on both the 28th and 33rd weeks of egg production cycle. The egg quality parameters measured were the Haugh unit, breaking strength, yolk color, shell thickness, egg weight, shape index, shell weight, albumen index, yolk index, and albumen pH. The egg weight, albumen index, yolk index and Haught unit were 57.89±3.99g, 9.44±2.07, 43.22±3.57 and 84.85±8.87 respectively. The shape index, shell thickness, shell weight, shell breaking strength and albumen pH were %75.32±2.11, 0.338±27.84mm, 5.903±0.645g, 3.825±1.065 kg/cm2 and 7.84±0.18 respectively. The yolk color, L, a, b and E values were 55.85±7.02, 13.91±3.33, 47.18±7.90 and 74.99±5.96 respectively. It was concluded that the external and internal egg-quality parameters of Sussex chickens reared under the housing conditions of the Cukurova University Farm were between the normal range.

The effect of egg shape index on pore number and hatching performance in Susex hens

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of egg shape index on pore number and hatching performance in Sussex chickens. The material of the study consisted of 63 eggs obtained from the Sussexbreed chicken flock of a private enterprise engaged in chicken rearing in Konya. Eggs were divided into two groups as below 75 (Group-1, 75

Assessment of the Economic Profitability of Fattening Selected Chicken Genotypes in an Organic Farm

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether production costs can be reduced and whether the profitability of organic chicken fattening can be increased by selecting the appropriate genotypes. Rhode Island Red (K-11) and Sussex (S-66) conservative chicken genotypes, as well as modern chicken genotypes such as slow-growing Hubbard JA 957 hybrids and fast-growing Ross 308 hybrids, were selected for the study. One hundred and sixty chickens were used in the experiment (forty birds per group). The birds were fed commercial organic complete feed up to 52 days of age and organic farm-made feed (to reduce costs) between 53 and 81 days of age. Population distribution was determined using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. The results were analyzed statistically using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with multiple comparisons and the post hoc Tukey test at a significance level of p < 0.05. The 81-day fattening period (the minimum recommended period in organic farming) led to considerable weight deficits in Rhode Island Red and S-66 chickens and excessive slaughter/trade weights in Hubbard JA 957 and Ross 308 chickens. The feed conversion ratio was high in Rhode Island Red (K-11) and Sussex (S-66) chickens at 4.19 and 4.50, respectively, and much lower in Hubbard JA 957 and Ross 308 chickens at 2.79 and 2.53, respectively. The choice of chicken genotypes had a major impact on the profitability of organic farming, and the total costs of feed and other ingredients per kg of body weight were determined at EUR 3.83 for Rhode Island Red (K-11), EUR 3.90 for Sussex (S-66), EUR 6.57 for Hubbard JA 957, and EUR 6.62 for Ross 308 genotypes. The profitability of organic farming can be increased by selecting modern, meat-type, slow-growing chicken genotypes.

Cryopreservation of semen of initial forms and chimeras of birds of two breeds: Sussex light and Poltava clay

Purpose: evaluation of the quality of seed chimer and source forms before and after cryopreservation.Materials and methods. For research, the breed of Sussex chickens and Poltava clay. Using these rocks, chimeras were obtained by the method of transplantation of blastodermal cells. An assessment of the quality of sperm of the roosters was carried out under a microscope at a temperature of 42 degrees. At various times, the activity of native sperm and its concentration was determined. Cryoconservation was carried out in small granules. The defrosting of the granules was produced on a heated metal plate at a temperature of 60 ° C.Results. A comparative analysis of the volume of the ejaculate showed that Himer on average it was somewhat larger than that of the initial forms. The activity of sperms in native genital cells was sufficiently high in all studied samples, and was 80% or more. The concentration of sperm retained the same trend and practically did not differ from each other in all studied samples. The activity of frozen-fatty seed of the initial breeds and their chimer was significantly different. The maximum activity was observed in the Sussex breed and reliably below (p≤ 0.01) it has the remaining experimental groups. The activity of frozen-fatty seed turned out to be equal in chimeric organisms and Poltava clay, although Himer recipients were sussexes. It should be noted that the swing of oscillations according to the degree of activity of frozen-fatty seed in chimeric birds was significant (from 10 to 40 points), and the number of observations is small.Conclusion. The study assess the quality of seed chimer and the source forms before and after cryopreservation. It was demonstrated that after defrosting the activity of frozen-fatty seed of the initial rocks and their chimer was different.

Saccharomyces boulardii reduces the mean intensity of infection in mice caused by the consumption of liver contaminated by Toxocara canis.

Probiotics have shown promising results as a potential method to control toxocariasis in mice inoculated with embryonated eggs of Toxocara canis. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of Saccharomyces boulardii in mice fed in natura chicken livers infected with T. canis. Twenty 15-day-old male Sussex chickens were inoculated with 300 T. canis embryonated eggs via intragastric catheter (GI). After 72h of infection, each liver was collected and individually offered to a group of 20 mice. Mice that received supplemented ration with S. boulardii (1.107 colony forming units) and consumed in natura chicken liver showed reduction in infection intensity of 67.1%. This study demonstrated that administration of S. boulardii has potential as a probiotic to assist in controlling visceral toxocariasis caused by the consumption of viscera from paratenic hosts containing infective parasite larvae.

Correlation and prediction equations for eight-week bodyweight in Sussex and Orpington chickens

Correlation and regression models are useful tools for fast or early evaluation of the market body weight of farm animals. However, variation occurs in the reliability of the different curve estimation or regression models. The aims of this study were to determine the correlation between weekly body weights and to predict 8-week body weight from early (1 st and 4 th week) body weight measurements in Sussex and Orpington chickens. The 10 regression models used were: Linear; Logarithmic; Inverse; Quadratic; Cubic; Compound; Power; Sigmoidal; Growth; and Exponential equation. The results showed that Orpington breed had higher body weight than Sussex chicken for most weeks. Male chicks were generally higher in weekly body weight from 4 to 8 weeks of age. The coefficient of correlation of body weight at week 8 with body weight at weeks 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 ranged from moderate to high ( r =0.305 to 0.867). Regression models computed from 1st week body weight of chicks explained only 4.9% to 24.0% of variation in body weight at 8 weeks in Sussex chicks and 27.4% to 37.5% of variation in body weight at 8 weeks in Orpington chicks. Some curve estimation (linear, logarithmic, inverse, compound, growth and exponential) have significant ( p <0.05) predicting values for 8-weeks body weight of male and female chicks, however they were associated with low r 2 (10.0% to 16.5%). The regression models obtained from 4 th week body weight of chicks were better ( r 2 =37.0% to 56.8%) for predicting the 8-week body weight of male and female chicks belonging to the two genotypes. It was concluded that regression equations to predict 8-week body weight from early body weight are more reliable using 4 th week body weight than 1 st week body weight of chicks. Keywords: Body weight, Chicken, Correlation, Regression models, Reliability

Meat quality and the histological structure of breast and leg muscles in Ayam Cemani chickens, Ayam Cemani × Sussex hybrids and slow-growing Hubbard JA 957 chickens.

The purpose of this study was to determine the quality of meat and the histological structure of muscles of Ayam Cemani chickens, Ayam Cemani × Sussex hybrids and slow-growing Hubbard JA 957 chickens and to examine whether crossing generally available Sussex chickens with little available Ayam Cemani gives a good quality product of interest to the poultry industry and in food technology. The size of breast and leg muscle fibers varied among genotypes. The breast and leg muscles of slow-growing Hubbard JA 957 chickens had the largest fiber diameter. The histological and biochemical properties of muscles, including the type, number, proportions, diameter and metabolic profile of fibers, had a significant effect on the pH and water-binding capacity of meat, thus affecting its quality. The muscle fibers of Ayam Cemani chickens were approximately half the size of the muscle fibers of Hubbard JA 957 chickens. Ayam Cemani and Ayam Cemani × Sussex gave a product of as good quality as Hubbard JA 957 chickens. Meat from Ayam Cemani chickens is a rich source of protein and could be highly valued by gourmet consumers, connoisseurs and dieticians for its rarity and originality. The results of this study show that genotype (Ayam Cemani, Ayam Cemani × Sussex, Hubbard JA 957) affected the quality and color of meat and the histological profile of chicken breast and leg muscles.

Evaluation of live-attenuated Salmonella vaccines expressing Campylobacter antigens for control of C. jejuni in poultry

Campylobacter jejuni is a zoonotic bacterial pathogen of worldwide importance. It is estimated that 460,000 human infections occur in the United Kingdom per annum and these involve acute enteritis and may be complicated by severe systemic sequelae. Such infections are frequently associated with the consumption of contaminated poultry meat and strategies to control C. jejuni in poultry are expected to limit pathogen entry into the food chain and the incidence of human disease. Toward this aim, a total of 840 Light Sussex chickens were used to evaluate a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium ΔaroA vaccine expressing the C. jejuni amino acid binding protein CjaA as a plasmid-borne fusion to the C-terminus of fragment C of tetanus toxin. Chickens were given the vaccine at 1-day-old and two weeks later by oral gavage, then challenged after a further two weeks with C. jejuni. Across six biological replicates, statistically significant reductions in caecal C. jejuni of c. 1.4log10 colony-forming units/g were observed at three and four weeks post-challenge relative to age-matched unvaccinated birds. Protection was associated with the induction of CjaA-specific serum IgY and biliary IgA. Protection was not observed using a vaccine strain containing the empty plasmid. Vaccination with recombinant CjaA subcutaneously at the same intervals significantly reduced the caecal load of C. jejuni at three and four weeks post-challenge. Taken together these data imply that responses directed against CjaA, rather than competitive or cross-protective effects mediated by the carrier, confer protection. The impact of varying parameters on the efficacy of the S. Typhimurium ΔaroA vaccine expressing TetC-CjaA was also tested. Delaying the age at primary vaccination had little impact on protection or humoral responses to CjaA. The use of the parent strain as carrier or changing the attenuating mutation of the carrier to ΔspaS or ΔssaU enhanced the protective effect, consistent with increased invasion and persistence of the vaccine strains relative to the ΔaroA mutant. Expression in the ΔaroA strain of a TetC fusion to Peb1A, but not TetC fusions to GlnH or ChuA, elicited protection against intestinal colonisation by C. jejuni that was comparable to that observed with the TetC-CjaA fusion. Our data are rendered highly relevant by use of the target host in large numbers and support the potential of CjaA- and Peb1A-based vaccines for control of C. jejuni in poultry.

Campylobactercolonization of the chicken induces a proinflammatory response in mucosal tissues

Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of human inflammatory enteritis, but colonizes the gastrointestinal tract of poultry to a high level in a commensal manner. In vitro, C. jejuni induces the production of cytokines from both human and avian-model epithelial cell and macrophage infections. This suggests that, in vivo, Campylobacter could induce proinflammatory signals in both hosts. We investigated whether a proinflammatory cytokine response can be measured in both day-of-hatch and 2-week-old Light Sussex chickens during infection with C. jejuni. A significant induction of proinflammatory chemokine transcript was observed in birds of both ages, compared with levels in mock-infected controls. This correlated with an influx of heterophils but was not associated with any pathology. These results suggest that in poultry there may be a controlled inflammatory process during colonization.

Adaptation of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168 to high-level colonization of the avian gastrointestinal tract.

The genome sequence of the human pathogen Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168 has been determined recently, but studies on colonization and persistence in chickens have been limited due to reports that this strain is a poor colonizer. Experimental colonization and persistence studies were carried out with C. jejuni NCTC11168 by using 2-week-old Light Sussex chickens possessing an acquired natural gut flora. After inoculation, NCTC11168 initially colonized the intestine poorly. However, after 5 weeks we observed adaptation to high-level colonization, which was maintained after in vitro passage. The adapted strain exhibited greatly increased motility. A second strain, C. jejuni 11168H, which had been selected under in vitro conditions for increased motility (A. V. Karlyshev, D. Linton, N. A. Gregson, and B. W. Wren, Microbiology 148:473-480, 2002), also showed high-level intestinal colonization. The levels of colonization were equivalent to those of six other strains, assessed under the same conditions. There were four mutations in C. jejuni 11168H that reduced colonization; maf5, flaA (motility and flagellation), and kpsM (capsule deficiency) eliminated colonization, whereas pglH (general glycosylation system deficient) reduced but did not eliminate colonization. This study showed that there was colonization of the avian intestinal tract by a Campylobacter strain having a known genome sequence, and it provides a model for colonization and persistence studies with specific mutations.

Antigenic diversity in Eimeria maxima and the influence of host genetics and immunization schedule on cross-protective immunity.

Eimeria spp. are a group of highly successful intracellular protozoan parasites that develop within enterocytes. Eimeria maxima from the chicken is characterized by high immunogenicity (a small priming infection gives complete immunity to subsequent homologous challenge) and naturally occurring antigenically variant populations that do not completely cross-protect. In this study we examined the expression of antigenic diversity in E. maxima, as manifested by cross-strain protection in a series of inbred chicken lines. The IAH line of Light Sussex chickens and all lines of inbred White Leghorns were susceptible to primary infections with either of two strains (H and W) of E. maxima and were protected completely against challenge with the homologous strain of parasite. The extent of cross-protection against the heterologous parasite strain varied from 0 to almost 100% depending on host genetics. Interestingly, in one inbred line of chickens (line 15I) the cross-protective phenotype was directional and intensely influenced by the infection history of the host. The basis for the observed variation in cross-protection is not known, but our results suggest that the major histocompatibility complex is not a major genetic component of the phenotype. These results are discussed in relation to the number of protective antigens presented by complex pathogens and the development of immunoprotective responses in hosts of different genetic backgrounds.

Interferon-γ is expressed in both gut and spleen during Eimeria tenella infection

The effect of primary infection and subsequent challenge with Eimeria tenella on interferon-γ (IFN-γ ) production in the spleen and caeca of Light Sussex chickens was assessed. The ability of splenocytes to proliferate and produce IFN-γ in response to mitogen stimulation ex vivo was determined. Differences in the kinetics of IFN-γ production suggested that the spleens of infected birds contain a subpopulation of T cells, primed to produce IFN-γ , which migrate from the spleen in response to a secondary infection. IFN-γ mRNA expression was detected by hybridization of an anti-sense chicken IFN-γ riboprobe to splenic sections from infected birds and caecal sections from challenged birds. Hybridization was to T-cell areas in the spleen, and to cells in the lamina propria and intraepithelial compartments of the caecum. This is the first direct demonstration of IFN-γ expression in chickens at the site of E. tenella infection, and also the first indication that IFN-γ may be involved in the immune response to challenge.

Avian coccidiosis: changes in intestinal lymphocyte populations associated with the development of immunity to Eimeria maxima.

The effect of infection and subsequent challenge with Eimeria maxima on the populations of lymphocytes in the small intestine of Light Sussex chickens was assessed by immunohistochemistry. T cells were characterized for CD3, CD4, CD8, TCR1 (gamma delta heterodimer) or TCR2 (alpha beta 1 heterodimer) markers, and B cells for the expression of IgM, IgA and IgG. After a primary inoculum there were, in both the epithelium and the lamina propria, two distinct increases in the numbers of T lymphocytes. The first peaked on days 3-5 and the second, greater influx, on day 11 after infection. CD4+ and CD8+ cells were represented in both peaks but, whereas CD4+ cells were found almost exclusively in the lamina propria, CD8+ cells were present in both sites. The area staining positive for CD8+ cells was somewhat greater than the value obtained for CD4+ cells. In the epithelium there was an early, small increase in TCR1(+)-staining, followed by a larger rise to the second peak, at which time there was also an increase in the lamina propria. Staining for TCR2+ cells followed the same pattern with a reversed distribution between epithelium and lamina propria. Changes after challenge were minimal and confined to the epithelium. The most notable changes in the expression of immunoglobulins were, in the lamina propria, a biphasic increase in the amount of IgM(+)-staining in the course of primary infection (corresponding approximately to that of the T cells), and in IgA+ cells shortly after challenge.

Experimental Factors Affecting Mortality Following Inoculation of Chickens with Avian Nephritis Virus (G-4260)

Groups of approximately 20 one-day-old chickens were inoculated with G-4260, the reference strain of avian nephritis virus (ANV), or saline. Based on mortality rates from severe nephritis in comparable experiments, light Sussex chickens generally were more susceptible than Rhode Island red (RIR) chickens. Mortality was greater in those given broiler starter than those given other feeds, and was greater when light Sussex chickens were given broiler starter feed and cold-stressed at 15 +/- 1 C for 2 hr daily during the first week rather than brooded normally. Inoculation with G-4260 either orally or by intraperitoneal injection produced similar results in RIR chickens. Thirty-three inoculated chickens died of severe nephritis between 4 and 12 days postinoculation, and 24 (73%) of them had visceral urate deposits. Inoculated inbred white leghorn Line 15 chickens with maternal antibody to ANV were brooded normally and given broiler feed: they were susceptible to infection as evidenced by subsequent histological lesions in the kidneys and serology, but mortality was not a feature. There were no deaths from nephritis in inoculated non-inbred white leghorn chickens free of maternal antibody to ANV that were given broiler feed and brooded normally. These results have implications in standardizing experimental conditions for the study of mortality induced by G-4260 and similar viruses.

Ascites syndrome in SPF Light Sussex chickens

An ascites syndrome was induced in 17 to 28 per cent of specific pathogen-free (SPF) Light Sussex (LSX) chickens given a low protein (16 per cent crude protein) high calcium (3.5 per cent calcium) layer crumble feed on two separate occasions 6 months apart. Affected chickens had increased right ventricular weight as a proportion of either total heart weight or live-weight at 3 weeks of age, compared with non-affected LSX chickens on the same feed, thus indicating right ventricular hypertrophy. The incidence of ascites was not increased by infection with avian nephritis virus, nor by limited cold-stress during brooding. It was not produced in LSX chickens given other feeds, nor in SPF Rhode Island Red chickens.

The effects of restricted feeding on adrenal cortical activity in the immature domestic fowl.

1. The effect of reducing food intake to 75% of the ad libitum intake was determined from hatching to 8 weeks in young Light Sussex chickens. 2. Restricted birds were lighter throughout the experiment. 3. Relative adrenal weight tended to be greater in restricted birds but the difference decreased with time. 4. There was no depletion of adrenal cholesterol: from week 5 there was a significantly greater amount in the adrenals of restricted birds. 5. After 1 week of restriction plasma corticosterone concentration was 73% greater than in controls. It decreased progressively, falling within the normal range at 5 weeks. 6. Restricted birds were hypoglycaemic from weeks 2 to 7 and hyperlipacidaemic throughout. A negative correlation between plasma glucose and free fatty acids was found.

Effect of daily injections of ACTH on growth and on the adrenal and lymphoid tissues of two strains of immature fowls

1. The effects of daily injections of ACTH (30 IU/kg) or physiological saline on growth and on adrenal and lymphoid tissues of Rhode Island Red (RIR) and Light Sussex (LS) chickens were compared at 1, 2 and 3 weeks of age. 2. Saline injections retarded skeletal growth in both strains during the 1st week but only affected weight gain in LS birds. 3. Injections of ACTH depressed growth rate, caused adrenal enlargement and deplenished adrenal cholesterol to the same extent in both strains. 4. ACTH caused a greater reduction in bursal size in RIR than in LS birds. Spleen size was reduced by ACTH only in RIR birds. 5. At 2 and 3 weeks the plasma concentrations of corticosterone of RIR birds were greater than those of LS birds. Plasma corticosterone concentrations were within the normal range 24 h after the last injection of ACTH in both strains. 6. Plasma concentrations of growth hormone was unaffected by ACTH treatment in RIR birds, but it was increased in LS birds after 3 weeks of treatment.

Studies on the pathogenicity of chicken‐maintained (virulent) and embryo‐adapted (attenuated) strains ofEimeria Mivati

The pathogenicity of three strains of Eimeria mivati (two chicken-maintained strains and an embryo-adapted strain) and one strain of E. acervulina has been examined. Based on body weight changes of Light Sussex chickens, the chicken-maintained strains of E. mivati were more pathogenic than E. acervulina. The embryo-adapted strain of E. mivati which reproduced relatively poorly, was only mildly pathogenic but still possessed antigens capable of inducing protective immunity against challenge with a pathogenic strain of E. mivati.

Association of genetic polymorphisms with fertilization in the chicken

Associations between fertilization rate and genotypes at four polymorphic loci were studied in three relatively non-inbred populations of Light Sussex chickens. In sires the genotypes tested were at theB blood-group locus only; in dams, at theB locus and three egg-white loci. Data were available for purebred matings of related substrains 6D and 6F and the ancestor strain 6 from which they were derived and for crossbred matings of 6D and 6F by two related Rhode Island Red/New Hampshire strains.In analyses of variance by dam genotypes within sires, no locus or combination of loci had a significant effect on fertilization rate. In analyses by sire and damB blood-group genotypes, no significant effects were found in 6F. SireB genotypes showed a very significant effect (P<0.001) on fertilization rate in 6D, and in 6. The latter effect was not fully acceptable since there was a significant (P<0.02) sirex damB genotypes interaction effect in 6. This interaction took the form of a lowered fertility in matings where sire and dam had the sameB genotype. The significant main effect in 6D was due to significant differences between the fertilization rates of the three most frequent sire genotypes. The same differences were not found in the other two strains. Similarly, significant sireB genotype differences in the Rhode Island Red/New Hampshire mates of 6F were not repeated in those of 6D.Combination of this result with those from our previous work with embryonic mortality in these strains is still insufficient fully to explain the continued segregation of four alleles at theB blood group locus.

Association of genetic polymorphisms with embryonic mortality in the chicken. II. The B blood-group system and the pure and crossbred progeny of two populations.

SUMMARYWe have studied the association of the ten possibleBblood-group genotypes with mortality during incubation in the 1966 generation of two relatively noninbred populations of Light Sussex chickens. These were related substrains 6D and 6F derived in the 1964 generation by equal division of strain 6, which we had previously studied in its 1962 generation. TheBblood-group genotypes of zygotes but not of dams were associated with marked mortality differences in 6F, while in 6D almost no differences were found. Comparisons of the findings in 6D and 6F with the results previously published for the ancestor strain 6, after adjustment for overall between-population differences, showed marked changes between 6 and 6F in the mortalities associated with the five most frequent genotypes. In four of these, the mortalities in 6D were about half way between those in 6 and 6F. Taken together, these results provide evidence that the selective pressures on theBlocus from differential embryonic mortality vary from generation to generation and even between populations differing apparently only slightly in environment and genetic composition.In progeny of crosses between females from 6D and 6F with males from 5D and 5F respectively, the latter being two related Rhode Island Red/New Hampshire substrains, embryonic mortality was much lower than in the pure matings within 6D and 6F, and only a few associations withBblood-group genotypes of zygotes were found.The results are discussed in relation to the general lack of association of polyallelic polymorphisms with aspects of fitness reported by other workers; and the importance is stressed of studying associations of genotypes rather than genes or serological factors.