Dyerfloyd7510

Myo-inositol addition resulted in a significant linear increase in the total tract retention of CP. It can be concluded that myo-inositol has an energy equivalence equal to approximately 78% of that of dextrose for young broiler chicks but exerts a range of extra caloric effects that improve feed efficiency and may influence nitrogen (N) retention and the uric acid cycle. Future work should focus on the role of phytase and myo-inositol on uric acid, creatine kinase, and other metabolites involved in renal function and biochemical flows of N in urine and feces in nonruminants.This study investigated the effects of dietary arsenic supplementation on laying performance, egg quality, hepatic and renal histopathology, and oxidative stress in the livers and kidneys of laying hens. Furthermore, the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) pathway was explored to reveal the molecular mechanism of the stress. Five hundred and twelve 40-week-old Hyline White laying hens were randomly allocated to 4 groups with 8 pens per group and 16 hens per pen. The doses of arsenic administered to the 4 groups were 0.95, 20.78, 40.67, and 60.25 mg/kg. The results revealed that dietary arsenic supplementation significantly reduced hen-day egg production (P less then 0.05), average egg weight (P less then 0.05), Haugh units (P less then 0.05), albumen height (P less then 0.05), and eggshell strength (P less then 0.05). Dietary arsenic supplementation also induced the accumulation of arsenic and histopathological damages in the liver and kidneNA expression. In summary, dietary arsenic supplementation induced oxidative stress by suppressing the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway in the livers and kidneys of laying hens.It is known that nutrition and immunity are connected, but the mechanism is not very clear. Endogenous retroviruses (ERV) account for 8 to 10% of the human and mouse genomes and play an important role in some biological processes of animals. Recent studies indicate that the activation of ERV can affect the expression of the immunity- or inflammation-related genes, and the activities of ERV are subjected to regulation of many factors including nutritional factors. Therefore, we hypothesize that nutritional status can affect the expression of the immunity- or inflammation-related genes via ERV. To verify this hypothesis, the nutritional status of animals was altered by fasting or overfeeding, and the expression of intact ERV (ERVK18P, ERVK25P) and immunity- or inflammation-related genes (DDX41, IFIH1, IFNG, IRF7, STAT3) in the liver was determined by quantitative PCR, followed by overexpressing ERVK25P in goose primary hepatocytes and determining the expression of the immunity- or inflammation-related genes. The data showed that compared with the control group (no fasting), the expression of ERV and the immunity- or inflammation-related genes was increased in the liver of the fasted chickens but decreased in the liver of the fasted geese. Moreover, compared with the control group (routinely fed), the expression of ERV and the immunity- or inflammation-related genes was increased in the liver of the overfed geese. In addition, overexpression of ERVK25P in goose primary hepatocytes can induce the expression of the immunity- or inflammation-related genes. In conclusion, these findings suggest that ERV mediate the effects of fasting and overfeeding on the expression of the immunity- or inflammation-related genes, the mediation varied with poultry species, and ERV and the immunity- or inflammation-related genes may be involved in the development of goose fatty liver. This study provides a potential mechanism for the connection between nutrition and immunity.An experiment was conducted to evaluate effects of inositol and gradient phytase supplementation on growth performance and meat yield of broilers from 1 to 41 d of age. A total of 1,920 Yield Plus × Ross 708 male chicks were placed in 64 floor pens (30 birds per pen). Each pen received one of the 8 dietary treatments (8 replicate pens) from 1 to 15, 16 to 29, and 30 to 40 d of age. Treatment 1 was formulated to contain 0.165 and 0.150% lower calcium and phosphorus, respectively, than treatment 7 (positive control). Phytase was added to treatment 1 at concentration of 500, 1,500, 4,500, 13,500, and 40,500 phytase units (FTU)/kg to establish treatments 2 to 6, respectively. Treatment 8 was formulated by adding inositol to treatment 7 based on the expected inositol liberation in treatment 6. Feed and birds were weighed at 1, 15, 29, and 40 d of age to determine BW gain, feed intake, and feed conversion. Twelve birds per pen were processed at 41 d of age to determine carcass characteristics. From 1 to 40 d of age, log-quadratic effects of phytase (treatments 1-6) were observed for BW gain (P = 0.002) and feed conversion in broilers (P = 0.018), whereas feed intake increased log-linearly (P = 0.045). The addition of 40,500 FTU/kg of phytase increased cumulative BW gain (P = 0.001) and decreased cumulative feed conversion (P = 0.005) by 4.7 and 2.6%, respectively, compared with birds subjected to treatment 8. Log-quadratic effects of phytase additions were observed for carcass (P 0.05) to those of birds subjected to treatment 8. These data demonstrate that the extraphosphoric effects of phytase may be associated with increased feed intake of broilers. Inositol supplementation did not provide additional benefits to broilers in this study.Broiler chickens reared under heat stress (HS) conditions have decreased growth performance and show metabolic and immunologic alterations. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of supplementation with a standardized blend of plant-derived isoquinoline alkaloids (IQ) on the growth performance, protein catabolism, intestinal barrier function, and inflammatory status of HS-treated chickens. Three hundred sixty 0-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chickens were randomly distributed into 2 treatment groups control diet (no additives) or diet supplemented with 100 ppm IQ. At day 14, the chicks in each diet group were further divided into 2 groups, each of which was reared under thermoneutral (TN) (22.4°C) or constant HS (33.0°C) conditions until day 42. Each group consisted of 6 replicates with 15 birds per replicate, and chickens were provided ad libitum access to water and feed. During days 15-21, the body weight gain (BWG) and feed intake (FI) were significantly lower in the HS treatment group than in the TN groupder HS conditions, which may be associated with amelioration of oxidative damage, protein catabolism, intestinal barrier function, and inflammation.Seaweeds are functional feed ingredients that have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and growth-boosting properties that can improve poultry product quality. This study, therefore, investigated the effect of graded levels of green seaweed meal (Ulva spp.) (SWM) on visceral organ sizes, carcass characteristics, and meat quality and stability of Boschveld indigenous hens. A total of 275, four-week-old female chicks (202.4 ± 6.65 g of live weight) were reared on 5 isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets formulated by adding SWM at a concentration of 0 (SW0), 2 (SW20), 2.5 (SW25), 3 (SW30), and 3.5% (SW35). Birds were humanely slaughtered at 14 wk of age. Cecum weight linearly increased (R2 = 0.366, P = 0.002), whereas proventriculus (R2 = 0.205, P = 0.025) and duodenum (R2 = 0.242, P = 0.010) weights linearly decreased with SWM levels. Neither linear nor quadratic trends (P > 0.05) were observed for carcass traits, meat quality parameters, and shelf life indicators in response to dietary SWM levels. Repeated-measures analysis showed a significant time × diet interaction effect on meat redness (a∗). After 24 h of storage, meat from hens fed with SW35 (2.47) diet had a higher a∗ value than meat from hens fed with SW30 diet (0.48). However, the inclusion of SWM promoted similar (P > 0.05) shelf life indicators as the control diet for the rest of the 7-d storage period at room temperature. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of SWM had no adverse effect on visceral organ size, carcass and meat quality traits, and meat stability of Boschveld indigenous hens.Fatty liver hemorrhage syndrome (FLHS) is the most common noninfectious cause of death in backyard chickens worldwide, which can cause a sudden drop in egg production in the affected flocks and cause huge losses to the laying hens breeding industry. In this study, we prepared polysaccharide from Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (PAMK) by one-step alcohol precipitation. The structural analysis found that PAMK with a molecular weight of 2.816 × 103 Da was composed of glucose and mannose, in a molar ratio of 0.582 to 0.418. Furthermore, we investigated the hepatoprotective effects of PAMK on high-energy and low-protein (HELP) diet-induced FLHS in laying hens. The results showed that the hens' livers of the HELP diet showed yellowish-brown, greasy, and soft, whereas the supplement of PAMK (200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg) could alleviate such pathological changes. The liver index, the abdominal fat percentage, and liver injury induced by the HELP diet were reduced in PAMK (200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg). Supplementing 200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg PAMK showed improvements of the antioxidant capacity in laying hens. Furthermore, we found that the HELP diet increased the expression of hepatic lipogenesis genes and decreased the expression of fatty acid β-oxidation genes, which could be reversed by 200 mg/kg or 400 mg/kg PAMK supplementation. Nevertheless, there is no difference between the addition of 40 mg/kg PAMK and the HELP group. Collectively, these results showed that PAMK supplements could ameliorate HELP diet-induced liver injury through regulating activities of antioxidant enzymes and hepatic lipid metabolism. Therefore, PAMK could be a potential feedstuff additive to alleviate FLHS in laying hens.Herein, we investigated the effect of Chlorella vulgaris as ingredient (10% of incorporation) in broiler diets, supplemented or not with 2 formulations of Carbohydrate-Active enZymes (CAZymes; Rovabio Excel AP and a mixture of recombinant CAZymes, composed by an exo-β-glucosaminidase, an alginate lyase, a peptidoglycan N-acetylmuramic acid deacetylase and a lysozyme), on growth performance, meat quality, fatty acid composition, oxidative stability, and sensory traits. One hundred twenty 1-day-old Ross 308 male birds were randomly assigned to one of the 4 experimental diets (n = 30) corn-soybean meal-basal diet (control), basal diet with 10% C. vulgaris (CV), CV supplemented with 0.005% of a commercial CAZyme cocktail (Rovabio Excel AP), (CV + R), and CV supplemented with 0.01% of a 4-CAZyme mixture previously selected (CV + M) during the experimental period lasted from day 21 to day 35. Body weight gain and feed conversion rate of broilers were not affected by C. vulgaris but digesta viscosity increased more than 2-fold (P 0.05). By contrast, the dietary C. vulgaris increased tenderness, yellowness (b∗) and total carotenoids in breast and thigh meats. However, no additional protective effect against lipid oxidation was observed in meat with the inclusion of microalga. Chlorella vulgaris, independently of CAZymes, had a minor impact on meat fatty acid composition but improved the proportion of some beneficial fatty acids. In summary, our data indicate a slight improvement of broiler meat quality and lipid nutritional value, without impairment of broilers' growth performance, thus supporting the usefulness of this microalga in poultry diets, up to this high level of incorporation. By contrast, the selected CAZyme mixtures used do not significantly improve the release of microalga nutrients in poultry diets, through the disruption of microalga cell wall, which warrants further research.Oxidative stress has always been a hot topic in poultry science. However, studies concerning the effects of redox status and glucose metabolism induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the breast muscle of broilers have been rarely reported. This study was aimed to evaluate the impact of intraperitoneal injection of H2O2 on oxidative damage and glycolysis metabolism of breast muscle in broilers. We also explored the activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway to provide possible mechanism of the redox imbalance. Briefly, a total of 320 one-day-old Arbor Acres chicks were randomly divided into 5 treatments with 8 replicates of 8 birds each (noninjected control, 0.75% saline-injected, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0% H2O2-injected treatments). Saline group was intraperitoneally injected with physiological saline (0.75%) and H2O2 groups received an intraperitoneal injection of H2O2. The dosage of the injection was 1.0 mL/kg BW. All birds in the saline and H2O2 groups were injected on enase were linearly increased after exposure to H2O2. In conclusion, H2O2 injection could impair antioxidant status and enhance anaerobic metabolism of breast muscle in broilers.Correct supplementation of dietary amino acids, such as methionine (Met) and cystine (Cys), is crucial to support the exponential growth of broilers. Historically, most available recommendations with regard to the optimal amount of Met plus Cys are based on studies wherein DL-Met was used as the Met source. Nowadays, L-Met is available as a registered feed additive, urging the need to establish the optimal L-Met plus Cys supplementation. The objective of this trial was to investigate these optimal L-Met plus Cys requirements of broilers in the starter (0-10 d), grower (11-23 d), and finisher (24-35 d) phase of life separately. A basal diet deficient in L-Met plus Cys was created along with 6 other diets with increasing L-Met concentrations for each phase. Birds were only included in one life phase and fed with a commercial diet before inclusion. The BW, daily weight gain, daily feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (gain-to-feed ratio) were measured for all birds. Slaughter parameters were determined for birurther research is required to confirm these findings.Work was carried out to determine the effects of limestone (LM) geometric mean diameter (GMD), phytate, Ca source, and phytase on standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of Ca and P in broilers. Twelve treatments (TRT) were tested. One basal corn and corn germ-based diet was prepared without adding inorganic Ca or P (TRT1, 0.02% Ca). Limestone from the same source (800 or 151 μm GMD) and bone (151 μm GMD) were added to TRT 2-4, (0.7% Ca). TRT5 was a corn/soybean meal (SBM) diet with 800 μm GMD LM (0.77% Ca). Buttiauxella sp. phytase was added (1,000 U/kg) to TRT 1-5 to prepare TRT 6-10, respectively. In addition, 800 or 150 μm GMD LM and monosodium P were added to a nitrogen-Ca-phytate-free diet (TRT 11 and 12, respectively). Treatments were analyzed as a complete block design using SAS mixed procedures and with factorial analysis on subsets of data 1) LM GMD (151 vs. 800 μm GMD) with or without phytase TRT 2, 3, 7, and 8; 2) phytate (corn or corn-free) with the same LM at 2 different sizes TRT 2, 3, 11, and 12; 3) Ca source (LM vs. bone) with or without phytase TRT 2, 4, 6, 8, and 9; 4) phytate source (corn vs. corn/SBM) with or without phytase TRT 2, 5, 7, and 10. Broilers (4/pen) were fed mash diets ad lib for 36 h (20-22 d of age). At the end of the trial, distal ileal digesta were collected. Fine LM had lower SID Ca (38.09%) vs. coarse LM (49.18%), irrespective of phytase (P less then 0.05). Standardized ileal digestibility of P was lower when the smaller LM was used vs. coarse LM with either 0 or 1,000 phytase U/kg (P less then 0.05). Both SID Ca and P were higher without phytate vs. when phytate from corn was present (P less then 0.05). Ca from bone was more digestible and its impact on SID P smaller vs. LM regardless of phytase (P less then 0.05). In addition, phytate from SBM was more digestible and responsive to phytase as compared to phytate from corn (P less then 0.05). In conclusion, dietary factors affected Ca and P digestibility and their response to phytase inclusion.While previous studies have characterized the fatty acids and global lipid families of the chicken egg yolk, there have been no publications characterizing the individual lipids in these lipid families. Such an in-depth characterization of egg yolk lipids is essential to define the potential benefits of egg yolk consumption for the supply of structural and anti-inflammatory lipids. Historically, the major focus has been on the cholesterol content of eggs and the potential negative health benefits of this lipid, while ignoring the essential roles of cholesterol in membranes and as a precursor to other essential sterols. A detailed analysis of egg yolk lipids, using high-resolution mass spectrometric analyses and tandem mass spectrometry to characterize the fatty acid substituents of complex structural lipids, was used to generate the first in-depth characterization of individual lipids within lipid families. Egg yolks were isolated from commercial eggs (Full Circle Market) and lipids extracted with methyl-t-buvaluable nutritional addition to the diets of individuals that do not have cholesterol issues.In this study, the effects of Bacillus subtilis-fermented products on the growth performance and cecal microbiota of broilers were investigated in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. A total of 120 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to 4 dietary treatments, with 5 replicate cages per treatment and 6 birds per cage. The dietary treatments comprised a basal diet as the control, basal diet plus 5 mg/kg of LPS, and basal diet plus 5 mg/kg of LPS in combination with 1 and 3 g/kg of B. subtilis-fermented products. The results indicated that B. subtilis-fermented product supplementation increased (linear, P less then 0.05) the body weight of broilers relative to LPS treatment alone at 21 d of age. At 15 to 21 d and 1 to 21 d of age, B. subtilis-fermented product supplementation improved (linear, P less then 0.05) the average daily gain in broilers compared with LPS challenge alone. The inflammation-associated gene expression was decreased (P less then 0.05), and intesermore, the average abundance of the genera Bacteroides and Romboutsia in the cecal digesta was positively correlated with the concentration of B. subtilis-fermented products under LPS challenge. These results demonstrate that B. subtilis-fermented products can improve the growth performance and modulate the gut microflora composition of broilers under immune stress.The effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 226 n-3)-rich microalgae and methionine (Met) supplementation on production performance, incidence of breast muscle white striping (WS), and pathology, lipid profile, and meat quality aspects in broiler chickens was investigated. The hypothesis tested was that feeding Met and n-3 fatty acid (FA)-rich diet enhances muscle n-3 FA content and meat quality while attenuating breast muscle WS and myopathy in broiler chickens. One hundred and forty four (n = 144) 10-day-old Cornish cross chicks were fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet containing 0% microalgae (control), 2% microalgae (diet 1), and diet 1 + 100% more National Research Council requirement of Met (diet 2) up to day 42 of growth. All diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. The chicks were kept in 6 pens with 8 chicks per replicate pen. Feed consumption and feed efficiency were calculated on day 21 and 42. On day 43, 3 chicks per pen (n = 18/treatment) were euthanized. The breast muscle (pectoralis major) was visually scored for muscle WS (1 = no striping, 2 = mild, 3 = severe) and was subjected to histopathology. Breast muscle lipid profile (total lipids, FA composition, cholesterol, lipid oxidation products), quality (moisture, color, drip loss, shear force, cook loss, pH), and chemical characterization (protein, minerals) were recorded. A one-way analysis of variance was carried out with diet as the main factor and significance was set at P 0.05). The results demonstrated a significant effect of DHA-rich microalgae along with Met supplementation in reducing the incidence of breast muscle striping and myopathy, while enriching meat with n-3 FA. However, inclusion of Met in microalgae-based diets could influence meat tenderness and color.Two studies were conducted with broiler chickens to determine the ileal digestible energy (IDE), ME, and MEn in copra meal (CM) and cornstarch using the regression method. On day 15 and 16 for experiments 1 and 2, respectively, 192 male birds were individually weighed and allotted into 3 dietary treatments with 8 replicate cages and 8 birds per cage in a randomized complete block design with the BW as a blocking factor in each experiment. Dietary treatments consisted of 3 inclusion levels of test ingredients (i.e., 0, 100, or 200 g/kg) in corn-soybean meal-based diets using CM or cornstarch as test ingredients for experiment 1 or 2, respectively. Titanium dioxide was added as an indigestible marker to determine the ileal digestibility and utilization of energy by the index method. Experiments lasted 5 d, and excreta collection was conducted during the last 3 d of each experiment. At the end of experiments, birds were euthanized by CO2 asphyxiation, and ileal digesta samples were collected. Data were analyzed by the ANOVA using the GLM procedure. In experiment 1, the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of DM and gross energy (GE) and IDE in test diets linearly decreased (P less then 0.05) with substitution of CM in test diets. In experiment 2, there were quadratic increases (P less then 0.01) in the AID of DM and GE and IDE in diets as the concentration of cornstarch in test diets increased. In addition, linear increases (P less then 0.05) in the apparent total tract utilization of DM, N, and GE and ME and MEn in test diets were observed. The estimates of IDE, ME, and MEn in CM were 2,493, 3,727, and 3,546 kcal/kg DM, respectively, whereas respective values of cornstarch were estimated at 4,181, 3,992, and 3,946 kcal/kg DM, respectively. In conclusion, inclusion of CM in diets may reduce the digestibility of GE, whereas the digestibility and utilization of GE may increase when adding cornstarch into diets for broiler chickens.Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) causes toxic effect and leads to organ damage in broilers. Marine algal polysaccharides (MAP) of Enteromorpha prolifera exert multiple biological activities, maybe have a potential detoxification effect on AFB1, but the related research in broilers is extremely rare. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether MAPs can alleviate AFB1-induced oxidative damage and apoptosis of bursa of Fabricius in broilers. A total of 216 five-week-old male indigenous yellow-feathered broilers (with average initial body weight 397.35 ± 6.32 g) were randomly allocated to one of three treatments (6 replicates with 12 broilers per replicate), and the trial lasted 4 wk. Experimental groups were followed as basal diet (control group); basal diet mixed with 100 μg/kg AFB1 (AFB1 group, the AFB1 is purified form); basal diet with 100 μg/kg AFB1 + 2,500 mg/kg MAPs (AFB1 + MAPs group). The results showed that the diet with AFB1 significantly decreased the relative weight of bursa of Fabricius (P caspase-3 and Bax (P less then 0.05), while up-regulated the mRNA expression of Bcl-2 (P less then 0.05) compared with AFB1 group. In addition, according to protein expression results, dietary MAPs up-regulated the protein expression level of antioxidant and apoptosis-associated proteins (Nrf2, HO-1, p38MAPK, Bcl-2) (P less then 0.01), but down-regulated the protein expression level of caspase-3 and Bax (P less then 0.01). In conclusion, dietary MAPs alleviated AFB1-induced bursa of Fabricius injury through regulating Nrf2-mediated redox and mitochondrial apoptotic signaling pathway in broilers.Magnolol is a multifunctional plant polyphenol. To evaluate the effects of magnolol on laying hens in the late laying period, 360 (50-week-old) laying hens were randomly assigned to 4 dietary treatments a non-supplemented control diet (C), and control diets supplemented with 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg of magnolol (M100, M200, and M300), respectively. Each treatment had 6 replicates with 15 hens per replicate. Results showed that dietary supplementation of 200 and 300 mg/kg of magnolol increased the laying rate and the M200 group had a lower feed conversion ratio (P less then 0.05). Magnolol supplementation (200 and 300 mg/kg) could linearly increase albumen height and Haugh unit of fresh eggs in the late phase of the laying cycle (P less then 0.01). And magnolol linearly alleviated the decline of the albumen height and Haugh unit of eggs stored for 14 d (P less then 0.01). The total superoxide dismutase activity in the ovaries of M100 group was greater than that in the other treatments (P less then 0.05). As dietary magnolol levels increased, villus height of jejunum and ileum linearly increased (P less then 0.01). M200 and M300 groups had higher expression level of occludin in the ileum compared with group C (P less then 0.01). The level of nitric oxide production and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in the ileum of M200 group were lower than that in the C group (P less then 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 200 and 300 mg/kg magnolol can improve hen performance, albumen quality of fresh and storage eggs, and hepatic lipid metabolism in the late laying cycle. Also, magnolol has a good effect on increasing villi and improving the intestinal mucosal mechanical barrier function.This experiment evaluated the interactive effects among xylanase (XL; 0, 8,000, 16,000, and 32,000 BXU/kg), amino acid density (AA; high and low 10% difference), and additional fat (AF; 0 or +1.17%) applied postpellet in corn-soybean meal diets with dried distillers grains with solubles on performance, energy utilization, digestibility, and carcass traits in Ross 708 male broilers. A completely randomized block (pen location) design with 16 treatments arranged factorially (4 XL levels, 2 AA, and 2 AF) was analyzed using mixed models. No significant interactions or main effects were observed for feed intake at 49 d (P > 0.05) but chicks were heavier when consuming diets containing 0 or 8,000 BXU/kg (P = 0.015), high AA (P 0.05) but was improved in broilers fed the higher AA and AF diet (P = 0.015 for AA × AF). AME, GE, and CP digestibility were assessed at days 17 and 42. There were multiple interactions observed at day 17 with a significant three-way showing that AME and CP digestibility improved when increasing the XL and AF levels in the high AA fed birds compared with the low-density diets. At day 42, XL and AF significantly affected AMEn, GE, or CP digestibility; however, there was a significant interaction between XL and AF. Diets supplemented with 1.17% AF improved AMEn significantly in broilers fed the highest XL level. Breast yield was not affected by treatments, but wing yield decreased with high AA density when diets contained 16,000 BXU/kg without differences for the other diets (P = 0.04 for XL × AA). Effects of XL, AA, and AF interactions on performance and cut-up-part yields have to be considered until day 42 for most of the variables studied. However, at 49 d of age, the dietary AA density and AF did not markedly influence the response to XL in maize-based diets.This study determined the effects of dietary supplementation of rhamnolipids (RLS) on the growth performance, gut morphology, immune function, intestinal volatile fatty acid, and microflora community in Linnan yellow broilers. A total of 480 1-day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to groups for supplementation with one of the following for 56 d no supplement (control), 30 mg/kg bacitracin (ANT), 500 mg/kg RLS, or 1,000 mg/kg RLS (RLS2). The RLS2 diet was found to improve the final BW and ADG on day 56. The RLS diet reduced jejunal crypt depth, increased jejunal villus length, and increased serum IgA, IgM, IgY, IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels. The RLS broilers had higher cecum concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyrate, isobutyric acid, valerate, and isovalerate. High-throughput sequencing indicated that RLS affected microbial quantity and diversity in the cecum. Bacterial richness was higher in the RLS broilers than the ANT broilers. The RLS broilers had higher relative abundances of Megasphaera hypermegale and Lachnospiraceae bacterium 19gly4 on day 28 and Clostridium spiroforme and Alistipes obesi on day 56. These results suggest that RLS supplementation improves growth performance, benefits the intestinal villus morphology, regulates host immune function, and raises intestinal volatile fatty acid content and the relative abundance of the gut microbiota in broiler chickens.Many types of mycotoxins are found in food sources contaminated with fungi, and if these are ingested in large quantities or over a long period, they can affect the health of humans and domestic animals. Berberine (BBR) is a plant alkaloid with multiple pharmacological functions. This study aimed to investigate the effect of different levels of the plant alkaloid BBR on reducing toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB) and ochratoxin A (OTA) in broilers by examining performance characteristics, blood biochemistry, antioxidant systems, ileum morphology, and histopathology of the liver. The experiment was performed with 288 Ross 308 broilers reared in floor pens for 42 d in a randomized design with 9 treatments. Each treatment was replicated 4 times, and each replicate contained 8 chicks. Experimental treatments included (1) negative control diet with no additives (NC); (2) NC + 2 ppm AFB (positive control AFB; PCAFB); (3) NC + 2 ppm OTA (positive control OTA; PCOTA); (4) PCAFB + 200 mg/kg BBR; (5) PCAFB + 400 mg/kg of broilers fed diets contaminated with AFB and OTA.Non-starch polysaccharides (NSP), especially in water-soluble form, are a common anti-nutritional factor in cereal-based poultry diets. Consequently, carbohydrases are applied to diets to combat the negative effects of NSP on bird performance and health, particularly when feeding viscous grains. This study investigated the effect of supplementing multi-carbohydrases (MC) to broiler diets containing either low (LS) or high (HS) soluble NSP (sNSP) to total NSP (tNSP) ratios on energy partitioning, nitrogen (N) balance, and performance. A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (MC, no or yes; sNSP/tNSP, LS vs. HS) was applied, resulting in 4 dietary treatments, each replicated 8 times. These treatments were fed to Ross 308 broilers in closed-circuit indirect calorimetry chambers, with 2 birds (a male and a female) per replicate chamber (n = 64). The results showed that MC addition increased AME, net energy (NE), and AME/gross energy, regardless of sNSP/tNSP content (P less then 0.01 for all). There was an MC × sNSP/tNSP interaction for feed intake (FI, P less then 0.05), denoting that in the absence of MC, the HS-fed birds had lower FI than LS-fed birds, but this difference was eliminated when MC was present. There were MC × sNSP/tNSP interactions observed for AME intake (AMEi) per metabolic BW (BW0.70, P less then 0.05), AMEi/N retention (Nr, P less then 0.01), NE intake (NEi)/Nr (P less then 0.05), retained energy (RE) as fat per total RE (REf/RE, P less then 0.01), and N efficiency (Nr/N intake, P less then 0.05). These interactions showed that MC application increased AMEi/BW0.70, AMEi/Nr, NEi/Nr, and REf/RE only in the HS-fed birds, and N efficiency only in the LS-fed broilers. This study demonstrated that MC application markedly increased feed energy utilization in all diets, and increased N efficiency in birds fed an LS diet.Diet β-glucanase (BGase) depolymerizes viscous β-glucan into lower molecular weight carbohydrates, which might act as a prebiotic in chickens exposed to enteric disease. Coccidiosis-challenged broiler chickens were fed graded levels of hulless barley (HB) and BGase to determine their effects on growth performance. Broilers were fed high β-glucan HB (CDC Fibar; 0, 30, and 60% replacing wheat) and BGase (Econase GT 200P; 0, 0.01, and 0.1%) in a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement. A total of 5,346 broilers were raised in litter floor pens and vaccinated for coccidiosis in feed and water on day 5. Each treatment was assigned to 1 pen (66 birds) in each of 9 rooms. Statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Overall, HB decreased body weight gain (BWG) and increased feed gain ratio (FG) of broilers. From day 0 to 11, BGase did not affect BWG and FG, at the 0 and 30% HB. However, at 60% HB, the 0.01% BGase improved them, and the 0.1% BGase had no effect on BWG and increased FG. For the day 22 to 32 and 0 to 32 periods, BGase did not affect BWG for 0 and 30% HB levels, but for the 60% HB, both BGase levels increased gain. The 0.1% level of BGase resulted in the lowest FG for all HB levels, with the degree of response increasing with HB. No interaction was found for ileal digesta viscosity at day 11; the level of HB did not affect viscosity, but both levels of BGase decreased viscosity. At day 33, BGase did not affect viscosity at 0 and 30% HB levels, but viscosity was lowered for the 0.1% BGase treatment at the 60% HB level. In conclusion, HB reduced broiler performance, and BGase alleviated most but not all the effects. In young birds fed 60% HB, 0.1% BGase did not impact BWG and increased FG.This review discusses the complex nature of the primary nonstarch polysaccharide (NSP) in corn with respect to the merit of debranching enzymes. Celluloses, hemicelluloses, and pectins comprise the 3 major categories of NSP that make up nearly 90% of plant cell walls. Across cereals, the hemicellulose arabinoxylan exists as the primary NSP, followed by cellulose, glucans, and others. Differences in arabinoxylan structure among cereals and cereal fractions are facilitated by cereal type, degree and pattern of substitution along the xylan backbone, phenol content, and cross-linkages. In particular, arabinoxylan (also called glucuronoarabinoxylan) in corn is heavily fortified with substituents, being more populated than in wheat and other cereal grains. Feed-grade xylanases - almost solely of the glycoside hydrolase (GH) 10 and GH 11 families - require at least 2 or 3 contiguous xylose units to be free of attachments to effectively attack the xylan chain. This canopy of attachments, along with a high phenol content and the insoluble nature of corn glucuronoarabinoxylan, confers a significant resistance to xylanase attack. Both in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrate that debranching enzymes appreciably increase xylanase access and fiber degradability by removing these attachments and breaking phenolic linkages. The enzymatic degradation of the highly branched arabinoxylan can facilitate disassembly of other fibers by increasing exposure to pertinent carbohydrases. For cereals, the arabinofuranosidases, α-glucuronidases, and esterases are some of the more germane debranching enzymes. Enzyme composites beyond the simple core mixes of xylanases, cellulases, and glucanases can exploit synergistic benefits generated by this class of enzymes. A broad scope of enzymatic activity in customized mixes can more effectively target the resilient NSP construct of cereal grains in commercial poultry diets, particularly those in corn-based feeds.The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of quantitative feed restriction (FR) in fast-, medium-, and slow-growing meat-type male and female chickens on their growth, feed consumption, economic efficiency, carcass composition, and gastrointestinal microbiota. In the experiment, fast-growing Ross 308, medium-growing Hubbard JA 757 and slow-growing ISA Dual chickens of both sexes were exposed to quantitative FR between 14 and 21 d of age. During the FR, restricted chickens received 70% of the amount of feed consumed by the ad libitum (AL) group. Live weight at the end of the experiment was affected by genotype (P less then 0.001), sex (P less then 0.001), feeding regime (P less then 0.001), and their interaction (P less then 0.001). The highest final weight was in AL and FR ISA Dual males and the lowest was in AL and FR females of the same genotype. A similar tendency was observed in daily weight gain and feed intake. Carcass traits were predominantly affected by genotype. However, interactions of genotype, sex, and feeding regime were observed in thigh (P less then 0.001) and abdominal fat (P less then 0.001) proportions. Concerning gastrointestinal microbiota, only Escherichia coli was affected by genotype. Feed restriction in slow-growing dual-purpose chickens might improve economic potential; however, further research is needed to reveal the involvement of variable processes, which are unclear and affect production.Effects of the in ovo injection of organic microminerals (OM) (zinc, manganese, and copper) and posthatch holding time (HT) on the daily body temperature (bt) of broilers during grow out were determined. The hatching eggs from a Ross 708 breeder flock at 32 wk of age were incubated under standard commercial conditions. At 17 d of incubation, eggs were randomly allocated to 3 in ovo OM injection treatment (TRT) groups, and at 21 d of incubation, male hatchlings were randomly allocated to 2 posthatch HT treatment groups. Eggs were either not injected or were in ovo injected with diluent only or diluent containing the OM mixture. A 0-hour HT group had immediate access to water and feed, and a 24-hour HT (24HT) group contained birds that were kept in transport baskets in their pens without access to feed and water for 24 h before being released. Fifteen male birds were placed in each of 36 litter floor pens in a temperature-controlled facility. Approximately 2 birds in each of 6 replicate pens belonging to each TRT-HT combination had temperature transponders inserted subcutaneous in the mid-dorsal region of the neck. All birds were brooded under standard commercial conditions and had ad libitum access to feed and water after their respective HT. The bt of the same birds were determined daily at the same time each day beginning at hatch and ending on 39 d of posthatch age (AGE). There were no significant main or interactive effects involving TRT or HT for bt. However, there was a significant (P ≤ 0.0001) main effect because of AGE. A general increase in bt occurred during the 39 d grow out period. At hatch, bt was 40.54 ± 0.056°C and at AGE 39 was 41.46 ± 0.055°C. Under standard brooding conditions, a general increase in bt occurred in the Ross 708 broilers. However, these birds did not exhibit a significant bt response to TRT or a 24HT before placement.Antemortem blood biochemical and blood gas analyses are routinely used in health screening and diagnosis of disease in domestic veterinary species. These testing modalities are not routinely performed in poultry, in part, due to the distance from the diagnostic laboratory. Portable blood analyzers such as the i-STAT and VetScan (VS2) can be used to obtain results on the farm without delay, potentially offering a more practical option for poultry practitioners. We investigated the time effect on blood chemistry values and compared the results obtained using the i-STAT and VS2 with those obtained using conventional laboratory analyzers (GEM Premier 3000 and Cobas c501, respectively). We tested blood from 60 healthy chickens. Each sample was tested in triplicate using each of the portable analyzers and once using conventional analyzers. All samples were analyzed within 60 minutes of collection. The concentrations of some analytes were outside the limit of detection of the portable analyzers (i.e., bile acids). Although statistically significant differences were found for some biochemical analytes over time, the actual mean or median differences were too small to be considered of clinical importance. As observed in mammals, significant time-dependent changes in blood gas analytes were observed in whole blood samples exposed to ambient air. Correlation coefficients between portable and conventional analyzers were moderate to high for most of the analytes. For the most part, there was an agreement between the portable and conventional analyzers. We identified constant and proportional biases in the measurement of multiple analytes by both the i-STAT and VS2. Future studies are warranted to establish analyzer-specific reference intervals for poultry.The addition prebiotics in broiler diets can benefit digestion and nutrient abortion. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of moringa leaf powder and agave inulin on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and slaughter traits of broiler chickens over 40 d of grow-out. A total of 280 broilers (Ross 308) aged 1 d were randomly allocated to 4 treatments, with 7 replicates each and 10 chicks per replicate T1 = control diet, T2 = control diet with 15 g/kg of moringa leaf powder, T3 = control diet with 15 g/kg of agave inulin, and T4 = control diet with 15 g/kg of moringa leaf powder and 15 g/kg of agave inulin. The results showed that analysis of treatments at time were not different (P > 0.05) for broiler weights, feed and water intake, and weight gain. Treatment was significant (P less then 0.05) for feed efficiency at 22 to 40 d; the T4 group presented higher (P less then 0.05) values, and the T1 group presented lower (P less then 0.05) values. However, the villus lengths of d. The results demonstrated benefits of these 2 feed additives to improve intestine health and meat yield in broilers over a 40-day grow-out.Goose meat is increasingly popular among consumers because of its good quality. The fiber characteristics have been well demonstrated to be key contributing factors of meat quality, and the marketable ages are also closely related to meat quality. However, little is known about the effect of different marketable ages on the quality of goose meat through its fiber characteristics. Here, fiber characteristics of Yangzhou geese of different marketable ages (70, 90, and 120 d) and their effect on meat quality were investigated. The results showed that only fast-twitch fibers were present in breast muscle, irrespective of age, and that few slow-twitch fibers could be identified in leg muscle, especially in gastrocnemius and extensor digitorum longus. Fiber diameter in breast muscle increased rapidly from age 70 d to 90 d, from 19.88 to 26.27 μm, and remained stable for 90 d thereafter. The diameter and cross-sectional area of muscle fiber continue to grow with day increasing in leg muscle. In addition, we measured the proximate composition and physical properties at different ages. Among the 3 marketable ages investigated, the 120-day-old geese had higher intramuscular fat and protein content, as well as lower moisture content, both in breast and leg meat. Greater lightness and pressing loss, with lower redness and shear force, were observed in the breast and leg meat of 70-day-old geese when compared with 90- or 120-day-old geese. Taken together, although older marketable age hardly affected muscle fiber type in geese, it would contribute to larger muscle fiber area, higher intramuscular fat and protein content, as well as redder and chewier meat. As a result, the reasonable marketable age should be taken into account to improve quality in goose meat production, and the marketable age of 90 or 120 d was recommended and it could potentially improve meat quality in goose meat production.The aim of the study was to understand the dynamic changes in daily step counts (DSC) during the development of chickens and to further explore the effects of exercise on the growth performance, carcass yield, meat quality, and tibial strength of cocks. A total of 600 (half male and half female) 1-day-old Wannan chickens with similar hatching weights were raised under the same rearing conditions. All birds were wing banded and housed in identical cages for from 1 to 8 wk in the experimental poultry house. The dimensions of the cages were 70 × 70 × 40 cm (length × width × height). At the age of 9 to 16 wk, these birds were reared in indoor pens (2 m × 2 m, 1,000 cm2 per bird). In addition, they also had a free-range grass paddock (20 m × 30 m, 1 m2 per bird). The DSC of male and female Wannan chicks were recorded from 70 to 112 d by using a pedometer. At 112 d of age, based on the average DSC, birds were divided into groups representing the highest (HS), medium, and lowest (LS) number of step groups. Fifteen cocks from each group were selected for subsequent experiments. Compared with the LS group, the HS group displayed higher tibial strength (P = 0.025) and lower BW, cooking loss (P = 0.014), shear force (P = 0.023), and drip loss (P = 0.008). The DSC had no effects on the female BW or male carcass parameters. There was no significant change in the DSC of all birds from 70 to 112 d. However, male chickens took more steps than females at 15 (P = 0.025) and 16 (P = 0.012) week of age. In conclusion, the effects of the DSC on the BW of Wannan chickens depend on sex, and enhanced exercise could improve the meat quality and tibial strength of cocks.This study was designed to evaluate the effects of green light emitting diode (LED) light during incubation and dietary organic macro and trace minerals during rearing on tibia morphological, biophysical, and mechanical characteristics of broiler chickens at slaughter age. The experiment was setup as a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with the following treatments 1) light during incubation (green LED light or darkness), 2) macro mineral source during rearing (organic or inorganic Ca and P), and 3) trace mineral source during rearing (organic or inorganic Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Se). A total of 2,400 eggs (Ross 308) were either incubated under green LED light (16L8D) or in complete darkness. After hatch, a total of 864 male broiler chickens were reared until slaughter age (day 42) and provided with 1 of 4 diets, differing in macro and/or trace mineral source. During rearing, the experiment had a complete randomized block design with 9 replicate pens per treatment and 12 chickens per pen. At slaughter age (day 42), 2 chickens per replicate were randomly selected and tibia bones were obtained. Tibia weight, length, thickness, osseous volume, pore volume, total volume, mineral content, mineral density, ultimate strength, and stiffness were determined. Green LED light during incubation did not affect any of the tibia characteristics. Dietary organic macro minerals positively affected most of the tibia morphological, biophysical, and mechanical characteristics compared to the inorganic macro minerals, whereas trace mineral sources did not affect tibia characteristics. It can be concluded that dietary organic macro minerals Ca and P stimulated tibia characteristics, whereas green LED light during incubation and dietary trace minerals during rearing did not affect tibia characteristics, locomotion, or leg disorders.Transportation of poultry is stressful. The transportation of broilers has been well studied, while the transportation of layer pullets from rearing to laying facilities has not been thoroughly evaluated. This experiment aimed to establish the effects of temperature (T)/RH combinations and duration (D) of transport, via a 5 × 2 factorial arrangement of simulated transport conditions using 5 T/RH combinations (21°C with 30% RH [21/30], 21°C with 80% RH [21/80], 30°C with 30% RH [30/30], 30°C with 80% RH [30/80], and -15°C with uncontrolled RH [-15]), and 2 exposure D (4 or 8 h). Pullets (18-19 wk; n = 240) were obtained from 3 commercial farms (N = 3 farms). Pretreatment, birds were orally administered a miniature data logger to record core body temperature (CBT), an initial blood sample was taken (5 birds/replicate), and initial foot T was recorded. Behavior during exposure was video recorded. Following exposure, a final blood sample was taken (analyzed for heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, partial pressure of CO2, total CO2, bicarbonate, and glucose), birds were slaughtered, and data loggers were retrieved. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design via Proc Mixed (SAS 9.4) and significance was declared at P ≤ 0.05. There were no interactions observed for the T/RH and D combinations throughout the study. The CBT and foot T were lowest in pullets exposed to -15 compared with all other treatments. Foot T was also highest in pullets exposed to 30/80 compared with -15, 21/30, and 21/80. There was no impact of T/RH on pullet blood physiology. Activity and thermoregulatory behaviors were impacted by the T/RH combinations. Pullets exposed to 30/30 and 30/80 spent the most time panting. Pullets exposed to 30/80 also spent the least amount of time motionless. Duration had minor impacts on pullet CBT, blood physiology, and behavior. These data indicate that as a response to thermal stress, layer pullets were successful at implementing mechanisms to maintain homeostasis.Ammonia (NH3) is a known harmful gas and exists in haze, forming secondary organic aerosols. Exposure to ambient ammonia correlates with the respiratory tract infection, and microbiota in the upper respiratory tract is an emerging crucial player in the homeostatic regulation of respiratory tract infection, and microbiota perturbation is usually accompanied by the inflammatory reactions; however, the effects of different levels of ammonia exposure on tracheal microbiota and inflammation are unclear. A total of 288 22-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were chosen and divided into 4 groups with 6 replicates of 12 chickens, and respectively exposed to ammonia at 0, 15, 25, and 35 ppm for 21-d trial period. Cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-10) in the trachea were measured at the 21 d of exposure to NH3. Tracheal microbiota at the 21 d was analyzed by the 16S rRNA gene analysis. The results showed that an increase in ammonia levels, even in 15 ppm, significantly decreased the alpha diversity and changedmit of ammonia concentration in adult poultry house is 15 ppm. This research provides an insight into the relationship between the upper respiratory tract microbiota and inflammation under ammonia exposure.In the present study, 200 Brown commercial egg-type layers (60 wk old) were used to study the effects of different levels of ecofriendly synthesis of calcium (Ca) nanoparticles (0.0, 0.50, 1.0, and 1.5 g/kg diet) with biocompatible Sargassum latifolium algae extract (SL-CaNps) on exterior egg quality traits, electronic microscopic view of eggshells, Ca and phosphorus (P) retention, serum Ca and P concentrations, and the histology of the uterus. Hens fed with dietary SL-CaNps powder had higher egg weight and shell weight % values than those of the control group. All SL-CaNps treatment groups had the greatest values of shell weight per unit surface area and shell thickness. Dietary supplementation of SL-CaNps at graded levels up to 1.5 g/kg diet had higher serum Ca and inorganic P levels than that of the control. Laying hens fed with SL-CaNps-added diets had beneficial effects on shell ultrastructure in terms of well-developed palisade and mammillary layers. The numbers of apical cells along the branched tubular gland were greater in SL-CaNps-treated groups than those of control.