Journal of Applied Poultry Research最新文献

An experiment was conducted to verify the effectiveness of butyrate (BA) in diets of broiler chickens raised without antibiotics and exposed to used litter. Dietary treatments included: negative control (NC), a nonsupplemented diet on fresh shavings; positive control (PC), the same nonsupplemented diet on used litter; 500 BA, similar diet with 500 ppm BA on used litter; 1,000 BA, similar diet with 1,000 ppm BA on used litter; 500/250 BA, similar diet with 500 ppm BA from 0 to 8 d and 250 ppm BA from 8 to 42 d on used litter; 1,000/250 BA, similar diet with 1,000 ppm BA from 0 to 8 d and 250 ppm BA from 8 to 42 d on used litter. From 0 to 8 d, the PC resulted in a 6.8 g decrease in BW gain (BWG) compared to NC, but this response was lost from 0 to 25 d or 0 to 42 d. There were no differences in mortality corrected, FCR (FCRm) between PC and NC. All BA treatments increased BWG in comparison to PC from 0 to 8 d, with no differences from NC. Butyrate improved 0 to 8 d FCRm compared to both PC and NC (P ≤ 0.05), but these responses were lost over time (P > 0.05). Butyrate increased apparent ileal digestibility of energy and DM (P > 0.05). Butyrate had no effect on oocyst shedding compared to PC (P > 0.05). Butyrate was able to ameliorate the negative performance effects with reused litter over the 8-d starter period and was able to increase ileal digestibility of energy and DM.

Trace minerals are essential components in standard broiler diets, playing a vital role in growth performance and skeletal development in broiler chickens. Conventionally, trace minerals have been included in broiler diets as inorganic salts. However, inorganic trace minerals are highly water soluble and reactive in the feed, thus, can potentially react with other dietary antagonists, such as phytate, fiber, and other minerals. This reduces their bioavailability for the birds. Alternatively, dietary trace minerals from complexed sources have displayed better stability and consequently bioavailability. The present study was completed to evaluate the efficacy of different sources and concentrations of zinc, manganese, and copper on growth performance, carcass parameters and tibia characteristics in broiler chickens reared to 35 d of age. There were 5 dietary treatments, including a control diet with ZnSO₄, MnSO4, and CuSO4 as inorganic trace minerals, while the other 4 dietary treatments consisted of organic or hydroxychloride forms of Zn, Mn and Cu at different inclusion rates as complexed trace minerals. Diets supplemented with complexed trace minerals supported more efficient feed conversion than inorganic trace minerals from 1 to 35 d posthatch. Therefore, broilers offered diets with organic and hydroxychloride trace mineral blends exhibited improved FCR over inorganic trace minerals at notionally lower inclusion rates. Interestingly, complexed trace mineral inclusions at a lower level than those of inorganic sources did not result in any significant reduction in tibia breaking strength (P = 0.575), or toe ash (P = 0.406). This study shows that trace mineral supplementation as complexed sources in broiler diets exhibited superior efficacy than inorganic trace mineral sources as reflected in growth performance and tibia strengths.

Eggshell quality is one of the most significant factors affecting the egg industry as it economically influences the quantity of saleable eggs. Eggshell quality can be improved through optimization of genotype, housing system, and mineral nutrition. This study aimed to compare genotypes and evaluate the morphological, physical, and chemical properties of eggs (weight, breaking strength, Haugh units, and dry matter) by hens of two different strains fed a 1940 and 2016 representative diet. Egg production was measured daily and there were four periods with 10-wk intervals in which eggs were analyzed starting at 30 wk and ending at 60 wk of age measuring quality parameters. This study was set as a 2 × 2 factorial. The factors consisted of 2 leghorn genetic strains that were a 2016 commercial layer (W36) and a 1940 random-bred leghorn line, then 2 diets based on 2016 and 1940 dietary standards. The treatment groups: 1) 2016 hen on 1940 diet, 2) 2016 hen on 2016 diet, 3) 1940 hen on 1940 diet, and 4) 1940 hen on 2016 diet had 8 replicates with 10 hens per treatment housing 2 hens per cage. Body weights were higher in the 2016 hens when compared to the 1940 hens, however, the feed conversion ratio fluctuated in hens with the 2016 hens on the 1940 diet consuming the most feed throughout the majority of the trial. The 1940s hens came into production later than the 2016 hens; however, the rate of production was consistent with one another. Oviduct and ovary weights were heavier in the 2016 hens when compared to the 1940 hens. Egg quality, both interior and exterior was greater in the 2016 hens when compared to the 1940 hens. Parameters measured demonstrated significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) among treatment groups suggesting that genetics and nutrition both played a role in production rate and egg quality.

Commercial laying hens have been housed in conventional caged systems in Australia for many years where they have achieved maximum production through close management of temperature, lighting, diet, waste removal, automated egg collection, and secure food safety. However, the birds were limited in expressing natural behaviors including perching, nesting, and dust bathing. Increased public awareness of hen welfare prompted a shift in the housing type and there is now a predominance of cage-free housing including barn and free-range systems in Australia. In these houses the designated egg laying nesting areas are included in the indoor area and are designed to keep eggs clean while facilitating automatic egg collection. However, some hens choose to lay their eggs outside of the designated nesting areas. These eggs, referred to as mislaid, ground or floor eggs, cost the farming operation as they must be collected manually and are downgraded. This study was an opportunistic investigation into the putative risk factors for floor eggs from 69 commercial Australian brown egg-laying flocks. Two contexts of floor egg production were evaluated: where the farmer was concerned with the level of floor eggs or, where floor eggs were ≥2% production at peak lay. Flocks housed with cool white lighting or, that had experienced feather pecking, were associated with the farmer being concerned with the level of floor eggs. One strain of brown egg-layer contributed to ≥2% floor eggs at peak lay. These findings can assist farmers with operational decisions to minimize the number of floor eggs.

Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) cause a range of clinical symptoms, and viruses are becoming of great economic significance for the poultry industry. Hepatitis hydropericardium syndrome (HHS), inclusion body hepatitis (IBH), adenoviral gizzard erosion (AGE), lung disorders, and bleeding in the muscles and organs are among the diseases that are typically brought on by FAdVs. This study aims to investigate the spread of FAdV infections on broiler farms in Iran. The results of this research indicate that most of the diseases related to avian adenovirus (FAdV) in Iran include inclusion body hepatitis, adenoviral gizzard erosion, and Hepatitis-Hydropericardium Syndrome. According to the findings of this study, the most common disease related to FAdV in Iran is more than 70% inclusion body hepatitis, and after inclusion body hepatitis, adenoviral gizzard erosion is the most common in Iran. Additionally, it was found that serotypes 11 and 8b, as well as genotypes d and e, are the most common genotypes and serotypes linked to inclusion body hepatitis in Iran. Additionally, serotype 1 (FAdV-1) was shown to be the most often isolated serotype related to AGE disease in Iran throughout this study. Serotype 4 (FAdV-4) has been identified as the primary serotype linked to HHS isolates in Iran based on the findings of the previously described investigation. There is an urgent need to effectively monitor the FAV in slaughter-aged chickens across this country. Field isolates can also be recognized and classified using molecular techniques and virus isolation methods. Vaccinating broiler flocks in advance is the only effective strategy to control this disease. Regularly following vaccination schedules and the use of potent vaccinations are also recommended.

Filth flies, especially house flies, can harbor and disseminate human pathogens to food and food contact surfaces. To determine the potential of flying insects to carry Salmonella and Campylobacter from poultry grow out houses, a total of 2,164 flying insects were caught and segregated based on flying insect family type and farm location in the Upstate, Middle, and Coastal parts of South Carolina in the United States for two 14-d sampling periods at 3 separate farms. Captured flying insects included house flies in the family Muscidae inside the poultry house (N = 289), house flies just outside the poultry house (N = 1023), and house flies 100 meters from the poultry houses (N = 547). Other flying insects included wasps in the family Vespidae species (spp.) captured just outside the poultry house (N = 71), Vespidae 100 meters from the poultry house (N = 126), flesh flies in the family Sarcophagidae just outside the poultry house (N = 13), and flesh flies 100 meters from the poultry house (N = 9), blow flies in the family Calliphoridae 100 meters from the poultry house, darkling beetles in the family Tenebrionidae just outside the poultry house (N = 30), and darkling beetles 100 meters from the poultry house (N = 56). Populations of Campylobacter spp., Salmonella spp., and total aerobic organisms (APC) were recovered from flying insects as well as the number of Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. positive flying insects at a 100 m distance from the broiler farms. Along with insect groups, chicken feces in the grow-out houses from 3 farms, cow manure around farm 1 and farm 2, and dog feces around farm 1 were also sampled. While no Campylobacter jejuni was recovered from any of the samples, including flying insect groups, chicken feces, cow manures, and dog feces, Campylobacter coli positive samples were detected in the cow manure samples in both collection periods, 100m-Calliphoridae, out-house flies and 100m-darkling beetles in 1 out of 2 collection periods on farm 2. Moreover, positive Serogroup B Salmonella spp. were detected in the groups in-chicken feces, in- house flies, and out- house flies on farm 2 and positive Serogroup C Salmonella spp. were detected in the groups of in- chicken feces, out- house flies, and 100m- house flies on farm 3. These data suggest that house flies may be a vector in the transmission of Salmonella spp. to and from broiler farms.

Infectious Bursal Disease is caused by a virus of the Birnaviridae family, belonging to the genus Avibirnavirus, which continues to represent a challenge for poultry production worldwide. In South America, genogroup 4 viral strains (dIBDV) have previously been detected in commercial broiler flocks. The emergence of variants needs to be constantly monitored to assess the risk of outbreaks even in vaccinated animals. The aim of this study was to identify the regional prevalence of dIBDV and evaluate its impacts on immune system organs and the performance of infected flocks in Parana state, Brazil. Thirty broiler flocks were evaluated, with an average of 24,949 birds per flock, aged between 18 and 23 d. Five Bursa of Fabricius samples were collected per flock for IBDV detection and genotyping. Positive samples for dIBDV in RFLP were submitted to sequencing of a fragment of the hypervariable region of the VP2 gene. Five samples of bursa of Fabricius, thymus, spleen, cecal tonsils and bone marrow were also collected per flock for histopathological analysis. Of the 30 flocks evaluated, in 10 (33%) IBDV from genogroup 4 (dIBDV) was detected. Flocks infected by dIBDV had significantly higher Bursa of Fabricius lesions than flocks negative for dIBDV. Flocks positive for dIBDV had their performance negatively impacted, through worsening feed conversion and an increase in mortality compared to negative flocks for dIBDV. In conclusion, genogroup 4 IBDV is capable of causing productive and health losses in broilers in Paraná, Brazil. The results of this study can help to better understand the dynamics of dIBDV infection in Brazil and to direct actions in the control of the disease.

Modifying pellet die thickness (PDT) has been shown to affect the frictional heat exposure of feed. The inclusion of Azomite (AZM) in broiler diets containing dicalcium phosphate has been shown to maintain apparent ileal amino acid digestibility (AIAAD). This is likely due to AZM's proposed die-scouring and lubrication properties that decreased the frictional heat exposure of feed which can change protein conformation and reduce AIAAD. Therefore, it was hypothesized that PDT and AZM would interact to influence AIAAD and broiler performance. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of AZM (0.0% or 0.25%) and PDT (32 and 45 mm; with a constant pellet diameter of 4.5 mm) on broiler performance and AIAAD from 0 to 21 d of age using a corn and soybean meal-based diet. Live performance was not influenced by AZM, PDT, or their 2-way interaction (P > 0.05). However, AIAAD was affected by AZM and PDT interactions (P < 0.05), with 11 amino acids demonstrating increased AIAAD in only the 45 mm control treatment. The AIAAD increase was likely not enough to influence performance. It was presumed that increased frictional heat deactivated trypsin inhibitors (TI) and chymotrypsin inhibitors (CTI), ultimately increasing AIAAD. Quantitative analysis of TI and CTI activity, utilizing a novel assay based on the current American Oil Chemists’ Society (Ba 12–75) and the American Association of Cereal Chemists International (22-40.01) accepted procedures, showed no practically influential amount of either inhibitor before or after pelleting. The authors, therefore, speculate that the increased AIAAD was due to corn aleurone layer cell wall lysis via increased frictional heat exposure of the 45 mm PDT and the absence of AZM.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the impacts of dietary supplementation with unprotected benzoic acid (BA) or benzocal-50 (protected BA) on the growth performance and intestinal health in mixed-sex Ross 308 broilers under a high stocking density. A total of 768 one-d-old mixed-sex Ross 308 chickens (BW: 43.52 ± 0.68 g) were randomly allotted to 4 treatments (6 replicates with 32 broilers in each): 1) basal diet (NC); 2) basal diet with 30 mg/kg of avilamycin (PC); 3) basal diet with 1,000 mg/kg of BA (PBA); and 4) basal diet with benzocal-50 (330, 330, and 300 mg/kg in the starter (d 1-14), grower (d 15–28), and finisher (d 29–41) phases) (EBA). The normal stocking density during the finisher phase for broilers is 25.0 kg BW/m², but this study used a density of 29.0 kg BW/m² for a high stocking density. The results revealed an increase in the ADG of the EBA treatment compared to the PBA treatment during d 8 to 14 (P < 0.05). In the grower (d 15–28) and finisher (d 29–41) phases, chickens fed the EBA treatment exhibited lower intestinal digesta pH values than those in the NC treatment (P < 0.05). Moreover, the EBA treatment displayed greater AID of dry matter and crude protein than the PC treatment (P < 0.05). The EBA treatment resulted in an upregulation of sodium-dependent neutral amino acid transporter and peptide transporter (PEPT1) mRNA expressions in the jejunum on d 14, an increased sodium-glucose transport protein 1 mRNA expression in the jejunum on d 28, and enhanced PEPT1 mRNA expression in the jejunum on d 41, when compared to the NC treatment (P < 0.05). Moreover, the EBA treatment improved cadherin 1 mRNA expression in the jejunum on d 28 than the NC and PC treatments (P < 0.05). Overall, supplementing benzocal-50 to broilers under a high stocking density led to a decrease in gut pH, contributing to reduced fecal score and an overall enhancement in the gut barrier function.