Poultry Science最新文献

Turkey hen reproductive cycles are short with a low peak, making environmental management, including lighting programs, especially important for sustaining production. Although high light intensities are typically used to improve performance, this practice lacks strong support from the scientific literature. Evidence from other avian species suggests red light more effectively stimulates the reproductive axis, but light intensity may confound this response. We aimed to evaluate the effects of red spectrum (R) or white (W) lighting at high (H, 0.3 W/m²) or low (L, 0.1 W/m²) intensity on reproductive parameters. A total of 402 grandparent-line Hybrid Converter hens were reared at a commercial facility before random allocation to 24 experimental pens within four rooms at 19 weeks of age (woa). Light spectrum was assigned by room, and all birds were exposed to their respective color treatments at L intensity throughout rearing. At 30 woa, intensity levels were assigned by pen for a two-factor split-plot arrangement (n = 6/spectrum-intensity combination), and the hens were photostimulated (13.5L:10.5D). Management adhered to commercial guidelines, and eggs were collected twelve times daily until 60 woa. Light treatment did not affect estradiol profiles or cumulative egg production, suggesting high intensity lighting may not be necessary to optimize performance. However, both H intensity and R color treatments synchronized oviposition patterns, with eggs laid more frequently during the daily peak. Egg weight increased with L intensity treatment, which was in line with a tendency for increased body weight (BW) and relative abdominal fat pad weight. Reduced BW uniformity with H intensity treatment suggests these differences in BW were related to changes in behavior, but individual responses were variable. Based on these findings, each of our treatments provided lighting conditions sufficient to initiate and sustain egg production. However, light spectrum and intensity can be manipulated to influence oviposition timing and egg quality, highlighting opportunities for targeted breeder management strategies.

Riemerella anatipestifer, which causes New Duck Syndrome, poses a significant threat to poultry production, causesing respiratory distress, neurological signs, and septicemia primarily in ducks and occasionally chickens. R. anatipestifer outbreak control requires knowledge about their genetic diversity, serotypes, and antibiotic profiles, which are currently unavailable. In this study, R. anatipestifer was isolated from ducks and chickens in Thailand between 2021 and 2023 to characterize their genetic relatedness, antimicrobial profiles, and resistance genes. Seven different serotypes were identified in isolates from ducks. Non-typable strains were the most prevalent, followed by serotypes 7, 10, 1, 5, 11, and 17. However, only serotype 1 was identified in isolates from chickens. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed high resistance to colistin and broad minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges for β-lactams, aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim. Of the 17 representative isolates analyzed by WGS, the most prevalent resistance genes were tet(X2) and lnu(I). Phylogenetic analysis based on core-genome single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) categorized the isolates into four main clusters. Most of Thai isolates from both ducks and chickens clustered together, indicating the circulation of endemic strains within the region. This is the first comprehensive study of R. anatipestifer isolated from ducks and chickens in Thailand. This research illustrates the value of enhancing basic biosecurity and movement control among farms. The data also provide a valuable foundation for the development of antibiotic use guidelines and vaccines, which will enhance the judicious and minimal use of antibiotics in poultry production.

Muscle development in goose embryos is a complex and highly coordinated process involving dynamic morphological and transcriptional changes. Skeletal muscle satellite cells (SMSCs) play essential roles in postnatal muscle growth, regeneration, and meat quality, yet the molecular mechanisms regulating SMSC behavior during embryonic development in geese remain incompletely characterized. In this study, we integrated histology, immunofluorescence, and transcriptomics to investigate leg muscle development and SMSC dynamics in female Zhedong White (ZW) geese at embryonic days 15, 18, and 23 (E15F, E18F, and E23F). Histological examination revealed progressive myofiber hypertrophy and alignment from E15F to E23F. Concurrently, the proportion of Pax7⁺ SMSCs progressively decreased, indicating the establishment of a quiescent satellite cell pool. RNA sequencing of SMSCs identified numerous differentially expressed genes across developmental stages. Transcriptomic profiling indicated a clear developmental transition: early stages (E15F) were enriched in genes related to structural and contractile proteins (e.g., MYL1, ACTC1, TNNT2), while later stages (E23F) were associated with upregulation of genes involved in lipid metabolism (e.g., PPARG, PLIN2, ACSL1), extracellular matrix remodeling (e.g., MMP2, SPP1), and signal transduction (e.g., FGF10, IGFBP5). Functional enrichment analysis further supported a shift from active myogenesis toward metabolic maturation and tissue reorganization. Protein-protein interaction network analysis identified a core regulatory module involving MEF2C, MEF2D, MYOD1, and MSTN. Key gene expression trends were confirmed by quantitative PCR. Together, these findings provide a comprehensive transcriptomic resource that delineates the stage-specific molecular programs guiding SMSC differentiation and functional maturation during embryonic myogenesis in geese.

This study aimed to develop and validate bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) equations to predict body composition (BC) in pullets from hatch to 16 weeks of age (WOA). A total of 285 birds were reared under ad libitum feeding and received common starter (from 0 to 4 WOA), grower (from 5 to 10 WOA), and developer (from 11 to16 WOA) diets containing 2836, 2739, and 2691 kcal AME/kg; 3.04, 3.00 and 3.07% ether extract; and 19.5, 16.9 and 14.8% crude protein, respectively. Bioelectrical impedance analysis measurements were taken biweekly at nine timepoints (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 WOA). Birds were euthanized and analyzed for dry matter, protein, fat, ash, and energy content through proximate analysis. Water (% of BW) and protein (% DM) decreased with age (76.5 to 56.0 and 67.4 to 52.4, respectively; P < 0.001), while fat (% DM) and energy (cal/g DM) increased (21.8 to 36.0 and 5,663 to 6,104, respectively; P < 0.001). Ash (% DM) rose rapidly from 0 to 2 WOA (8.11 to 11.8) and declined sharply at 14 WOA (9.18; P < 0.001). Resistance and reactance values declined with age, showing week-to-week fluctuations. Multiple linear regression models were developed to predict BC components, yielding R² values of 0.942, 0.716, 0.704, 0.287, and 0.622 and relative mean prediction errors of 1.97, 4.20, 10.5, 8.99, and 2.69% for water, protein, fat, ash, and energy, respectively. No significant differences were found between measured and predicted values (paired t-test). These findings demonstrate that BIA is a reliable, noninvasive technique for estimating body composition in live pullets and may serve as a practical tool for future research on growth and nutritional management.

Achieving stable and efficient transgene expression is a key challenge in advancing avian genome engineering. Although viral vector-based and piggyBac-mediated transgenesis have been widely used in chickens, both approaches are prone to epigenetic silencing, leading to inconsistent, tissue-specific, and often diminished expression over time. This variability limits used of transgenes requiring robust and long-term expression across multiple tissues. In mammals, site-specific integration into genomic safe harbor loci, such as Rosa26, has enabled stable and predictable transgene expression without disrupting endogenous gene function; however, such strategy has not been established in birds. In this research, we hypothesized that integrating Cas9 into endogenous housekeeping genes (the ACTB and GAPDH) could achieve efficient gene editing in chickens through stable and ubiquitous transgene expression. Using two different approaches, 3'-targeted gene insertion and gene tagging, we inserted Cas9 and GFP cassettes into defined genomic loci in chicken DF-1 cells. Both approaches exhibited stable expression of transgenes in the cells, and functional assays confirmed that Cas9 showed highly efficient nuclease activity following guide RNA delivery. Additionally, we derived single-cell clones stably expressing Cas9, enabling uniform and reproducible genome editing in downstream applications. Targeted insertion of transgenes into active housekeeping genes as candidate safe harbor loci mitigates the limitations of random integration and promoter silencing, offering a robust platform for consistent transgene expression in poultry biotechnology and genome engineering.

Avian fatty liver disease is a metabolic disease characterized by hepatocellular steatosis caused by fat deposition due to lipid metabolism disorders in poultry. AdipoRon, an adiponectin receptor agonist, has various biological effects, such as regulating glucose and lipid metabolism disorders, increasing insulin sensitivity, improving liver fat accumulation, and preventing inflammation and oxidative stress. Our previous study revealed that AdipoRon protected against liver injury induced by a high-fat diet and lipopolysaccharide in poultry. In this study, leghorn male hepatoma (LMH) cells were used to construct a lipotoxic injury model with mixed fatty acids (oleic acid + palmitic acid), and AdipoRon was subsequently used to intervene, followed by inhibition and activation of AMPK signaling pathways using an antagonist and agonist of AMPK, respectively, to detect lipid content and lipid deposition, hepatocyte injury-related transaminase activity, and the expression levels of lipid metabolism-related genes and key signaling molecules that regulate lipid metabolism, as well as the cellular lipid composition in LMH cells. AdipoRon promoted fatty acid oxidation, reduced lipid synthesis and deposition, and alleviated mixed fatty acid-induced lipotoxic injury through the regulation of the expression of adiponectin receptors, AMPK, PPARα, and key genes involved in lipid metabolism. The inhibition or activation of AMPK signaling pathways could regulate the expression of AdipoR1, AdipoR2, AMPK and p-AMPK, thereby altering the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes and antagonizing or synergistically increasing the ameliorative effects of AdipoRon on cellular lipid metabolism disorders, lipid deposition and cell injury. Lipidomic analysis further suggested that AdipoRon could regulate the metabolism of lipids such as sphingolipids, glycerophospholipids, acylcarnitines, and glycerolipids; reduce the accumulation of lipids such as ceramides, sphingomyelins, triacylglycerol, and acylcarnitines; maintain the metabolic homeostasis of phosphatidylamine and phosphatidylcholine, as well as cell membrane structural integrity and functional stability; and mitigate lipotoxic injury in LMH cells. This study provides new insights into targeted interventions involving adiponectin and its receptors to prevent and treat avian fatty liver disease.

The H1N1 influenza virus is a major pandemic and seasonal pathogen with a broad host range, posing a substantial threat to human health and underscoring the need for continuous surveillance. Wild birds, as natural reservoirs of avian influenza viruses (AIVs), carry H1N1 strains capable of reassorting with other influenza viruses, which can drive pandemic emergence. The global migration of wild birds facilitates the spread of these viruses, and their interactions with poultry increase the risk of cross-species transmission, further amplifying the public health threat. However, knowledge of H1N1 genetic diversity in wild birds remains limited. Database analysis shows 80% of avian-origin H1N1 isolates come from wild birds across over 40 countries, mainly in North America, Europe and Asia. This study characterized the molecular traits and genetic evolution of four H1N1 AIVs isolated from common teal and spot-billed ducks during 2019-2021. Phylogenetic and sequence analyses revealed these viruses cluster into distinct lineages, divergent from mammalian H1N1 strains, with complex genetic origins involving frequent recombination and high diversity. Frequent wild bird-poultry transmission elevates zoonotic risks. Our findings highlight wild birds' critical role in H1N1 transmission and confirm their role as an H1N1 gene pool, emphasizing the need for sustained monitoring and research.

Eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs), a bunch of proteins that deeply involved in translation initiation of mRNA in eukaryotes, are closely associated with physiological and pathological processes. eIF3m, a core subunit in eIF3 complex, also played critical roles in virus infection. In this study, a co-immunoprecipitation coupled with mass spectrometry (Co-IP/MS) was performed to identify host factors that interacted with ORF1B, a unique non-structural protein of fowl adenovirus serotype 4 (FAdV-4). Among 2502 cellular proteins, eIF3m, especially its C-terminal part, was verified to interact with ORF1B and these two proteins co-localized in the cytoplasm. Importantly, overexpression of eIF3m promoted FAdV-4 replication in LMH cells, whereas knockdown eIF3m exerted an opposite effect. Collectively, these findings indicate that ORF1B hijacked eIF3m to positively participate in FAdV-4 infection.

Salmonella enterica is a major foodborne pathogen associated with poultry, representing a critical challenge for food safety worldwide. Accurate identification of serovar diversity is essential for designing control strategies; however, conventional culture-based methods often underestimate this complexity. In this study, we report the first application of CRISPR-SeroSeq in Ecuador to characterize Salmonella serovar diversity in commercial broilers. A total of 76 flocks (one hose of one farm in different cycles) originated across 19 broiler farms were sampled. All flocks belonged to an integrated poultry company. From all samples, 77.6% tested positive for Salmonella. CRISPR-SeroSeq analysis revealed a clear dominance of serovar Infantis, even within mixed populations. Importantly, serovars of significant public health concern, including Enteritidis and Typhimurium, were detected at low frequencies that would likely be missed by conventional methods. These findings highlight the utility of high-resolution serotyping approaches, providing valuable insights for targeted interventions to improve poultry production biosecurity and food safety.

Like mammals, the avian intestinal epithelium is innervated by three neuronal pathways: vagal and sympathetic terminals, which originate from ganglia outside the gut wall and send information to the brain to modulate visceral sensitivity, appetite, and gut homeostasis; and the enteric nervous system (ENS), a complex network embedded within the gut wall that functions independently from the brain. The ENS coordinates essential GI physiological functions, such as intestinal motility, peristalsis, digestion, and absorption of nutrients and water. Recent studies conducted in mammals have shown that enteric neurons can orchestrate the intestinal immune response and reduce Salmonella colonization in the GI tract. However, such neuronal-mediates defense mechanisms have not yet been explored in the poultry gut. This review will provide a comprehensive overview of the avian ENS, highlighting similarities and differences with the well-known mammalian ENS. Additionally, particular focus will be given on ENS-dependent neuroimmune interactions that could reveal novel biomolecular mechanisms to mediate health, disease susceptibility, behavior, and other aspects as affected by the chicken GI tract.