Review Advantages of the Use of Postbiotics in Poultry Production: A New Concept Waqas, M Nastoh, NA Çinar, AA Farooq, MZ Salman, M Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT The use of antibiotics has been prohibited in many countries of the world, in response to concerns over the health and welfare concerns of humans and animals. For this reason, scientists have been working on antibiotic alternatives capable of enhancing the productivity and immunity of poultry birds against diseases, as well as the production of healthy and economical poultry meat and eggs. Various alternatives exist and have been used for several decades, such as probiotics, prebiotics, phytobiotics, essential oils, antimicrobial peptides, organic acids, and synbiotics. A relatively new term, “postbiotic,” is used to refer to cell-free supernatants, metabiotics, biogenics, or simply metabolites. It has been suggested that postbiotics are non-viable bacterial products or metabolic byproducts secreted from probiotic microorganisms that have biologic activity in the host. While probiotics are sensitive to heat and oxygen, postbiotics are stable during industrial processing and storage. Postbiotics enhance poultry growth, improve feed efficiency, reduce intestinal pathogens, and promote overall health, making them valuable contributions for sustainable poultry production. They have many important biological properties, such as promoting immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory responses. Postbiotics improve intestinal villi, intestinal barrier functions, increase lactic acid production, and reduce Enterobacteriaceae and fecal pH, all of which lead to better immune reaction and health of the gut, as well as superior growth performance. Similarly, postbiotics reduce the plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels in birds. This review article presents the most recent research investigating the beneficial effects of postbiotics in poultry. |
Review Environmental Enrichment/Improvement: Effect on Performance of Commercial Broiler Strains Abdallah, N Kursun, K Baylan, M Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT This work reviews the effect of environmental enrichments (perches, platforms, stocking density, outdoor access, bale, and dust bathing substrates) on the performance of fast and slow-growing commercial broiler strains. The performance of both slow and fast-growing commercial broiler strains under conventional production systems are generally poor, especially regarding the welfare status. One of the strategies to improve the performance of commercial broiler strains is by adding enrichment objects to production systems. The addition of enrichments to production systems should improve animal welfare, have no negative effect on production performance, and be both economically practicable and feasible to employ. Perches and platforms are the most common enrichments used to increase the activity of broiler chickens to improve leg conditions. The use of perches and platforms could lead to the reduction in the incidence of footpad dermatitis, hockburns and breast blisters, with subsequent effects on meat quality. Moreover, the provision of outdoor access could improve the biology responses of broiler chickens to various environmental stimuli, with a profound effect on performance and meat quality traits. Furthermore, another enrichment strategies that could increase the exploratory behavior and the general welfare of broiler chickens is the use of dustbathing and bale subtrates. Moreover, adjusting the stocking density provides broiler chickens with the necessary space for movement, reduces crowding, trampling and the associated agonistic behavior. However, the effect of some of these enrichments (perches, platform, bale) objects may vary depending on height, age, sex, and strain of the chickens. |
Review Fast Recognition of Table Eggs from Different Farming Systems Using Physical Traits and Multi-layer Perceptron Huang, MC Lin, Q Cai, H Ni, H Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT Eggs are a widely consumed source of protein, with consumers often preferring free-range eggs due to their higher nutritive value and prices. However, dishonest traders sometimes mislabel cage eggs as free-range eggs for unjustified profits. Biochemical methods are currently used to differentiate between caged and free-range eggs, which could involve chemical reagents, sample preparation, and costly instruments. In this study, physical traits measurements were combined with machine learning to identify eggs according to their farming system. Measurements of 27 physical traits for 480 eggs were conducted using simple tools, and the multicollinearity was reduced by comparing correlation coefficients, resulting in 16 physical traits. Multi-layer Perceptron Neural Network, Naive Bayes, Linear Support Vector Classifier, Radial Basis Functions Support Vector Classifier and Random Forest were used to create recognition models, and the leave-one-out cross-validation method was used for training and evaluation. The Multi-layer Perceptron Neural Network achieved the best classification performance with an accuracy of 0.94167, a F1 score of 0.94118. The result demonstrates that the physical traits of eggs provide sufficient features for the Multi-layer Perceptron Neural Network classifier. Compared to mainstream biochemical methods, we proposed a novel approach to differentiate between caged and free-range eggs using only physical trait measurements, thereby avoiding the need for chemical reagents, sample preparation, and expensive instruments. |
Original Article Effects of Age, Housing Environment, and Strain on Physical Egg Quality Parameters of Laying Hens Tainika, B Şekeroğlu, A Akyol, A Şentürk, YE Abaci, SH Duman, M Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT This study examined the effects of age, housing environment, and strain (Lohmann Sandy (LS) and Lohmann LSL Classic (LW)) on egg quality traits. Deep litter (DL), free access to outdoor Mentha piperita (MP), Petroselinum crispum (PC), and Medicago sativa (MS) vegetated environments were examined. A total of 260 four-week-old birds were randomly distributed to DL and outdoor plant-associated groups, with four and three replicates, respectively, and 10 birds per replicate. Eggs were analyzed between 26 and 52 weeks of hen age, every 4 weeks. Overall, all egg quality parameters significantly differed as hen age increased (p<0.01). The housing environment significantly influenced egg weight, shell-breaking strength, shell thickness, egg surface area, and yolk color score. Eggs obtained from DL hens were heavier and had a higher egg surface area than those from MS, PC, and MP hens (p<0.01; p<0.05). However, eggs laid by MS, PC, and MP hens had higher shell-breaking strength and thickness (p<0.01; p<0.05). DL hens had a greater ratio of eggs with meat-blood inclusions in the yolk compared to MS, PC, and MP hens (p<0.05). Shape index, albumen height, albumen index, Haugh unit, and yolk index were similar among housing environments (p>0.05). Strain significantly affected shape index, shell thickness, albumen height, albumen index, Haugh unit, albumen pH, yolk index, and yolk color score. LS eggs had higher shape index, shell thickness, yolk index, and yolk color score (p<0.01; p<0.05). However, LW eggs had greater albumen height, albumen index, Haugh unit, and albumen pH (p<0.01; p<0.05). LW strain had a lower ratio of eggs with meat-blood inclusions compared to LS (p<0.01). Shell-breaking strength and egg surface area did not differ between hen strains (p>0.05). This study showed that allowing hens access to MS, PC, or MP plant species improved shell quality traits. Moreover, it appears that there is a greater genetic variability in albumen and yolk quality traits. |
Original Article Calcium Levels and Limestone Granulometries in the Diet of Light Layers in Their Second Production Cycle Lima, DF Bastos-Leite, SC Angelim, AM Evangelista, AB Cordeiro, CN Freitas, ER Abreu, CG Silveira, RMF Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT Calcium is essential for bone development and eggshell formation in laying hen nutrition. It is therefore important to align the nutritional levels of calcium and the granulometry of limestone. The aim herein was to evaluate the effect of different calcium levels and two limestone granulometries on the performance, egg quality, digestive organ characteristics, and bone quality of layers in their second production cycle. A total of 324 Lohmann LSL Lite layers at 113 weeks of age were distributed in a completely randomized design with a 3 x 2 factorial scheme, with 3 calcium levels and 2 limestone granulometries, totalling 6 treatments with 6 replicates of 9 birds each. Performance, egg quality, digestive organ biometry, and bone characteristics were evaluated. The data were submitted to analysis of variance, and the means were compared by Tukey’s test. In addition, a canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) was carried out. There was no interaction between the factors for any of the variables. However, there was an effect of granulometry on egg weight, and of calcium levels on relative liver weight. No differences were observed in the CDA. It is concluded that coarse-grained limestone improves egg weight, and a 4.3% calcium level is recommended. |
Original Article Effects of Chronic and Acute Heat Stress on the Cardiac Expression of Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Genes in Chicks Bastaki, NK Almomen, JZ Albarjas, TA Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT Heat stress can affect several biological pathways. This study aimed to compare the effects of chronic and acute heat stress on the oxidative status and inflammatory responses of chick’s hearts. Chronic and acute heat stress were induced in chicks, heart tissues were examined for morphological changes, and gene expression was analyzed in heart samples. Our results showed that prolonged heat exposure caused a dramatic reduction in chicks body weight, increased lesions, and ruptured cardiac muscle fibers in the hearts, confirming that chronic heat stress damages heart tissues and causes inflammation. Our gene expression results confirmed that heat stress induces oxidative stress and inflammation in the hearts of chicks, and this is evidenced by changes in the expression of NRF2 and CAT as antioxidant factors, NFκB and LITAF as anti-inflammatory factors, and changes in the expression of Leptin as an activator of Reactive Oxygen Species production and induction of proinflammatory factors. Our study also showed that the induction of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant genes was greater upon exposure to chronic heat stress than acute heat stress. These findings confirm that chickens generally tolerate chronic heat stress better than acute heat stress. |
Original Article Characterizing the Population Structure and Genetic Diversity of Iraqi Pigeons Using Ssr Markers Bayraktar, M Shoshin, O Cabeci, Z Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT This study aims to characterize Iraqi pigeon breeds’ population structure and genetic diversity using Microsatellite (SSR) markers to obtain detailed insights into their genetic variation, differentiation, and evolutionary dynamics. This study represents the first comprehensive analysis of Iraqi pigeon breeds’ population structure and genetic diversity. The genetic diversity analysis revealed moderate to high allelic diversity, with the number of alleles (Na) ranging from 16 to 25 and the number of effective alleles (Ne) from 11.95 to 20.56. Observed heterozygosity (Ho) ranged from 0.27 to 0.53, while expected heterozygosity (He) was consistently high (0.92 to 0.95). FST values indicated significant genetic differentiation among pigeon breeds, ranging from 0.40 to 0.54, and gene flow (Nm) values suggested limited migration between subpopulations. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified five distinct clusters, explaining 76.02% of the total variance, which reflects pronounced genetic boundaries and distinct genetic identities among the breeds. Genetic structure analysis using admixture with K=3 clusters highlighted distinct ancestral contributions. The genetic distance analysis revealed close genetic relationships among populations like Kirkuk, Baghdad, and Mosul White, with lower genetic distances (0.06 to 0.08). In contrast, Fadadi, Zangi, and Yellow breeds exhibited higher genetic differentiation (distances up to 0.15). The Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) indicated significant genetic variation among populations, with a variance component of 10.92 and a Phi-statistic of 0.58, demonstrating moderate to high genetic differentiation and substantial genetic diversity within populations. This comprehensive analysis underscores significant genetic variation and distinct population structures among Iraqi pigeons, with clear differentiation and diverse genetic contributions across breeds. The findings highlight the effectiveness of SSR markers in capturing the genetic landscape, providing essential insights for the conservation and management of genetic diversity within these pigeon populations. This study contributes valuable information for understanding Iraqi pigeon breeds’ genetic dynamics and evolutionary relationships, supporting future genetic and conservation efforts. |
Original Article Influence of Shape Index, Specific Gravity, Area-Volume Ratio, and Egg Weight Loss During Incubation on the Hatchability of Eggs from Layer Hen Grandparents Segura, JMR Fonseca, BB Braga, PFS Silva, NAM Neves, ACRS Sommerfeld, S Calil, TAC Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT The physical parameters of eggs significantly impact embryo development and hatching success. This study aimed to examine the influence of the egg shape index (SI), specific gravity (SG), weight loss (WL), and area-volume ratio (AV) on hatching eggs from brown-layer hen grandparents. A total of 7,500 eggs were randomly selected from two batches of Lohmann Brown grandparents at various ages (39, 44, 50, 58, and 66 weeks). SG was determined by flotation (1,070 to 1,090 g/L), while egg length, width, and weight were measured digitally. Each egg was tracked to determine hatching success, with unhatched eggs collected for embryonic diagnosis. Physical parameters were categorized into minor, intermediate, and major groups, based on viability frequency; and embryonic mortality was analyzed using the chi-square test and odds ratio (OR). The study found a lower probability of embryo death in eggs with intermediate SI (75.1% to 79%) and AV (1.01 cm²/cm³ to 1.04 cm²/cm³). No significant differences were observed between SG and WL groups. SI proved to be a reliable parameter for assessing egg quality and predicting hatchability. |
Original Article Blastocystis sp. of Subtypes 2, 4 and 9 in Selected Avian Species, Brazil, 2009-2018 Marin, SYG Silva, CR Andrade, JP Soares, CF Rodrigues, PHC Oliveira, HCAM Vilela, DAR Coelho, HLG Freitas Neto, OC Martins, NRS Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT Avian species of the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, submitted to laboratory routine due to a variety of morbid conditions, were diagnosed as carriers of Blastocystis sp. All samples were examined under light microscopy and those with structures suggestive of Blastocystis sp. were tested by PCR. The total DNA was purified from feces and/or intestinal mucosa and used as a template for PCR, targeting the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene, and the products were sequenced. The sequences detected in two chickens, one passerine (Saltator similis, Thraupidae) and a golden parakeet (Guaruba guarouba, Psittacidae) were phylogenetically characterized and shown to cluster with sequences of subtypes 2, 4 or 9. The occurrence of Blastocystis sp. in domestic and local native avifauna is described and the perspective of a complex local interspecies epidemiology is considered of risk, including to humans. |
Original Article Characterization and Comparison of Volatile Compounds of Cage, Organic and Free-Range Systems Eggs Yenilmez, F Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT Studies on consumer preferences show that eggs obtained in open areas such as free-range systems and organic systems have superior taste than cage chicken eggs. Moreover, it is emphasized that the odor characteristics of eggs obtained in different production systems are different, and this reveals the necessity of determining the relevant volatile compounds. This study aimed to characterize and compare the volatile compounds responsible for the taste and aroma of eggs obtained from cage, organic and free-range systems. 60 randomly selected eggs (20 from each group sample) were analyzed by the SPME-GC-MS device. Eight volatile compounds were detected in the free-range chicken eggs, 15 in the caged chicken eggs, and 11 in the organic chicken eggs. D-limonene and 2-Butanamine, 3,3-dimethyl- compounds were determined as the main volatile odor components in all three groups of chicken eggs. Alkanes, esters, amines, acids, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes and alkenes were determined among the volatile compound groups. Acid and aldehyde groups of volatile compounds were not detected in the free-range and organic chicken eggs, as well as the ester group in free-range chicken eggs. In this study, both volatile compound numbers and compound groups of eggs belonging to different production systems were found to be different. This causes the eggs to differ in taste and aroma. |
Original Article Musculoskeletal and Visceral Quality of Broilers with Different Body Patterns Santos, J Leite dos Amoroso, L Silverio, FC Costa, AV Silva, MC Artoni, SMB Costa, GC Rubio, MS Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT The growth pattern of broilers can be influenced by diets, environment, stress, health and management. Considering the relevance of the body structure of broilers for slaughterhouse condemnations, the aim of this study was to analyze the body composition, bone mineral density (BMD), and musculoskeletal and visceral morphology of broilers with different body attributes from commercial slaughterhouses. Forty-eight plucked broilers from two different strains were distributed into three groups: standard, uneven, and cachectic. The broilers were evaluated for lean mass, body fat, BMD, and bone mineral content (BMC), and subject to macroscopic, musculoskeletal and visceral analyses. It was found that BMD was lower in the uneven and cachectic groups compared to the standard (p≤0.05), and cachectic broilers had a lower BMC compared to the other groups. The body weight of broilers in the standard group was greater compared to the other groups, while the relative weight of the proventriculus, gizzard, liver, duodenum, jejunum, cardiovascular structures, and kidney was greater among the cachectic in comparison to the others. The uneven group presented intermediate mean values for several densitometric and morphological parameters, as well as no statistical difference (p≥0.05) to the standard group in the weight of the proventriculus, spleen and kidneys, the weight and the length of duodenum, the length and diameter of the gastrocnemius, and the diameter of the sartorius muscle. It is possible to conclude that uneven broilers have similar characteristics to the standard group, demonstrating that they could be used as feedstock for processed products, reducing economic losses at the slaughterhouse. |
Original Article Welfare and Production Performance of Broilers Reared at Different Stocking Densities Pinheiro, AL Mascarenhas, AG Café, MB Mello, HHC Lopes, JCB Rezende, DMLC Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT This experiment was conducted to evaluate the welfare and production performance of broilers reared under different stocking densities. A total of 1242 one-day-old Cobb500 broiler males were distributed randomly among four treatments with nine replicates each. The treatments consisted of different broiler stocking densities (10.41; 11.45; 12.50 and 13.54 birds/m²). The parameters evaluated were regadring production performance (body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, uniformity, and carcass yield), animal welfare (cortisol, lactate, total protein, albumin, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, uric acid seric, and hemogram), and litter quality (temperature, humidity, and volatilized ammonia concentration). The broilers reared at 12.5 birds/m2 presented the best feed conversion ratio at 42 days of age. Neither the carcass traits nor the stress parameters studied were influenced by the stocking densities. It was concluded that the stocking density of 12.50 birds/m² results in the best feed conversion ratio among the studied treatments for the production cycle of 42 days. |
Original Article The Effect of Housing Systems on the Growth, Egg production, Overall Egg Weight and Egg Quality Traits of a New Turkish Laying Hen Hybrid, Akbay Baylan, M Kursun, K Abdallah, N Celik, LB Yenilmez, F Kutay, H Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT This study was conducted to determine the effects of housing systems (free-range and conventional cage) during the egg-laying phase on the growth, egg production, overall egg weight, and egg quality traits of a new Turkish laying hen hybrid, Akbay. A total of 600 (300 hens per housing system) Akbay laying hen hybrids were used in this study. At the end of the rearing cycle (17 weeks) the average live weight and cumulative feed intake for both groups were 1150.8g and 5067.52g, respectively. The live weight and cumulative feed intake at the onset of laying for both groups were 1198.42g and 5537.77g, respectively. Egg production, average daily feed intake, and average daily feed conversion ratio were significantly higher (p≤0.05) in free-range hens than in hens housed in cages. The live weight at peak production was significantly higher (p≤0.05) in hens housed in cages than in free-range hens. Significant differences (p≤0.05) in terms of internal and external egg quality traits were observed between the housing systems in this study. Generally, the free-range hens had better performance than the hens in cages. It was therefore concluded that the growth performance, egg production, overall egg weight, and egg quality traits of the new Turkish laying hen hybrid Akbay are better in the free-range production system than in convention cages; and that these hens can be housed in the free-range system without any negative effect on performance and egg quality traits. |
Original Article Effects of Strain and Stocking Density on Performance, Egg Size Distribution, Egg Quality, and Welfare in Laying Hens Housed in Enriched Cage System Akyol, A Şekeroğlu, A Tainika, B Şentürk, YE Duman, M Abacl, SH Gür, FM Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT This study assessed the effect of strain and enriched cage stocking density on performance, egg size distribution, egg quality, and welfare status in laying hens. Lohmann brown (LB) and Lohmann LSL Classic (LW) strains at 20 weeks of age were allotted to different cage stocking densities, with 1016, 762, or 610 cm2 of cage floor area per hen. Live body weight at the age at sexual maturity and at 52 weeks of age, feather condition, and some egg quality parameters differed between hen strains and among stocking densities (p<0.01; p<0.05). However, age at sexual maturity, livability, egg production, heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and duration of tonic immobility were similar between hen strains and among stocking densities (p>0.05). Furthermore, egg size distribution was similar between hen strains (p>0.05), but dissimilar among stocking densities (p<0.01). Rectal and comb temperatures differed between hen strains and among stocking densities, respectively (p<0.01; p<0.05). The age of hens influenced egg quality variables (except for egg weight and shape index), feather condition, and body region temperatures (p<0.01). These results suggest that an enriched cage floor area of up to 610 cm2 per hen does not compromise production performance and welfare status, except for the body weight of laying hens. Additionally, the two strains might be at similar levels regarding overall performance and welfare status, excluding body weight and feather condition. |
Original Article Effects of the Incorporation Rate of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae Meals on Zoo-Economic Performance and Carcass Quality of Broiler Chickens Brah, N Amadou, L Tougiani, A Moussa, M Moussa, B Moussa, HO Dzepe, D Djouaka, R Abdoulaye, T Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT The main protein sources used in broiler chicken diets, such as soybean meal and fishmeal, are costly, and one potential alternative is black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM).This study aimed to determine the incorporation rate of full-fat BSFLM in broiler chicken diets for optimum zoo-economic performance. The experiment involved 250 day-old unsexed broiler chickens randomly allocated into 25 batches. Five different levels of full-fat BSFLM incorporation (0%, 4%, 8%, 12%, and 16%) were tested during a 49-day experiment. Zootechnical data, economics indexes, and carcass quality were determined. Results indicated a significant decrease in feed intake with the increase of full-fat BSFLM. At the end of the experiment, the broiler chickens fed BSFLM4 demonstrated the highest live weight and the best FCR, with no statistical difference. In terms of economic parameters, the control diet showed the highest feed cost and the lowest economic feed efficiency, without a significant difference. Full-fat BSFLM incorporation did not significantly affect carcass yield. However, chickens receiving BSFLM 16% indicated having a lower zootechnical performance. A full-fat BSFLM incorporation rate of 12% into broiler chicken feed could improve zoo-economic performance in the current study. Moreover, BSFLM could serve as a cost-effective protein source. |
Original Article Comparative Analysis of Long Noncoding RNA and mRNA Expression Profiles in Ovarian Tissues of Tibetan Chickens and Roman Chickens During the Egg Laying Period Ye, Y Kang, S Liu, F Gao, Y Chang, Z Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT To explore the important long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) and its target genes in Tibetan chicken ovarian tissue, whole transcriptome sequencing technology and bioinformatics methods were used to analyze and predict lncRNA, differential expression of mRNA, and lncRNA between the two different breeds using DESeq2 software. The study predicted the Antisense and Cis regulatory target genes of differentially expressed lncRNA and performed functional annotation of GO, and analysis of the KEGG signaling pathway in these target genes. Quantitative fluorescence PCR was conducted in real time to validate the expression of important target genes. The results showed the discovery of 532 differentially expressed lncRNAs, 340 of which upregulated and 292 downregulated, as well as 2314 differentially expressed mRNAs, with 983 being upregulated and 1331 downregulated. The differentially expressed lncRNAs were found to regulate 48 differentially expressed mRNAs in the sense direction, and 14 in the antisense direction. Enrichment analysis on the intersection of target genes of differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs showed enrichment mainly in KEGG signaling pathways such as TGF-β signaling pathway (ko04350), organic selenium compound metabolism (ko00450), and oocyte meiosis (ko04114). The quantitative fluorescence PCR validation of important target genes such as CYP17A1, PTPN5, ACSL3, Nf2, CYP11A1 showed consistent results with RNA-seq results. This indicates the presence of lncRNA and mRNA with different expression levels and specific expression in the ovarian tissues of Tibetan and Roman chickens, and that genes such as CYP17A1, PTPN5, ACSL3, Nf2, and CYP11A1 may be key factors regulating the laying performance of Tibetan chickens. |
Original Article Resolving Candidate Genes for Chicken Ovarian Transplantation through RNA-seq and WGCNA Qin, Q Liu, R Ding, X Li, Z Zhang, Y Yi, X Zhao, Y Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT This study aimed to identify candidate genes regulating ovarian development following ovarian tissue transplantation through transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Ovarian tissues were collected from 10 thirty-day-old donor chickens, and each ovary was divided equally into three parts of similar size, and transplanted in situ into two-day-old recipient chickens. Samples were collected on days 0 (untransplanted), 6, and 12 after transplantation. RNA was extracted from ovarian samples for construction of a transcriptome library, and then sequenced on the IlluminaHiSeqTM2000 sequencing platform. The sequencing results were evaluated to determine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) through GO function and the KEGG pathway analyses, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), WGCNA, and PPI networks. Some candidate genes were further validated through real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). RNA-seq analysis identified 2242 up-regulated and 3095 down-regulated DEGs at 6 days after ovarian transplantation, and 2181 up-regulated and 2129 down-regulated DEGs were identified at 12 days after transplantation. Enrichment analysis showed that the genes were enriched in multiple inflammatory pathways, pathways involved in signal transduction and cellular processes. Through the WGCNA, five modules were constructed, from which 4 and 5 candidate genes were mined at 6 and 12 days after ovarian transplantation, respectively. Transcription factor prediction showed that GTF3A was the most important transcription factor. The results of RT-qPCR verification confirmed that the expression profile of 8 candidate genes was consistent with that of the sequencing results. In summary, this study presents the candidate genes involved in ovarian vascular remodeling and ovarian proliferation after ovarian transplantation. |
Original Article Use of Autochthonous Lactic Acid Bacteria as Probiotic Additives for Muscovy Ducks in Housing Maquiné, LC Guimarães, CC Santos, ANA Oliveira, AT Rufino, JPF Silva Junior, JL Chaves, FAL Mendonça, MAF Costa Neto, PQ Pereira, JO Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the effects of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as probiotic additives for Muscovy ducks on performance, carcass traits, and serum biochemical parameters. LAB were isolated from the intestinal content of 12 Muscovy ducks, and three promising strains were identified: Enterococcus lactis, Enterococcus ratti, and Enterococcus faecium. Ninety-six male Muscovy ducks with eight days of age (weight = 158.56±2.17) were distributed in a completely randomized design, where the treatments comprised a control group and three experimental groups subjected to autochthonous LAB as a probiotic (E. lactis, E. ratti, and E. faecium) administered orally to the Muscovy ducks, with three replicates of eight birds each. Birds were monitored over 90 days, divided into starter, grower, and finisher stages. Blood was collected at 91 days of age for analysis, and at 91 days birds were slaughtered to evaluate carcass traits. Results indicated no significant effect (p>0.05) in feed intake and weight gain during the starter stage, though feed conversion ratio worsened (p<0.05) with probiotics. In the grower stage, E. lactis improved (p<0.05) feed conversion ratio. In the finisher stage and overall performance, the control group presented better (p<0.05) results. Carcass analysis showed E. faecium increased carcass and breast yield, but all probiotic groups had lower (p<0.05) slaughter weight results. Serum biochemical analysis revealed E. faecium influenced triglycerides, glucose, cholesterol, and albumin levels, suggesting metabolic changes. In conclusion, autochthonous LAB had varied effects on Muscovy duck performance and physiology, indicating that probiotic efficacy depends on the developmental stage and specific strains used. |
Original Article Serological and Molecular Diagnosis of Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae in Poultry Farms Amorim, MMR Bandeira, RP Clemente, SM Vilela, S Mota, RA Nascimento, ER Barros, MR Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of serological and molecular tests in the detection of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) in laying and broiler flocks. For this analysis, 344 blood serum samples, 220 tracheal swab samples, and 66 trachea samples were collected. The serum samples were subjected to a rapid agglutination (RSA) test, a hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), nPCR, and vaccine strain PCR were performed on the trachea and tracheal swab samples. RSA was conducted at 1:10 dilution, and resulted in 14.8% (51/344) of samples positive for MG and 28.5% (98/344) for MS. Regarding the results of the HI test, 8.7% (30/344) and 20.3% (70/344) were positive for MG and MS, respectively. Based on the ELISA, 45.6% (177/344) of the samples showed seropositivity for MG, and 57.3% (189/344) for MS. Out of all tracheal swab and trachea samples subjected to PCR, 25.9% (57/220) and 42.8% (31/66) were positive for MG, while 10.0% (22/220) and 18.2% (12/66) were positive for MS, respectively. As determined by the vaccine strain PCR, 56.1% (32/57) of the tracheal swab samples that were positive for MG originated from the MG-F strain, whereas, of the positive trachea samples, 40.6% (13/32) were positive for that vaccine strain. The importance of using different serological and molecular tools in the diagnosis of MG and MS is clear, considering the great variation of results between the techniques, in addition to the possibility that DNA of the agent detected in flocks not having presented seroconversion. |
Original Article The Potential of Red Propolis to Improve the Quality of Quail Eggs Garcia, PRAL Boiago, MM Araujo, DN França, AZ Sponchiado, BM Rampazzo, M Migliorini, MJ Nesi, DT Stefani, LCM Resumo em Inglês: ABSTRACT This study investigated the effects of dietary aqueous extract of red propolis (AERP) on the performance, egg quality, antioxidant capacity, and fecal microbiota of laying quails. A total of 120 52-day-old laying quails were randomly divided into four dietary treatments, each consisting of six replicates of 5 animals. The dietary treatments were a control basal diet and basal diets with of 1g of AERP, 2g of AERP, and 0.01g of enramycin per kg of feed for 63 days. Productive performance results such as percentage of egg production, feed intake per quail per day, average egg weight, egg mass, and feed conversion rate showed no significant difference between treatments. On the other hand, eggs from quails fed with red propolis showed darker yolk, higher intensity of red, and lower intensity of yellow (p<0.05); as well as lower pH in the yolk. Moreover, microbiological counts on the surface of eggs and feces from diets containing propolis were lower in comparison with other treatments. It is possible to conclude that 1 g of AERP showed promising results as a feed additive for laying quails, since it maintained the productive performance of these animals and caused qualitative enhancements in the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of the eggs. Therefore, it could be used as a more natural way to improve quails’ egg production. |