Journal of Applied Poultry Research最新文献

{"title":"Effect of eggshell calcium acetate on postmortem proteolysis and tenderization of spent duck muscle","authors":"Ya-Shiou Chang","doi":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100574","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100574","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of eggshell calcium acetate on postmortem proteolysis and tenderization of Tsaiya duck muscle. Duck carcasses were obtained from a government-regulated slaughterhouse and chilled at 12 °C for 1 h. Both sides of the breast muscles were excised and incubated individually in either eggshell calcium acetate solution containing 30 mM Ca²⁺ (ECA, <em>N</em> = 15), 30 mM calcium acetate (ACA, <em>N</em> = 15), or 30 mM EDTA (EDTA, <em>N</em> = 15) at 5 °C for 3 days. The control group (CON, <em>N</em> = 15) was incubated in double-distillated water at 5 °C for 3 days. Breast muscle samples from the right side of each carcass were taken at 0 (1 h postmortem), 1, 2, and 3 days of incubation for pH determination, casein zymography, and Western blotting. Samples from the left side of each breast were taken for myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI) and shear force measurements at 1 and 3 days of incubation. The results showed that the decrease in calpain-1 and calpain-11 activities, and desmin content was more rapid in the ECA- and ACA-incubated samples compared to the CON and EDTA-incubated samples during the 3-day incubation period. On the other hand, the MFI increased significantly in the ECA- and ACA-incubated samples compared to the CON and EDTA-incubated samples, while shear force values decreased more in the ECA- and ACA-incubated samples than in the CON and EDTA-incubated samples. Our results suggest that eggshell calcium acetate, like calcium acetate, can effectively enhance postmortem proteolysis and tenderizing of spent duck breast muscles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15240,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Poultry Research","volume":"34 4","pages":"Article 100574"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144771058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Feasibility analysis and study on immune effects of combined immunization with mixed inactivated vaccines in chickens","authors":"Linguo Wang ,&nbsp;Lingyan Jiang ,&nbsp;Tao Zhu ,&nbsp;Feng Wang ,&nbsp;Guangjin Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100580","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100580","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Combination immunization offers several benefits, such as reducing vaccination frequency, minimizing stress responses, and lowering labor costs. This study aimed to develop a combined immunization strategy using mixed vaccines, and to analyze the feasibility of incorporating inactivated vaccines into this regimen. Furthermore, the study validated the practical effects of combination immunization with a mixture of multiple inactivated vaccines. The study is composed of three parts. Initially, the ND-AI H9 bivalent inactivated vaccine and the AI H5/H7 trivalent inactivated vaccine were mixed. The physicochemical properties of the resulting suspension, including particle size, stability, and endotoxin levels, were analyzed to assess the feasibility of the mixed vaccine. Then the mixed vaccine was administered to SPF chickens, and antibody titers were measured to preliminarily evaluate the immunization efficacy of the combined vaccination approach. Finally, the combined immunization strategy was implemented in a large-scale layer farm, with antibody titers being monitored to assess its immunization effectiveness in a production setting. After mixing the ND-AI H9 vaccine with the AI H5/H7 vaccine, the particle size of the suspension fell between the two original vaccines, with the similar distribution pattern as the single vaccines. After seven days of storage, the suspension showed no separation, no microbial contamination, and very low endotoxin levels. When SPF chickens were immunized with the mixed vaccine, the antibody titers against ND and AI had no significant difference compared to that of single vaccine immunization. Following the application of the combined immunization program using the mixed vaccine in a large-scale layer farm, the neutralizing antibody levels for the targeted disease met expectations, with high positivity rates and low coefficients of variation. These results demonstrate that the combined immunization, employing mixed inactivated vaccines for poultry, is feasible, easy-to-implement and effective. It reduces injection frequency and stress, conserves resources, and offers a rapidly efficient method for widespread application. This strategy also holds significant implications for the development of multivalent inactivated vaccines. It should be noted that all vaccines utilized in the present study were inactivated oil-emulsion poultry vaccines, the administration of which was executed in accordance with the farm-specific immunization schedule and under the direct supervision of the veterinarian through a combined immunization protocol.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15240,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Poultry Research","volume":"34 4","pages":"Article 100580"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144702302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reliability of Palpation using three-dimensional keel bone models","authors":"E. Çavuşoğlu ,&nbsp;M.J. Toscano ,&nbsp;S.G. Gebhardt-Henrich","doi":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100579","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100579","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Keel bone damage (KBD), including both deviations and fractures, is an important and wide-spread animal welfare problem of laying hens especially in non-cage housing systems. Diagnosis of its prevalence is the first step in finding solutions. The aim of this study was to increase the reliability of diagnosis of KBD by palpation using three-dimensional (3D) keel bone models. An online training session was organized about how to use 3D models of 3 different severity levels of keel bone damage as a tagged tactile analogue scale. After the online training took place, the participating groups were asked to score the keel bone damage levels of 20 laying hens at each of their respective facilities with and without using the models (40 hens in total) on a continuous scale. The repeatabilities of the scoring results of 37 people from 11 groups (countries) were computed with the R-package rptR to test whether the use of models increased the reliability of the scores. In general, the repeatabilities of the scores on a continuous and a binary scale were low. Contrary to expectations, the use of 3D models did not increase the reliability in scoring KBD by palpation. In future studies with these models, a more even distribution of KBD among groups and on-site instead of online training might give more reliable results.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15240,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Poultry Research","volume":"34 4","pages":"Article 100579"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144711769","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effects of excess non-phytate phosphorus from dicalcium phosphate or phytase supplementary sources on performance in laying hens fed reduced-protein diets","authors":"Hazhir Mazhar,&nbsp;Sina Payvastegan,&nbsp;Mohsen Daneshyar,&nbsp;Seyed Ali Mirghelenj","doi":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100575","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100575","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rapid growth of industrial egg production has intensified environmental and economic pressures, prompting the adoption of reduced crude protein (CP) diets supplemented with amino acids to lower costs and nitrogen waste. However, CP reduction may limit phosphorus availability, potentially impairing energy metabolism. This study investigates whether adding extra non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) from mineral (dicalcium phosphate, DCP) and enzymatic (phytase) sources can improve performance, nutrient use, and egg quality in hens fed reduced-CP diets. A total of 528 Hy-Line W36 hens (50 weeks old) were used in a 2 × 5 + 1 factorial design. The CP levels included 14 % and 15 % (2 % and 1 % below the recommended level), and excess NPP treatments consisted of: no additional NPP (recommended NPP level), 1 and 2 g/kg extra NPP via added DCP, and 1.6 and 2 g/kg extra NPP via phytase supplementation (250 and 500 FYT/kg). A control diet containing 16 % CP (recommended CP level) was included as the eleventh treatment. Key findings showed phytase at 250–500 FYT/kg significantly improved egg production, egg mass, and feed conversion ratio compared to unsupplemented diets. Notably, 500 FYT/kg phytase enhanced digestibility of gross energy, CP, ether extract, and calcium, whereas inclusion of NPP from DCP reduced calcium digestibility. Interactive effects between CP and excess NPP were observed: 500 FYT/kg phytase in 15 % CP diets improved P digestibility and eggshell strength, while both phytase levels increased eggshell thickness. In conclusion, phytase supplementation improved laying hen performance in reduced-CP diets through extra-phosphoric effects, while excess NPP from DCP was ineffective.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15240,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Poultry Research","volume":"34 4","pages":"Article 100575"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144781436","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Applied research note: Impact of broiler carcass orientation after slaughter on breast meat quality when evaluating delayed processing","authors":"C.E. Harris ,&nbsp;J. Choi ,&nbsp;M. Shakeri ,&nbsp;B.H. Kiepper ,&nbsp;B. Kong ,&nbsp;R.J. Buhr ,&nbsp;H. Zhuang ,&nbsp;B.C. Bowker","doi":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100573","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100573","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The live transportation and holding of broilers prior to processing may have the potential to cause issues with meat quality. In prior experiments simulating alternative processing procedures, broilers were slaughtered on-farm and bled carcasses were transported to the plant to continue processing. These carcasses exhibited reddish discoloration on the cranial end of the raw breast fillets. Based on these observations, the current experiment tested if holding carcasses by their shanks caused discoloration in the cranial end of the fillets. The objective of this trial was to determine whether carcass orientation (on back, hanging by neck, hanging by shanks) alters breast meat color. At d43, 120 Cobb-500 males were placed into 4 treatments: control (no delay), 4 h delay + held by shanks (4Shanks), 4 h delay + held by neck (4Neck), or 4 h delay + held on back (4Back). All broilers were electrically stunned and bled-out. The control group was immediately hard-scalded and picked, while the delayed processing treatments were all held for 4 h before scalding/picking. Breast fillets were hot-deboned and chilled overnight. All fillets were assessed for petechial hemorrhaging and discoloration (cranial, caudal, and lateral), as well as additional meat quality measurements. Compared to controls, hemorrhaging and discoloration scores were greater for 4Shanks (cranial) (<em>p</em> = 0.0134 and <em>p</em> &lt; 0.0001, respectively), 4Neck (caudal), and 4Back (lateral) (all <em>p</em> &lt; 0.0001). Discoloration scores were supported by a* values of raw fillets. These data suggest that the location of discoloration in the breast fillets was influenced by the carcass holding orientation prior to scalding/picking.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15240,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Poultry Research","volume":"34 3","pages":"Article 100573"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144653275","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Field report: mitigating ammonia emissions using a novel atomizing air cleansing technology","authors":"James McNaughton,&nbsp;Wendy Attuquayefio,&nbsp;Michael Roberts","doi":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100576","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100576","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ammonia (NH₃) odor influences growth performance and harms broilers at market age. The Atomizing Vapor Particles Air Cleansing Technology atomizes liquid into small droplets, to maximize surface area for the removal of NH₃, and can be used as an effective agricultural waste and industrial air purification system to prevent anorexia in broilers. The objectives of this research were to (1) introduce atomization as a cost-effective method for reducing NH₃ emissions, (2) evaluate NH₃ concentrations in the brooding house following atomization and acidified litter amendment treatments, targeting levels below 15 parts per million (ppm). Trial 1 evaluated the efficacy of 8 NH₃ control strategies, comparing different litter types (fresh vs. &gt;4-year-old), litter control (atomization, citric acid with/without water, acidified litter amendment), and ventilation schedules (0-14 days no ventilation, then 30‑sec every 5 min from 15 to 48 days vs. continuous ventilation 30‑sec every 5 min from 0 to 48 days). Target NH₃ levels ranged from &lt;15 to &lt;35 ppm across treatments. In trial 2, eight NH₃ control strategies in combination with different NH₃ stress levels were tested. This included a clean, zero-stress, no-litter amendment control (T1), atomized vapor air NH₃ control (T2-T4), acidified litter amendments using sodium bisulfate to control for NH₃ (T5-T7), and no NH₃ control strategy on old litter. Treatment 6 represents the 2024 industry standard, which uses aggressive ventilation with sodium bisulfate litter treatment. Treatments also varied in strategies, ranging from continuous aggressive ventilation to no intervention in mild to extreme stress environments. The 1X atomization treatment of &gt;5-year-old litter (T2) in the second trial kept NH₃ levels below 10 ppm. Combined, these findings revealed the importance of atomization in keeping NH₃ concentration low. Atomization in combination with ventilation strategies might help to optimize broiler growth while minimizing environmental stress and the negative effects of odor and anorexia on broiler chickens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15240,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Poultry Research","volume":"34 3","pages":"Article 100576"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144653274","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of Enogen® corn as a replacement for conventional corn in standard and energy-deficient diets for pullets","authors":"Deependra Paneru ,&nbsp;Dima L. White ,&nbsp;Milan K. Sharma ,&nbsp;John M. Gonzalez ,&nbsp;Woo K. Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100578","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100578","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated the effects of substituting conventional corn with Enogen® corn in standard and energy-restricted diets on pullet growth performance, body composition, bone health, and intestinal morphology across major pullet developmental phases. Birds were fed conventional corn or Enogen® corn (expressing thermostable α-amylase enzyme endogenously) based diets, with or without a 200 kcal/kg energy reduction. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether, and if so, how, these dietary modifications influence physiological adaptation and energy partitioning during critical growth phases in pullets. Pullets showed compensatory feeding behavior under energy-restricted diets by increasing feed intake to maintain body weight and growth rates. Enogen® corn substitution did not significantly improve growth performance under <em>ad libitum</em> feeding conditions; however, numerical trend toward improved feed efficiency was observed. Body composition, including fat and muscle percentages, remained stable across all diets, suggesting effective metabolic homeostasis. Bone mineralization and microarchitecture were unaffected by dietary treatments, suggesting the adequacy of dietary minerals in supporting skeletal development. Similarly, intestinal structure showed no morphological changes, indicating that balanced protein, amino acids, and minerals supported gut integrity without necessitating compensatory remodeling. These results emphasize the resilience of pullets to moderate dietary variations when fundamental nutritional requirements are met. While the benefits of Enogen® corn in standard feeding regimens were inconclusive, its potential under energy-restricted and challenge conditions warrants further research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15240,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Poultry Research","volume":"34 4","pages":"Article 100578"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144711770","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Applied research note: Understanding varying levels of hydrogen peroxide residuals in poultry drinking water in early broiler growth performance","authors":"Biswajit Kumar Biswas ,&nbsp;Md Raihanul Hoque ,&nbsp;Rabin Raut ,&nbsp;Tom Tabler ,&nbsp;Thyneice Taylor-Bowden ,&nbsp;Samuel Nahashon ,&nbsp;Pramir Maharjan","doi":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100577","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100577","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) based products are used to sanitize poultry drinking water supplies; however, the effects of their higher residual levels on broiler performance remain unstudied. This study investigated the effects of different residual peroxide concentrations in drinking water on early broiler growth and amino acid (AA) digestibility. A total of 100 Cobb 500 male chicks reared on a corn–soy starter diet from d 0 to 13 were assigned to 5 treatment groups. Four stock solutions were prepared by mixing the H₂O₂ product with water at the following ratios: T1 (2:32), T2 (4:32), T3 (8:32), and T4 (16:32); and 1 mL of each stock solution was diluted with 100 mL of drinking water to create the drinking water treatments. The initial H₂O₂ residual concentrations in drinking water were approximately 17.6 ppm for T1, 33.3 ppm for T2, 60 ppm for T3, and 100 ppm for T4. After 24 h, the residuals dropped to approximately &lt;10 ppm in T1, &lt;30 ppm in T2, &lt;50 ppm in T3, and remained ≤90 ppm in T4. Municipal water free of H₂O₂ and Cl served as the control (CON). Growth performances, AA digestibility, and water intake (WI) were recorded for treatment groups. The treated groups (T2 &amp; T4) showed a higher body weight gain (BWG) and a lower FCR compared to the CON (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Additionally, the digestibility of essential (isoleucine, leucine, lysine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine) and non-essential (alanine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, proline, tyrosine) amino acids improved with these treatments. Results showed that all the tested levels of H₂O₂ residuals in drinking water (up to 100 ppm) can be safely used for sanitizing poultry drinking water supplies without compromising amino acid digestibility or early bird performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15240,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Poultry Research","volume":"34 4","pages":"Article 100577"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144771057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of salmonella isolates from backyard chicken in Maryland lower eastern shore, USA","authors":"Janak Dhakal,&nbsp;Sandesh Chapagain,&nbsp;Richard Y. Otwey,&nbsp;Jennifer Timmons,&nbsp;Ariel Clay","doi":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100572","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100572","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growing interest in organic, fresh, and locally sourced poultry leads to the expansion of backyard poultry farming. However, recent backyard poultry-linked <em>Salmonella</em> outbreaks have raised significant public health concerns. In this study, we investigated the prevalence, serotype, and antibiotic resistance of <em>Salmonella</em> from backyard poultry as part of a youth development initiative by the University of Maryland Eastern Extension Department's 4-H program. We distributed day-old Ross chicks to participants across Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester counties in lower Eastern Shore, MD, for hands-on learning, management, and microbiological sampling. A total of 82 samples, including cloacal swabs, litter, environmental sponges, feed, and whole carcasses, were collected from three 4-H participant farms and the poultry processing plant during the study period. Samples were processed using standard microbiological techniques, and <em>Salmonella</em> isolates were confirmed by PCR targeting the <em>invA</em> gene. A total of 13 <em>Salmonella</em> isolates were identified, including <em>S</em>. Infantis (7/13) (1). The prevalence of <em>Salmonella</em> in pre-harvest samples was 6.75 % (5/74), whereas post-harvest samples exhibited a 100 % prevalence (8/8). All 13 isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR), exhibiting resistance to several antibiotic classes, including penicillins, macrolides, and tetracyclines. This study highlights the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant <em>Salmonella</em> in backyard poultry and stresses the need for strict biosecurity measures, proper hygiene, and education to prevent zoonotic transmission, particularly among children who are the major handlers of backyard chicken thereby promoting public health and food safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15240,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Poultry Research","volume":"34 3","pages":"Article 100572"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-07-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144679546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bioequivalence of a commercial polyherbal choline for replacement of choline chloride for broiler chickens","authors":"Eduarda A. Taschetto ,&nbsp;Guilherme L. Godoy ,&nbsp;Everton L. Albigo ,&nbsp;Glauco A. Raddatz ,&nbsp;Yuri K. Dalmoro ,&nbsp;Jessica A. Alencar ,&nbsp;Sebastião A. Borges ,&nbsp;Catarina Stefanello","doi":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100571","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.japr.2025.100571","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Choline is an indispensable nutrient in poultry diets to ensure optimal growth and health. Alternative sources of choline derived from herbal extracts have been increasingly used as replacements for choline chloride. The objective of this study was to determine the bioequivalence of a novel polyherbal choline source for broiler chickens up to 35 d of age. A total of 1,120 one-<span>d</span>-old male Cobb 500 chicks were distributed to 7 treatments and 8 replicate pens with 20 birds each. The experimental diets were: control (based on rice bran, corn gluten, and soybean meal); control supplemented with increasing levels of polyherbal choline (<strong>HC</strong>; 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg) and control supplemented with choline chloride 60 % (<strong>CC</strong>; 200, 400, and 600 mg/kg). Body weight gain (<strong>BWG</strong>), feed intake (<strong>FI</strong>), and feed conversion ratio (<strong>FCR</strong>) were calculated by phases. The effects of choline sources and levels were also assessed on leg deviations at 28 and 34 d, and breast and liver characteristics at 35 d. Data were subjected to ANOVA and regression equations were estimated for each choline source. Increasing levels of both choline sources reduced leg deviations and improved liver redness (a*). Comparing the regression slopes of HC with CC, bioequivalences at 3.34 and 2.43 were obtained for BWG and at 2.88 and 2.30 for FCR, from 1 to 28 and 1 to 34 d, respectively. Therefore, the bioequivalence values for BWG and FCR ranged from 1 unit of HC to 2.23-3.34 units of CC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15240,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Poultry Research","volume":"34 4","pages":"Article 100571"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144696729","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}