Poultry Science最新文献

{"title":"Impact of microencapsulated DL-methionine on intestinal health, immune gene expression, and economic returns in broilers chickens","authors":"Hossein Ali Ghasemi ,&nbsp;Mohammad Ali Khazab ,&nbsp;Seyed Abdullah Hosseini ,&nbsp;Amir Meimandipour ,&nbsp;Mahdi Ebrahimi","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106616","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106616","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A 42-day study evaluated the efficacy of crystalline DL-methionine (<strong>DL-Met</strong>) at the recommended level (<strong>control</strong>) versus microencapsulated DL-methionine (<strong>CM</strong>) at 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% of the commercial recommended levels (<strong>CM60, CM70, CM80, CM90</strong>, and <strong>CM100</strong>) in broiler chickens. A total of 1,260 one-day-old Arian broiler chicks were assigned to 6 experimental groups with 7 replicates of 30 chicks per group. The results showed that average daily gain (<strong>ADG</strong>) and the European performance index were significantly higher in the Control, CM80, CM90, and CM100 groups compared to CM60 during the 22–42-day period and over the entire 1–42-day period (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). CM90 also outperformed the Control and CM70 in ADG (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), and feed conversion ratio was significantly improved in CM80, CM90, and CM100 compared to the Control (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Ileal digestibility of dry matter and crude protein improved in CM80 and higher treatments, with AMEn also higher in CM80 to CM100 compared to CM60 (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). In the ileum, CM90 and CM100 increased populations of anaerobic bacteria and <em>Lactobacillus</em>, while reducing <em>Coliform</em> populations (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Histomorphological indices, including villus height and surface area in the jejunum and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio in the ileum, were enhanced in intermediate-to-high CM treatments. Gene expression analysis revealed that NF-kB and IL-6 expression were significantly lower in CM90 and CM100 compared to other treatments, except CM80 (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). IL-10 expression was higher in CM80, CM90, and CM100 compared to CM60 (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), while no significant differences were observed for IL-1β and IFN-γ between all treatments (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05). Economically, CM60 had the lowest feed cost but resulted in reduced net profit and efficiency. In contrast, CM80 to CM100, particularly CM90, improved economic returns through higher income and reduced feed cost per unit of weight gain (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, replacing crystalline methionine with microencapsulated methionine at 80–90% of the commercial recommendation improved growth performance, gut health, immune modulation, and economic returns.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 5","pages":"Article 106616"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcription profiles of chicken liver and spleen in response to infection with avian pathogenic Escherichia coli at different stages","authors":"Tailong Wang ,&nbsp;Yifei He ,&nbsp;Tingyu Zhang ,&nbsp;Yan Luo ,&nbsp;Mengru Chen ,&nbsp;Chu Meng ,&nbsp;Haitao Zhang ,&nbsp;Ruqian Zhao ,&nbsp;Yimin Jia","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106579","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106579","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Avian pathogenic <em>Escherichia coli</em> (<strong>APEC</strong>) is an extraintestinal pathogen that causes diverse local and systemic infections in poultry and poses a potential zoonotic threat. Although extensive research has addressed its antimicrobial resistance, virulence factors, and host immune responses, the temporal transition from early infection to recovery remains poorly characterized. Here, we established a systemic infection model in broilers by inoculating the pectoral muscle with <em>E. coli</em> O18:K1 and monitored sequential changes in organ weights and indices, serum biochemistry, and histopathology. Parallel RNA-sequencing of liver and spleen tissues delineated stage-specific transcriptional reprogramming. Peak mortality occurred 2 days post-infection (<strong>dpi</strong>) and ceased at 5 dpi. The infected and uninfected control groups differed significantly in organ weights and indices and blood biochemical indicators at 2 dpi; however, many indicators recovered by 5 dpi in the infected group. Liver transcriptomics during acute infection revealed concerted downregulation of minichromosome maintenance (<strong>MCM</strong>) family genes and concurrent suppression of the cell cycle and DNA repair pathways. By 5 dpi, these genes and pathways were reactivated, mirroring the transition from pathology to recovery. Key immune mediators in the spleen (<em>IL1B, IL6, FOS, PTGS2, JUN</em>, and <em>NFKBIA</em>) were enriched in immune response pathways and displayed a temporal switch from activation to repression, underscoring the dynamic regulation imposed by this immune organ. Collectively, our data provide a comprehensive spatiotemporal map of the molecular and immune landscape that demarcates the infection and recovery phases of APEC in broilers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 5","pages":"Article 106579"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146154263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of β-mannanase supplementation on broilers fed low-energy diets: A phase feeding meta-analysis.","authors":"Emmanuel Nuamah, Utibe Mfon Okon, Jongryun Kim, Inhyeok Cheon, S-B Cho, Darae Kang, N-J Choi, Kwanseob Shim","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106647","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106647","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The presence of β-mannans in poultry feed ingredients and their associated negative effects on nutrient utilization and production performance remain a concern for the poultry industry. Despite efforts to address these effects by exploiting commercial enzymes, like β-mannanase, responses across reported studies remain inconsistent. Hence, this meta-analysis, with a focus on phase feeding, aimed to determine whether β-mannanase supplementation improves growth performance, nutrient digestibility, histomorphology, and immune organ weight in broilers fed low-energy diets. It also explored the source of between-study variation. A literature search from 2004 to August 2024 identified 27 eligible studies. Data from these studies were pooled using Hedges' g to estimate the standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals. Heterogeneity was addressed through subgroup and meta-regression analyses based on β-mannan source, mannan degrader, β-mannanase dose, trial duration, and broiler strain. The quality of the eligible studies was also assessed using the risk of bias checklists for animal studies (SYRCLE) of the Cochrane Collaboration. The random-effects model's SMD estimates revealed that BWG and FCR are markedly improved by β-mannanase in the starter phase compared to the grower phase. However, the dose effect on FCR is influenced by an interaction with duration, which gradually diminishes as the later phase of grow-out progresses. In addition, β-mannanase improved DM and CP digestibility and increased VH, the VH-to-CD ratio, and innate activation (spleen) to maintain intestinal function and efficient nutrient utilization. However, the enzyme's effects on responses can be influenced by dose, its interaction with trial duration, and, to a lesser extent, by mannan source, degrader type, and the broiler strain. This meta-analysis demonstrates that β‑mannanase supplementation is a reliable strategy for mitigating the antinutritive effects of β‑mannans in broiler diets. Supplementation of the enzyme at 968 g/ton within reduced‑energy, phase‑feeding programs consistently improves growth performance, particularly during the starter phase, while maintaining key physiological indicators such as ileal nutrient digestibility, intestinal histomorphology, and immune function.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 5","pages":"106647"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12972511/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147366256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of an RT-ERA-CRISPR/Cas12a assay for duck Tembusu virus","authors":"Zhanhong Huang ,&nbsp;Yangbao Ding ,&nbsp;Haocheng Xu ,&nbsp;Qi Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiyi Wang ,&nbsp;Huamao Ding ,&nbsp;Junsheng Zhang ,&nbsp;Yufei Wang ,&nbsp;Yingying Wang ,&nbsp;Peirong Jiao","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106612","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106612","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) has continued to threaten the duck industry in China since 2010. Therefore, the establishment of a rapid, specific, and sensitive method for the field detection of DTMUV is urgently needed. Herein, a reverse transcription enzymatic recombinase amplification (RT-ERA) assay was combined with the CRISPR/Cas12a system to target the DTMUV <em>C</em> gene. This assay exhibited high specificity, effectively distinguishing DTMUV from other common avian viruses. Its limit of detection reached 1 copy/μL DTMUV RNA. Moreover, this assay can be completed at 42 °C within 15 min using a thermostatic water bath. Additionally, we tested 30 clinical samples from infected ducks using this assay, and the results showed 100% concordance with SYBR green quantitative PCR results. In summary, this rapid, specific, and sensitive assay shows promising potential for DTMUV detection in the field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 5","pages":"Article 106612"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of phase-specific dietary black soldier fly larvae supplementation on growth performance and blood biochemical indices of local breed F2 meat roosters","authors":"Bin Wang ,&nbsp;Baobei Ge ,&nbsp;Yunzhi Peng ,&nbsp;Feng Chen ,&nbsp;Huize Tan ,&nbsp;Xiaona Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106615","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106615","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL, <em>Hermetia illucens</em>) have emerged as a promising alternative protein sources for livestock and poultry feed due to their high protein digestibility and environmental friendliness. However, most studies focus on full-cycle BSFL supplementation, with limited evidence for phase-specific effects in native chickens. This study investigated the impacts of 2% and 4% BSFL supplementation during the chick (1–25 days), grower (26–50 days), or finisher (51–70 days) stage on growth performance and blood biochemical indices of Local Breed F2 Meat Roosters. A total of 3150 1-day-old roosters were randomly assigned to 7 groups (6 replicates/group, 75 birds/replicate). Growth performance was monitored at each stage, and blood biochemical indices were measured at the end of trial. Results showed that supplementation with 2% BSFL during the chick stage increased average daily gain (ADG) and decreased the feed conversion ratio (FCR), while 4% BSFL supplementation during the finisher stage reduced FCR. Both treatments were beneficial to improving growth performance. In contrast, 4% BSFL supplementation during the chick stage increased mortality rate significantly compared to control group. Phase-specific BSFL supplementation significantly altered serum total protein (TP), lipoprotein levels, liver function, and metabolic enzyme activities. Specifically, 2% or 4% BSFL supplementation enhanced TP synthesis and regulated lipid metabolism indices. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 2% BSFL during the chick stage is an optimal strategy to improve growth performance and metabolic health of native chickens, providing practical guidance for sustainable poultry production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 5","pages":"Article 106615"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146172838","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Individual pre-slaughter muscle proteolysis levels correlated with postmortem taste-related amino acid concentrations in broiler chickens","authors":"Sachi Katsumata ,&nbsp;Minori Egawa ,&nbsp;Koki Yoshino ,&nbsp;Ayumi Katafuchi ,&nbsp;Saki Shimamoto ,&nbsp;Akira Ohtsuka ,&nbsp;Daichi Ijiri","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106553","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106553","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pre-slaughter fasting is an important practice in the poultry industry that reduces microbial contamination. However, fasting-induced skeletal muscle proteolysis can occur, which may influence meat quality because it increases the concentration of free amino acids that contribute to the umami taste during postmortem aging. In a previous study, we found that antemortem proteolysis levels induced by pre-slaughter fasting (0, 8, 16, and 24 h) were positively correlated with the free glutamic acid (Glu) content in the pectoralis major muscle after 48 h of aging. In this study, we investigated the relationship between individual differences in antemortem proteolysis levels and meat quality, especially free amino acids content and taste sensor value, in the pectoralis major muscle subjected to the same duration of 16-h pre-slaughter fasting, and the mechanisms of muscle free Glu accumulation during postmortem aging in broiler chickens. Antemortem skeletal muscle proteolysis levels, evaluated as changes in plasma N^τ-methylhistidine concentrations, ranged from −1.0 to 12.7 nmol/mL (mean ± SD: 3.6 ± 3.01). Free Glu content in the pectoralis major muscle after 48 h of postmortem aging ranged from 9.7 to 45.8 mg/100 g (18.0 ± 7.34). A significant positive correlation was observed between antemortem proteolysis levels and postmortem free Glu content in the pectoralis major muscle after 48 h of aging (<em>r</em> = 0.42, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.01). Postmortem free Glu content was positively correlated with the mRNA expression of ATP-independent proteolytic enzymes, including Calpain 11 (<em>r</em> = 0.27, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.1), Calpain 2 (<em>r</em> = 0.45, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.01), Cathepsin <span>L</span>-like (<em>r</em> = 0.55, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.0001), and Cathepsin H (<em>r</em> = 0.35, <em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). We measured the levels of troponin-T (TnT), which releases free Glu upon degradation, to investigate the cause of free Glu accumulation during aging. However, no correlation was observed between TnT and postmortem free Glu content. In contrast, specific low-molecular-weight proteins (approximately 12–15 kDa) exhibited associations with antemortem skeletal muscle proteolysis levels and postmortem free Glu acid content in the pectoralis major muscle. These findings suggest that individual pre-slaughter proteolysis levels influence postmortem muscle-free Glu accumulation by enhancing the expression of specific proteolytic enzymes or myofibrillar protein degradation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 5","pages":"Article 106553"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146154265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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 effect of dietary supplementation with varying levels of sodium acetate on lipid metabolism and muscle quality in yellow feathered broiler chicken","authors":"Wei Jing,&nbsp;Fang Wang,&nbsp;Fei Zhang,&nbsp;Yifan Nie,&nbsp;Shanshan Nan,&nbsp;Yuyang Xue,&nbsp;Tianyu Lu,&nbsp;Cunxi Nie","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106600","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106600","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Short-chain fatty acid salts are known to influence lipid metabolism, yet the specific impact of dietary sodium acetate on adipose deposition and flavor profile in yellow-feathered broilers remains to be fully characterized. This study evaluated the effects of graded sodium acetate supplementation (0%, <strong>Con</strong>;0.15%, <strong>L</strong>; 0.30%, <strong>M</strong> and 0.45%<strong>H</strong>) on lipid metabolism, and meat quality over a 70-day feeding period in 640 one-day-old male broilers.While supplementation did not significantly alter overall growth performance metrics (average daily gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio), it elicited a dose-dependent modulation of lipid deposition and composition. Notably, the 0.30% sodium acetate group demonstrated a significant increase in serum triglyceride (TG) concentrations and intramuscular fat (IMF) content in the breast muscle (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). This group also exhibited elevated levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (C18:1n9) and saturated fatty acids,(C18:0) (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05),alongside enhanced concentrations of sweet and umami amino acids and a reduction in cooking loss.Hepatic analysis revealed increased concentrations of total cholesterol (TC) and TG, accompanied by upregulated expression of lipogenic and modulatory genes (<em>LXRα, SREBP-1c, ACC, FAS, SCD1, FABP4</em>) in the 0.30% and 0.45% sodium acetate groups (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Cecal microbiota profiling indicated an enrichment of beneficial taxa such as <em>Shuttleworthia</em>. However, the highest sodium acetate dose (0.45%) was associated with an elevated abdominal fat rate and increased liver function indices (ALT, AST, TBIL), suggesting potential metabolic overload.Liver metabolomic analysis of the 0.30% sodium acetate group identified significant enrichment of metabolites involved in cofactor biosynthesis pathways. Collectively, these findings suggest that a 0.30% dietary sodium acetate supplementation optimally enhances intramuscular fat deposition and flavor attributes, potentially mediated by alterations in gut microbiota composition, hepatic lipogenic activity, and cofactor metabolism. In contrast, higher supplementation levels may impose hepatic metabolic stress. This study underscores the importance of precise sodium acetate dosing to improve meat quality while safeguarding metabolic health in poultry production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 5","pages":"Article 106600"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146154264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Green tea extract disrupts gonadal differentiation in a model avian system","authors":"Taylor M. Miller ,&nbsp;Sara-Belle F. Ozburn ,&nbsp;Sara J. Hoover ,&nbsp;Kristen J. Navara","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106598","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106598","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the poultry industry, green tea extract (GTE) is becoming an increasingly popular dietary supplement due to its observed beneficial effects on performance and egg quality. However, work in mammals indicates that the active ingredients in green tea extract, catechins, act as endocrine disruptors, interfering with the actions of estrogen. Given that GTE is often supplemented to hens during egg-laying, there is potential for the endocrine-disrupting properties of catechins to interfere with the sensitive process of sexual differentiation in embryos. We tested whether green tea extract (GTE) alters gonadal differentiation in Japanese quail (<em>Coturnix japonica</em>) embryos. We injected eggs with either GTE or a Control vehicle before the onset of differentiation on the 4th day of incubation. On day 15, we evaluated phenotypic sex (gonadal morphology) and genetic sex (via PCR). Embryos from eggs that were injected with GTE had increased genotype-phenotype mismatches, which occurred exclusively in genetic females (ZW) who developed bilateral gonads resembling testes. Among genetic females, GTE significantly increased the probability of a male phenotype. Treatment with GTE did not increase embryonic mortality compared to Controls. We conclude that GTE modifies the developmental trajectory of embryonic gonads, specifically for female embryos. We propose that GTE disrupts the critical estrogen-dependent window of female sex differentiation, leading to sex reversal.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 5","pages":"Article 106598"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146154268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sustainable antibiotic reduction in poultry production with Pulsatilla saponins and herbal supplementation.","authors":"Zonghui Jian, Ruohan Zhao, Xiannian Zi, Shichun He, Xiaoming He, Yanlin Ye, Kun Wang, Changrong Ge, Junjing Jia, Yuanyuan Hu, Tengfei Dou","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106562","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106562","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The prolonged use of antibiotics in poultry production promotes the accumulation and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG), raising concerns for animal health and public safety. Developing effective antibiotic alternatives that support performance while limiting resistance risk is therefore a priority. Using broiler chickens as a model, this study evaluated the effects of Pulsatilla saponins, alone or combined with a compound herbal formulation, on growth performance, immune responses, cecal microbiota, and the intestinal resistome, with an antibiotic-treated group as reference. Growth and immune parameters were integrated with shotgun metagenomic sequencing to characterize microbial and ARG responses to dietary interventions. Compared with antibiotic supplementation, the combination of 0.5% herbal medicine and 0.6% Pulsatilla saponins (ZBZ) combination significantly enhanced immune traits, including spleen index and serum IgA and IgM levels, while increasing cecal microbial diversity and reshaping community composition. Metagenomic analyses showed that antibiotic treatment enriched efflux pump and target modification associated ARG, indicative of a multidrug resistance profile. In contrast, ZBZ markedly reduced the abundance and diversity of multidrug resistance-related ARG. Notably, ZBZ supplementation enriched short-chain fatty acid-producing taxa that were negatively correlated with multiple ARG classes, suggesting that improvements in the intestinal metabolic environment and colonization resistance constrained the expansion of resistant bacteria. Overall, the combined use of Pulsatilla saponins and a compound herbal formulation improved growth and immune performance while reducing intestinal ARG burden through coordinated modulation of the cecal microbiota-resistome axis, providing a sustainable nutritional strategy for antibiotic-reduced poultry production.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 5","pages":"106562"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12926563/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146219681","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antimicrobial activity of vinegar water in chilled chicken carcasses.","authors":"Carly Long, Md Shafiul Islam Rion, Corey Coe, Claire Suszynski, Reuben Adejumo, Joe Moritz, Annette Freshour, Cassandra Orndorff, Timothy Boltz, Lisa Jones, Cangliang Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106674","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.106674","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Very small poultry producers in West Virginia are very interested in learning the antimicrobial activities of commercial vinegar water during post-harvest broiler processing. We aimed to 1) evaluate the efficacy of vinegar water against pathogens and surrogate bacteria during the chilling of broiler carcasses, and 2) evaluate the anti-bacterial efficacy of 0, 50, and 75% vinegar water against surrogate bacteria during chilling at the Mobile Poultry Processing Unit (MPPU) pilot plant facility. In Study I, fresh organic broiler carcasses were inoculated with Salmonella Typhimurium, Campylobacter jejuni, and Enterococcus faecium, followed by chilling in the refrigerated 0, 50%, and 75% vinegar water for 1 or 24 h. In Study II, the MPPU-processed fresh broiler carcasses were chilled for 24 h in 0, 50, and 75% vinegar, 5 ppm of chlorine, and 2.5% of lactic/citric acid blend solutions. The broiler carcasses were then processed with D/E neutralizing solution in a standard poultry sampling bag for 30 seconds, followed by spread-plating onto tryptic soy agar plus 200 ppm-nalidixic acid (TSA-NaL), Brucella, and Bile-esculin agars (BEA)-NaL for S. Typhimurium, C. jejuni, and E. faecium, respectively. TSA- and BEA-NaL were incubated at 35°C for 48 h, and the Brucella agars were incubated in a microaerophilic jar at 42°C for 48 h. Mixed model procedure in R-program (3 × 2 × 3 factorial design) was used for data analysis with a significance level of P=0.05. Results showed that chilling in 50 and 75% of vinegar water for 1 h reduced (P < 0.05) 0.76-1.85 and 1.46-2.00 log₁₀ CFU/mL of S. Typhimurium and C. jejuni, and when the chilling time was extended to 24 h, the reductions increased to 1.20-2.52 and 1.8-2.27 log₁₀ CFU/mL, respectively. E. faecium showed less reduction (0.2-0.7 log₁₀CFU/mL, P < 0.05) than S. Typhimurium. MPPU pilot study showed that chilling in 50 and 75% vinegar water for 24 h reduced (P < 0.05) E. faecium by 3.29-3.64 log₁₀CFU/mL. Results suggested that applying 50 or 75% of commercial vinegar water for chilling 24h is effective to control foodborne pathogens on broiler carcasses, and E. faecium is a promising Salmonella surrogate during post-harvest validation studies.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 5","pages":"106674"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12950392/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147284833","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}