Poultry Science最新文献

{"title":"Identify key transcript factors of adipocyte differentiation in abdominal fat of broilers based on ATAC-seq and RNA-seq","authors":"Xiaoying Liu,&nbsp;Chaohui Wang,&nbsp;Xi Sun,&nbsp;Zhihao Qiao,&nbsp;Xiaojun Yang,&nbsp;Yanli Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105096","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105096","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intensive breeding has resulted in excessive deposition of abdominal fat tissue (AFT) in broilers, leading to significant economic loss in the poultry industry. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying AFT development is essential for informed breeding strategies. In the current study, we elucidated dynamic changes of chromatin accessibility and transcriptional reprogramming in AFT at D14 and D42 in broilers based on integrated analysis of RNA-seq and ATAC-seq. RNA-seq analysis manifested significant transcriptional differences in AFT development, identifying 1323 up- and 1285 down-regulated differential expression genes (DEGs) as well as 63 up- and 58 down-regulated transcription factors (TFs) at D42 compared to those at D14. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis of total DEGs revealed significant enrichment in pathways related to DNA replication, cell adhesion molecules, cell cycle, p53 signaling pathway, fatty acid degradation, fatty acid biosynthesis and steroid biosynthesis. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) further indicated that autophagy, MAPK signaling pathway and inositol phosphate metabolism were up-regulated at D42 compared to D14, whereas cell cycle, DNA replication and steroid biosynthesis were down-regulated. Additionally, ATAC-seq analysis identified 394 gain and 1195 loss differentially accessible peaks (DPs) in AFT between D14 and D42, associated with 319 and 905 genes, respectively. These gain or loss genes were enriched in p53 signaling pathway, PPAR signaling pathway, fat digestion and absorption, FoxO signaling pathway and glycerol lipid metabolism. Integration analysis of ATAC-seq and RNA-seq data revealed 25 up-regulated and 75 down-regulated DEGs overlapping with genes linked to gain and loss DPs, respectively. Notably, ACACA, <em>SCD, SREBF1</em>and <em>KLF9</em> exhibited significantly lower expression at D42 compared to D14. DNA motifs analysis identified <em>NFIX</em> and <em>MYB</em> as loss motifs, overlapping with down-regulated TFs, suggesting their potential role in AFT regulation. Furthermore, <em>MYB</em> and <em>NFIX</em> exhibited potential binding sites in the promoter regions of lipid metabolism-related genes (<em>ELOVL6, PPARγ, FABP4, ACACA</em> and <em>SCD</em>). Overall, these results will provide a theoretical basis for investigating the epigenetic modification and transcriptional regulation of AFT development in broilers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 5","pages":"Article 105096"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143715518","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":"Pre-cecal calcium digestibility of eggshell products in broilers","authors":"J. van Harn,&nbsp;J.W. Spek,&nbsp;P. Bikker","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105090","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105090","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A broiler study was performed to determine the pre-cecal digestibility of Ca (<strong>pcdCa</strong>) of 4 eggshell products in comparison to a fine particle limestone source. Two eggshell products consisted of hatchery egg shells (<strong>HE</strong>) and 2 eggshell products consisted of consumption egg products (<strong>CE</strong>). One HE product consisted of fine particles (<strong>HE_fine</strong>) and the other HE product consisted of coarse particles (<strong>HE_coarse</strong>), while the two CE products consisted of coarse particles, with one product treated with a press (<strong>CE_press</strong>) and the other product treated with a centrifuge (<strong>CE_cen</strong>) to remove remaining egg yolk and egg white. During the first 14 d, birds received a commercial starter diet. At d 15, 360 broilers were randomly assigned to 36 pens (10 birds/pen), 6 pens per treatment. From d 15, 6 experimental diets were provided; a basal diet, a limestone supplemented diet and 4 diets containing the eggshell products. At d 23 birds were killed, after which the content of the terminal part of the ileum was sampled and pooled per pen. From three birds per pen the left tibia bone was collected for analysis of ash, P and Ca content. The pcdCa was calculated according to the World's Poultry Science Association (WPSA) protocol for determination of pre-cecal phosphorus digestibility, in this study adapted for Ca. Diets with coarse eggshell products did not differ among each other in performance, tibia characteristics and pcdCa (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05), but these characteristics were higher than for the low-Ca basal diet (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). Pre-cecal Ca digestibility of limestone, HE_fine, HE_coarse, CE_press and CE_cen was 105, 103, 97, 95, and 96 %, respectively. The high digestibility of the supplemented Ca sources was likely due to the metabolic regulation of Ca and P absorption from the basal diet and the test products. It was concluded that pcdCa of HE is similar to CE and pcdCa of fine particle egg shells in broiler diets is similar to limestone. Use of egg shells as Ca source contributes to the circularity of food production. Furthermore, it is recommended to develop a standard protocol for determination of pcdCa.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 6","pages":"Article 105090"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143783697","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":"Strict relationship between phenotypic and plasmid-associated genotypic of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolated from Taihe Black-Boned Silky Fowl farms","authors":"Li Zhang ,&nbsp;Mengjun Ye ,&nbsp;Yifan Dong ,&nbsp;Lijuan Yuan ,&nbsp;Jianjun Xiang ,&nbsp;Xiren Yu ,&nbsp;Qiegen Liao ,&nbsp;Qiushuang Ai ,&nbsp;Suyan Qiu ,&nbsp;Dawen Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105082","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105082","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Taihe Black-Boned Silky Fowl (<strong>TBSF</strong>) is a unique breed in China, characterized by a high concentration of melanin deposited throughout its body. Compared to broiler chickens, many antibiotics exhibit significantly longer withdrawal periods in TBSF. Given that antibiotic exposure is widely recognized as the primary selective pressure driving the persistence and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (<strong>ARGs</strong>) across diverse environments, it is crucial to investigate the occurrence and prevalence of ARGs within TBSF farming systems. In this study, 34 <em>Escherichia coli</em> strains isolated from 22 TBSF farms were subjected to phenotypic and genotypic analyses. The isolates were tested for susceptibility to 28 antimicrobial drugs representing nine antibiotic classes to determine their antimicrobial resistance phenotypes. Draft genome sequences of these <em>E. coli</em> strains were obtained, and the ARGs carried by mobile genetic elements, particularly plasmids, were analyzed for their association with susceptibility phenotype. The genetic context of key ARGs in these <em>E. coli</em> isolates was further characterized. Network analysis was employed to investigate the correlations between ARGs, phenotypes, and drug residues. The results demonstrated that high rates of antimicrobial resistance were observed, with 100 % and 29.4 % of isolates exhibiting resistance to four or more and eight or more antibiotic classes, respectively. According to whole-genome sequencing, a total of 143 ARGs were identified. The antimicrobial resistance phenotypes were consistently correlated with the presence of corresponding ARGs in the 34 <em>E. coli</em> genomes. 100 % of the β-lactams antibiotics resistant mechanism could be attributed to the presence of the resistance gene <em>bla</em>_TEM and/or <em>bla</em>_OXA-10. Similarly, resistance to tetracyclines, chloramphenicols, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones was fully explained by the presence of <em>tet</em>R and/or <em>tet</em>A, <em>flo</em>R and/or <em>cml</em>A, <em>ant(3’’)-IIa, aph(3’’)-Ib, aph(6)-Id, aac(3)-IId</em>, and <em>aad</em>A, and <em>qnr</em>S and/or mutant <em>gyr</em>A/<em>par</em>C/<em>mdt</em>H. The majority of these key ARGs were found to be plasmid-associated. This study verified and highlighted the prevalent horizontal gene transfer of ARGs in TBSF farms. Factors such as hygiene status, biosecurity measures, and other environmental conditions might play a more significant role than antimicrobial usage in facilitating the horizontal gene transfer of ARGs in TBSF farms. Appropriate measures should be taken to control the transmission and dissemination of these mobile genetic elements associated ARGs and prevent their entry into the human clinical environment from TBSF breeding environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 6","pages":"Article 105082"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143734772","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":"Fecal Microbiota Landscape of Commercial Poultry Farms in Faisalabad, Pakistan: A 16S rRNA Gene-based Metagenomics Study","authors":"Muhammad Moman Khan ,&nbsp;Muhammad Ahmed Mushtaq ,&nbsp;Muhammad Suleman ,&nbsp;Umer Ahmed ,&nbsp;Muhammad Faisal Ashraf ,&nbsp;Rizwan Aslam ,&nbsp;Mashkoor Mohsin ,&nbsp;Stefan Rödiger ,&nbsp;Yasra Sarwar ,&nbsp;Peter Schierack ,&nbsp;Aamir Ali","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105089","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105089","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the microbiota of broiler and layer farms, aiming to understand how genetic breed, age, and farm type influence microbial communities in commercial settings. Fecal samples from 18 poultry farms (twelve layers and six broilers) in Faisalabad, Pakistan were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the V3-V4 region to evaluate bacterial composition. The dominant phylum, <em>Firmicutes</em>, accounted for 58.72% of the microbial population, with <em>Lactobacillus</em> being the most abundant genus in both broilers and layers. The total abundance of potentially pathogenic genera was also assessed with <em>Enterococcus</em> and <em>Corynebacterium</em> being the most prevalent across all farms, regardless of bird type. Layers exhibited greater microbial richness and diversity than broilers, while the Karachi cage system (KCS) farm type showed higher richness than Floor system (FS). Although the breed significantly influenced microbial diversity, age was not a determining factor. Co-occurrence analyses revealed close interactions among phyla (<em>Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Fusobacteriota</em>, and <em>Bacteroidota</em>) and genera (<em>Lactobacillus, Brevibacterium, Enterococcus</em>), suggesting their pivotal roles within the microbial community. Additionally, functional analysis detected important metabolic pathways and traced microbial signatures of key pathogenic bacteria, enhancing our understanding of microbial contributions to poultry health. Despite limitations such as the need for broader geographic sampling and accounting for diet and medication, this study advances microbiome research in Pakistan's poultry sector, emphasizing consistent taxa and opening avenues for future investigations into microbiome manipulations for improved food safety and achieve better sustainable practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 6","pages":"Article 105089"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143768724","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":"Impact of dietary polyphenols from shredded, steam-exploded pine on growth performance, organ indices, meat quality, and cecal microbiota of broiler chickens","authors":"Chris Major Ncho ,&nbsp;Vaishali Gupta ,&nbsp;Akshat Goel ,&nbsp;Chae-Mi Jeong ,&nbsp;Ji-Young Jung ,&nbsp;Si-Young Ha ,&nbsp;Jeong-Uk Eom ,&nbsp;Han-Sul Yang ,&nbsp;Jae-Kyung Yang ,&nbsp;Yang-Ho Choi","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105088","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105088","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The chicken's gastrointestinal tract is home to complex and diverse microbial communities that can be manipulated to enhance health and productivity. Although polyphenols have recently attracted the attention of researchers due to their potent antioxidant capabilities, their impact on the gut microbiota remains largely unexplored. Hence, in this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the effects of dietary supplementation with polyphenol-rich extract from shredded, steam-exploded pine particles <strong>(PSPP)</strong> on growth, meat quality, and gut microbial dynamics in broiler chickens. Supplementation of PSPP was found to significantly improve birds’ FCR until the third week of the trial but only marginally affected meat quality. Based on metataxonomic analyses of the cecal microbiotas of broilers fed increasing concentrations of PSPP, dietary PSPP modulated the composition of the cecal microbiota of the birds with a concomitant increase of Bacteroidetes and a decrease in the Firmicutes population. Similar trends were observed for the proportions of <em>Alistipes</em> and <em>Faecalibacterium</em> at the genus level. Additionally, 43 unique bacterial species were detected in the cecal microbiome of birds fed with PSPP. However, microbial diversity did not vary significantly among treatment groups. A particularly interesting finding was the specialization observed in the microbiome of birds receiving PSPP supplementation. Microbial co-occurrence network analyses revealed substantial modifications in their network structure when compared to control birds. Families like Rikenellaceae and Eubacteriaceae were notably absent, and the number of microbial interactions was drastically lower in the PSPP-fed group. Microbial taxa modeling revealed that the impact of increasing dietary PSPP levels primarily affected genus-level taxa, showing a decreasing trend. Overall, this offers compelling evidence that continuous PSPP supplementation may not only alter the composition of intestinal microbes but also have a profound effect on the interactions among different microbial species. Conversely, PSPP had minimal effects on broilers’ performance and meat quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 5","pages":"Article 105088"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143715521","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":"Trans-cinnamaldehyde nanoemulsion reduces Salmonella Enteritidis biofilm on steel and plastic surfaces and downregulates expression of biofilm associated genes","authors":"Trushenkumar Shah ,&nbsp;Chen Zhu ,&nbsp;Chetna Shah ,&nbsp;Indu Upadhyaya ,&nbsp;Abhinav Upadhyay","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105086","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105086","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Salmonella</em> Enteritidis is a major poultry-associated foodborne pathogen that can form sanitizer-tolerant biofilms on various surfaces. The biofilm-forming capability of <em>S</em>. Enteritidis facilitates its survival on farm and food processing equipment. Conventional sanitization methods are not completely effective in killing <em>S</em>. Enteritidis biofilms. This study investigated the efficacy of a Generally Recognized as Safe phytochemical Trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), and in its nanoemulsion form (TCNE), for inhibiting <em>S</em>. Enteritidis biofilm formation and inactivating mature biofilms developed on polystyrene and stainless-steel surfaces. Moreover, the effect of TC on <em>Salmonella</em> genes critical for biofilm formation was studied.</div><div>TCNE was prepared using a high energy sonication method with Tween 80. For biofilm inhibition assay, <em>S</em>. Enteritidis was allowed to form biofilms either in the presence or absence of sub-inhibitory concentration (SIC; 0.01 %) of TCNE at 25°C and the biofilm formed was quantified at 24-h intervals for 48 h. For the inactivation assay, <em>S</em>. Enteritidis biofilms developed at 25°C for 48 h were exposed to TCNE (0.5, 1 %) for 1, 5, and 15 min, and surviving <em>S</em>. Enteritidis in the biofilm were enumerated. SIC of TCNE inhibited <em>S</em>. Enteritidis biofilm by 45 % on polystyrene and 75 % on steel surface after 48 h at 25°C compared to control (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). All TCNE treatments rapidly inactivated <em>S</em>. Enteritidis mature biofilm on polystyrene and steel surfaces (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). The lower concentration of TCNE (0.5 %) reduced <em>S</em>. Enteritidis counts by 1.5 log CFU/ml as early as 1 min of exposure on both polystyrene and stainless-steel surfaces. After 15 min of exposure, TCNE at concentration of 0.5 or 1 % reduced <em>S</em>. Enteritidis count significantly by 4.5 log CFU or 6 log CFU/ml on polystyrene or stainless-steel surfaces. TC downregulated the expression of <em>S</em>. Enteritidis genes (<em>hilA, hilC, flhD, csgA, csgD, sdiA)</em> responsible for biofilm formation (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Results suggest that TCNE has potential as a natural disinfectant for controlling <em>S.</em> Enteritidis biofilms on common farm and food processing surfaces, such as plastic and steel.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 5","pages":"Article 105086"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143738213","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":"Consequences of dietary olive leaf powder supplementation on growth performance, carcass traits, blood biochemical parameters and gut microbiota in broilers","authors":"Mohamed H. Negm ,&nbsp;Ahmed K. Aldhalmi ,&nbsp;Elwy A. Ashour ,&nbsp;Laila A. Mohamed ,&nbsp;Islam M. Youssef ,&nbsp;Mahmoud Kamal ,&nbsp;Ahmed A. Elolimy ,&nbsp;Samir A. Mahgoub ,&nbsp;Mohamed E. Abd El-Hack ,&nbsp;Ayman A. Swelum","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105087","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105087","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This experiment examined the potential of olive leaf powder <strong>(OLP)</strong> as a natural growth enhancer in broiler feed and its influences on growth performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters, and intestinal bacterial count. A total of 210 one-day-old Arbor Acres chicks were randomly allocated into three groups. The control group was given a basal diet only, the 2^nd and 3^rd groups were given basal diet supplemented with 1 g OLP and 2 g OLP/kg diet, respectively. Each group consisted of seven replicates with 10 unsexed chicks each. The experimental trial lasted for thirty-one days. Results showed that, the OLP2 group exhibited a significant increase in live body weight <strong>(LBW)</strong> at days 14 and 21 of age, whereas the OLP1 group experienced a considerable rise in body weight gain <strong>(BWG)</strong> between days 29 and 31 of age. Average daily feed intake <strong>(ADFI)</strong> considerably decreased during the first 8–14 days of the trial, but increased during the next 29–31 days throughout the entire duration (1–31 days). While, Feed conversion ratio <strong>(FCR)</strong> was improved in OLP groups during the 15-31 days of trial. Carcass and breast yields improved significantly with OLP supplementation, while abdominal fat content was reduced. Blood analysis revealed considerable enhances in total protein, albumin, and globulin levels in both OLP groups, while alanine transaminase <strong>(ALT)</strong>, creatinine, total cholesterol <strong>(TC)</strong>, triglycerides <strong>(TG)</strong>, and very low-density lipoprotein <strong>(VLDL)</strong> levels were considerably reduced. Notably, immunity and antioxidant markers showed significant improvement with 2 g OLP supplementation. Due to OLP supplementation, the number of beneficial bacteria such as <em>Lactobacillus</em> rose while the number of all harmful bacteria (<em>E. coli</em> and <em>Clostridium</em>) in caecal samples declined. In conclusion, OLP supplementation at 1 g and 2 g per kg of feed demonstrated a significant positive impact on broiler growth performance, carcass quality, lipid profile, immunity, antioxidant status, and raised the number of beneficial bacteria in the caecal contents of the broiler chickens, making it a promising natural growth promoter in poultry production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 6","pages":"Article 105087"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143783669","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":"Genetics of gait score in broilers: Genetic parameters of gait score in purebred broiler lines","authors":"D.N.R.G. Kapell,&nbsp;B. Duggan,&nbsp;S. Avendaño,&nbsp;T.A. Burnside,&nbsp;A.-M. Neeteson-van Nieuwenhoven","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105070","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105070","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Leg health assessment is a vital component of poultry breeding goals; it includes a range of skeletal disorders and contact dermatitis traits as well as a general assessment of a bird's walking ability in the form of gait score (GS). If trained scorers are used, GS correlates well with more objective walking assessment methods and allows for high throughput data collection from large numbers of individuals. The paper describes for the first time GS heritabilities for broilers. The Aviagen GS system (AGS) consists of an 8-class scale of 10–45 in increments of 5, whereby 10 is the best score and 45 the worst. It has sufficient variation between categories to enable a clear distinction of GS classes for selection purposes. The results of GS at 4–5 weeks of age show GS heritabilities between 0.14 and 0.24 which is higher than turkey (0.08–0.13) or duck (0.06–0.12) heritabilities. Genetic correlations with body weight and breast percentage were unfavorable but moderate. Correlations among leg health traits (AGS, long bone deformities, crooked toes, hockburn and footpad dermatitis) were generally low (–0.16–0.10) for most traits and lines. While genetic correlations between AGS and production traits were unfavorable, both AGS and other leg health and production traits can be improved simultaneously in a multi-trait selection strategy combining production and welfare characteristics. AGS has been included in the Aviagen breeding goal since 2011.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 6","pages":"Article 105070"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143734770","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":"Identification of key genes associated with residual feed intake in small-sized meat ducks through integrated analysis of mRNA and miRNA transcriptomes","authors":"Dandan Geng ,&nbsp;Chunyou Yuan ,&nbsp;Xiaofan Li ,&nbsp;Chenxiao Wang ,&nbsp;Qixin Guo ,&nbsp;Yong Jiang ,&nbsp;Zhixiu Wang ,&nbsp;Guohong Chen ,&nbsp;Guobin Chang ,&nbsp;Hao Bai","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105058","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105058","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a major producer and consumer of duck meat, China faces industry challenges due to low feed conversion efficiency. Residual feed intake (<strong>RFI)</strong>, a key metric for poultry feed utilization, remains poorly characterized in small-sized meat ducks. We raised 1,000 ducklings with similar initial body weight <strong>(BW</strong>) under controlled conditions until 63 days of age. RFI was calculated using average daily gain (<strong>ADG</strong>), average daily feed intake (<strong>ADFI</strong>), and metabolic body weight (<strong>MBW^0.75</strong>). Thirty high-RFI (<strong>HRFI</strong>) and thirty low-RFI (<strong>LRFI</strong>) ducks were selected to evaluate growth performance. Hypothalamic samples from 6 HRFI and 6 LRFI ducks underwent transcriptomic analysis, including differential gene expression, gene ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis, and miRNA target prediction. Results showed that the LRFI group had significantly lower feed intake (<strong>FI</strong>) and ADFI than the HRFI group (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Compared to low RFI controls, HRFI meat ducks exhibited 45 differentially expressed (<strong>DE</strong>) miRNAs (6 upregulated and 39 downregulated) and 323 DE mRNAs (133 upregulated and 190 downregulated), enriched in substance and energy metabolism pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified ten hub DE miRNAs, including miR-1-3p, miR-10-5p/3p, miR-182-5p/3p, miR-183-5p, miR-263-5p, miR-96-5p, miR-7, and novel-m0108-5p. miRNA–mRNA network analysis revealed 43 DE regulatory pairs, including 15 with negative feedback. Notably, miR-182 targeted and regulated the highest number of DE mRNAs, showing negative feedback interactions with <em>DDC, UPP2, PRSS35</em>, and <em>SLCO1C1</em>. Dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed the binding of partial genes. Given <em>DDC</em>’s role in dopamine and serotonin synthesis, we further validated the miR-182-5p/<em>DDC</em> regulatory relationship through overexpression, interference, and Western blot experiments. This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying feed efficiency in ducks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 5","pages":"Article 105058"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143684597","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":"The effects of formic acid or herbal mixture on growth performance, carcass quality, blood chemistry, and gut microbial load in broiler chickens","authors":"Mohamed E. Abd El-Hack ,&nbsp;Ahmed K. Aldhalmi ,&nbsp;Elwy A. Ashour ,&nbsp;Mahmoud Kamal ,&nbsp;Mohammad M.H. Khan ,&nbsp;Ayman A. Swelum","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105085","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105085","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The purpose of this research was to assess the effects of formic acid (<strong>FORM</strong>) and an herbal mixture (<strong>HM</strong>) as antibiotic alternatives in broiler meals on growth efficiency, carcass criteria, blood parameters, and intestinal bacterial populations. A total of 360 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were assigned to six trial treatments using a totally randomized method. Each group consisted of 6 replicates, with 10 unsexed chicks per replicate. The groups were arranged as follows: NC (negative control, basal diet); <strong>PC</strong> (positive control, basal diet + 0.5 g Polymyxin E antibiotic/kg diet); Form2, Form4, HM3, and HM6 (basal diet supplemented with 2 or 4 ml formic acid, or 3 or 6 g herbal mixture/kg diet, respectively). The findings showed no substantial variations in \"body weight (<strong>BW</strong>) or body weight gain (<strong>BWG</strong>)\" among the formic acid and herbal mixture groups relative to the NC and PC groups. The HM 3 and 6 g/kg groups exhibited higher \"feed intake (<strong>FI</strong>) and improved feed conversion ratio (<strong>FCR</strong>)\" relative to the other treatments. Carcass characteristics were not substantially impacted by formic acid or herbal mixture supplementation, except for spleen weight, which was highest in the NC group. Significant changes in blood parameters were observed, with notable variations in <strong>ALT</strong> and <strong>AST</strong> activity and \"urea, creatinine, total protein, globulin, and albumin\" levels in the formic acid and herbal mixture groups. The supplementation of formic acid and herbal mixture also increased antioxidant levels (<strong>GPx, GST</strong>, and <strong>GSH</strong>) compared to the <strong>NC</strong> group while reducing <strong>MDA</strong> levels relative to the NC and PC groups. Additionally, formic acid supplementation significantly reduced harmful bacterial populations in cecal samples. Conversely, Lactobacilli counts greater than those in the NC and PC groups, although no significant variances in <em>Clostridium</em> populations were observed. In conclusion, supplementing broiler feed with formic acid and herbal mixtures positively influences blood parameters, antioxidant status, and intestinal microbiota.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 6","pages":"Article 105085"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808290","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}