Poultry Science最新文献

{"title":"Dynamics of the magnum microbiome and predicted metabolic pathways across the egg-laying cycle in commercial laying hens.","authors":"Ava Vankempen, Md Ahosanul Haque Shahid, Birendra Mishra","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107359","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107359","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The microbiome of a chicken's reproductive tract is essential for egg production and safety. It helps regulate the immune system, preventing the transmission of pathogens like Salmonella and Staphylococcus that can contaminate eggs and pose health risks. Older hens may experience reduced immune function, which can disrupt their microbiome and increase the likelihood of harmful bacterial growth. We hypothesize that age-related shifts in the oviduct microbiome influence egg production and safety. This study aims to identify microbial communities and predicted pathways in the magnum of laying hens across egg production phases and to detect any changes that may affect reproductive health and egg quality. In this study, magnum mucosa samples were aseptically collected from the hens at the peak production phase (37 weeks of age), the mid-decline phase (67 weeks of age), and the declined production phase (87 weeks of age). After DNA extraction, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed on an Illumina platform, and microbial diversity was analyzed using CLC bioinformatics tools. The microbial metabolic pathways were compared between groups. Raw data were analyzed using QIIME2, PICRUSt2, and STAMP v2. The level of significance was considered at P < 0.05. The magnum samples showed significant differences in alpha and beta diversity across ages. While all age groups displayed the same core phyla, there were significant changes in relative abundance in Brevibacillus, Lactobacillus, and Bacteroides. The relative abundance of the species Phocaeicola barnesiae, associated with increased egg production, significantly decreased with age. In addition, metabolic microbiome profiling showed differences in microbial biosynthesis of essential amino acids, such as l-methionine and l-lysine, between age groups. Predicted enzyme profiles revealed a functional shift in the magnum microbiota from predominantly aerobic metabolism in younger hens to enhanced anaerobic and fermentative pathways in middle and older hens, suggesting age-associated microbial remodeling. This study revealed key differences in microbial community diversity and their predicted metabolic and enzymatic pathways in the magnum across varying age and egg production levels, providing insight into age-associated functional shifts that may inform strategies to optimize reproductive health and sustained productivity in laying hens.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 10","pages":"107359"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13427422/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148579958","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":"GSK3β inhibits the differentiation of follicular granulosa cells by promoting lipid accumulation through autophagy in chickens.","authors":"Yuechen Liao, Ashi Li, Yangqiwen Luo, Cangning Zhang, Meng Ma, Genxi Zhang, Liumei Sun, Jiying Liu, Manman Shen, Liang Qu","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107399","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107399","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Granulosa cells (GCs) are integral to the process of follicular development in poultry, with their differentiation and hormone synthesis being critical for follicle selection. While glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) is recognized as a significant regulator of energy metabolism, differentiation, and autophagy, its specific function within GCs remains unclear. Elucidating the role of GSK3β in GCs is essential for deciphering the mechanisms governing follicle selection. Our in vitro studies in GCs from prehierarchical follicles demonstrated that overexpression of GSK3β inhibited both differentiation and proliferation, while simultaneously promoting steroid hormone synthesis. Conversely, GSK3β knockdown yielded the opposite effects. Transcriptomic analyses, supplemented by further validation, revealed that overexpression of GSK3β initiated autophagy and lipid metabolism but impeded autophagic flux, as evidenced by increased LC3-II levels and elevated p62 accumulation. Furthermore, GSK3β overexpression resulted in enhanced intracellular lipid droplet accumulation. These effects, along with the observed rise in progesterone levels and reduction in FSHR levels, were attenuated by co-treatment with rapamycin (Rapa). Mechanistically, our findings suggest that the impairment of autophagic flux induced by GSK3β triggers lipid accumulation, leading to elevated mitochondrial damage and lipid peroxidation, which in turn negatively affects GC differentiation. In conclusion, GSK3β disrupts follicular GC function by initiating autophagy while blocking its flux. This disruption induces excessive lipid accumulation, ultimately inhibiting GC differentiation. This study provides novel insights into the role of GSK3β in poultry follicular development and offers a new theoretical framework for understanding the mechanisms of follicle selection.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 10","pages":"107399"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13427471/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148562928","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":"Post-slaughter poultry meat preservation for sustainable food systems: Mechanisms, microbial safety, shelf-life extension, and emerging preservation strategies.","authors":"Rabin Raut, Zahidul Hasan Tushar, Roshik Shrestha, Md Salman Mostafa, Ayush Adhikari, Ujjwal Basnet, Farazi Abinash Rahman","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107869","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107869","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Post-slaughter handling plays a critical role in determining the quality, microbial safety, and shelf life of poultry meat, yet spoilage and contamination remain persistent challenges for the poultry industry, contributing to food loss and reduced sustainability across the food supply chain. This review synthesizes current knowledge on post-slaughter factors influencing poultry meat deterioration, with emphasis on microbial ecology, spoilage mechanisms, and preservation strategies that enhance food safety and support sustainable food systems. Key processing steps, including scalding, defeathering, evisceration, chilling, packaging, and transport, are identified as major contamination points, where cold-chain integrity strongly governs microbial growth and quality loss. Major spoilage organisms, including Pseudomonas spp., lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Brochothrix thermosphacta, Campylobacter, and Salmonella, are discussed in relation to psychrotrophic growth, enzymatic degradation, lipid oxidation, biofilm formation, and volatile compound production. Shelf-life assessment is evaluated using integrated microbiological, chemical (TBARS, TVB-N, VOCs), and sensory indicators, each with inherent limitations, to support effective quality management and minimize product losses. Preservation strategies are categorized into conventional (refrigeration, freezing), biological (lactic acid bacteria, bacteriocins, plant extracts), and advanced systems such as modified atmosphere packaging, vacuum packaging, active and intelligent packaging, and nanotechnology-based approaches. Evidence indicates that multi-hurdle strategies combining complementary interventions provide superior shelf-life extension through synergistic effects on microbial and oxidative stability. Collectively, these preservation strategies have the potential to reduce food loss and waste, improve resource efficiency, and enhance the sustainability of poultry production and food systems while maintaining product quality and safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 12","pages":"107869"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13673034/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149114304","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":"Inter-breed diversity and temporal dynamics of the fecal microbiota in two local chicken breeds from karst regions in China.","authors":"Zhengdong Wang, Qian Xiao, Mengyuan Wang, Yong Yue, Sanqiang Du, Fuping Zhang, Xiongxiong Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107865","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107865","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this study was to investigate the temporal dynamics and inter-breed differences of fecal microbiota in two indigenous chicken breeds from Guizhou during the early post-hatch period. Six hundred chicks, including 300 Guizhou yellow chickens (GY) and 300 Changshun green-shell egg chickens (CG), were reared under identical conditions, and fecal samples were collected at post-hatch days 1, 3, 7, 14, 30, and 45. Microbial communities were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Alpha diversity analysis revealed a progressive increase in microbial richness and diversity with age in both breeds, with CG peaking at day 45 and GY at day 30. Beta diversity analysis indicated breed-specific clustering, reflecting distinct temporal succession patterns. Taxonomic profiling showed Bacillota as the dominant phylum across all time points, while Enterococcus and Ligilactobacillus were the core genera, with early samples enriched in Escherichia-Shigella and Clostridium. LEfSe analysis identified age- and breed-specific microbial biomarkers, demonstrating a general trend of early dominance by Clostridia and Escherichia-Shigella, mid-stage enrichment of diverse genera including Candidatus Arthromitus and Ruminococcus, and late-stage prevalence of lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Streptococcus. Functional prediction indicated carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism as the predominant microbial functions. Quantification of ecological processes revealed that homogeneous selection constituted the dominant mechanism, overwhelmingly governed microbiota assembly, with stochastic processes playing a minor, breed-specific role. The CG breed exhibited a pattern of rapid, directional succession, culminating in a stable and phylogenetically conserved community. This suggests that host genetic factors may exert strong and consistent deterministic selection, which could thereby facilitate the formation of specialized microbiota. In contrast, the GY breed displayed a more gradual and variable assembly process, resulting in a community with higher temporal turnover and greater phylogenetic plasticity. Overall, the findings reveal that inter-breed diversity is not merely compositional but extends to the underlying ecological rules governing community succession. Meanwhile, these findings suggest that inter-breed diversity may be shaped by host genetic factors, which in turn mold the temporal assembly and functional features of the early gut microbiota, providing insights into precision nutritional management and health optimization for local poultry breeds.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 12","pages":"107865"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13681981/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149184043","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":"Corrigendum to \"Development and evaluation of a multi-epitope subunit vaccine against Salmonella Enteritidis infection\" [Poultry Science, Volume 105, Issue 11, November 2026, Article 107636].","authors":"Yuying Zhao, Guohui Li, Yu-An Li, Quan Li, Huoying Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107845","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107845","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 12","pages":"107845"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13653464/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149081842","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":"Valorization of shrimp waste meal through organic acid treatment: Impact on broilers performance, serum metabolites, digestibility, meat quality, and economic feasibility.","authors":"Md Aliar Rahman, Shathi Akter, Jesmin Aktar, Khan Md Shaiful Islam, Mohammad Al-Mamun, Md Abul Hashem, Rakhi Chowdhury","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107858","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107858","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Shrimp waste meal (SWM), is a protein rich by-product whose utilization is limited by high-chitin and ash content. Organic acid-treatment may improve its nutritive value, allowing higher inclusion in broiler diets. Therefore, present study evaluated the effects of citric- and formic acid-treated SWM on growth, digestibility, serum metabolites, meat quality, and profitability in broilers over 35-day. For trial-1, 240 Cobb-500 chicks were allocated to four groups: control, corn-soybean meal (SBM) without SWM; untreated SWM (USWM), citric acid-treated SWM (CSWM), and formic acid-treated SWM (FSWM), with 25% SBM replaced by untreated or treated SWM. For trial-2, 300 Cobb-500 chicks were assigned to five groups: FSWM0 (control) without FSWM, and FSWM25, FSWM50, FSWM75, and FSWM100, where SBM was replaced with 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% FSWM, respectively. In trial-1, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio in the FSWM group were comparable with the control, whereas USWM and CSWM resulted in poorer performance (P < 0.05). The CSWM and FSWM groups had lower abdominal fat and serum triglycerides concentrations than the control and USWM groups (P < 0.001). FSWM displayed higher dry matter, nitrogen, and chitin digestibility than USWM and CSWM (P < 0.05). Meat redness was optimum in USWM, followed by FSWM and CSWM (P < 0.05). In trial-2: performance declined in the FSWM75 and FSWM100 groups, with no variation in the control, FSWM25, and FSWM50 groups. Serum triglycerides decreased linearly with increasing FSWM inclusion (P = 0.006). Nitrogen and ash retention remained unchanged in the control, FSWM25, and FSWM50 groups but decreased in FSWM75 and FSWM100, alongside a decline (P = 0.001) in chitin digestibility. Meat redness increased in FSWM groups compared with the control (P < 0.05). The benefit-cost ratio was similar among the control, FSWM25, and FSWM50 groups but decreased in FSWM75 and FSWM100. Therefore, formic acid-treated SWM outperformed untreated and citric acid-treated SWM in broiler diets. Formic acid-treated SWM can replace 50% SBM, maintaining growth, digestibility, and profitability, while improving meat quality.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 12","pages":"107858"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13673041/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149113765","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":"Ahiflower seed and press cake with or without multi-enzyme supplementation in broiler chicken diets: implications on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gut morphology, bone characteristics, gizzard weight, and meat fatty acid profiles.","authors":"Ann Sewuese Lawrence-Azua, Roseline O Ogory, Deborah Adewole","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107855","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107855","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The effects of multi-enzyme supplementation (ES) in diets with 10% ahiflower seed (AS) or presscake (APC) on growth, nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology, gizzard weight, bone characteristics, and meat fatty acids (FAs) in broiler chickens were evaluated. One-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were housed 15/pen and assigned to six diets in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement, including a corn-soybean control (CON), CON+10%AS, and CON+10%APC, with or without ES, for 35d, in a randomized complete block design with six pens/treatment. Overall, body weight (BW) and BW gain (BWG) were reduced by 10%AS and 10%APC (P = 0.0001), while only 10%AS reduced feed intake. Without ES, 10%APC increased FCR, but with ES, no negative effect of APC was observed. Compared to CON, 10%AS increased the duodenal villus height (VH; P = 0.0064), jejunal VH (P = 0.0488), and jejunal villus height: crypt depth (VH:CD; P = 0.0284), while 10%APC increased VH:CD in the ileum (P = 0.0332). Phosphorus digestibility was reduced by 10%AS (P = 0.0381) and ES (P = 0.0396), whereas calcium digestibility was unaffected by diet, ES, or interaction. Crude protein digestibility showed a diet × ES interaction (P = 0.0211), where lower value was observed for 10%AS than CON, only when enzyme was supplemented. Gizzard weight was increased in birds fed 10%APC compared with CON (P = 0.0020), with no ES effect. The bone breaking strength of the right tibia was higher in 10%AS than in 10%APC (P = 0.0211). Compared to CON, tibia weights were lower in 10%APC (P = 0.0207 and 0.0491, for right and left tibia, respectively), with no ES effect. In the breast meat, 10%AS increased stearidonic acid (SDA; P = 0.0467) and improved omega-6:omega-3 (P < 0.0001). In the thigh meat, 10%AS increased (P < 0.001) the contents of SDA, gamma linolenic acid, and total polyunsaturated FAs, compared to CON. Both 10%AS and 10%APC increased (P < 0.0001) the contents of alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and total omega 3 FAs in the thigh meat, while improving the omega-6:omega-3, compared to CON (P < 0.0001). There was a significant interaction (P = 0.0002) between ES and diet in Omega-6:Omega-3, with a better ratio in CON+ES than CON-ES. In conclusion, though 10%AS and 10%APC reduced BW and BWG, they increased the concentrations of polyunsaturated FAs in the thigh meat, with 10% AS also increasing SDA concentration in the breast meat and increasing right tibia breaking strength. While 10%AS improved intestinal morphology in the duodenum and jejunum, 10%APC improved it only in the ileum.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 12","pages":"107855"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13659487/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149114050","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":"Dietary water extract of Ampelopsis grossedentata modulates intestinal morphology and pectoral muscle lipid metabolism in broiler chickens in association with AMPK/PPAR-related pathways.","authors":"Wei Wang, Jia Wang, Huiyi Li, Pingping Li, Jianguo Zeng, Peng Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107854","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107854","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study evaluated the effects of dietary water extract of Ampelopsis grossedentata (WEA) on growth performance, metabolic status, intestinal morphology, and pectoral muscle lipid remodeling in white-feathered broilers. A total of 480 one-day-old broilers were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments and fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg WEA for 42 d. Targeted flavonoid profiling showed that flavones and flavonols were the largest subclasses based on annotated compound number, while dihydromyricetin was the most abundant individual compound. Dietary WEA did not significantly affect average daily gain or average daily feed intake, whereas overall feed conversion ratio differed among treatments, with the 50 mg/kg group showing a lower value than the 200 mg/kg group. Most slaughter traits and conventional meat-quality indices were unchanged. WEA increased serum albumin and reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol at 50-200 mg/kg on day 42, and improved ileal villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio at selected doses. Based on the relatively favorable feed conversion ratio, reduced serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, improved intestinal morphology, and absence of high-dose-associated oxidative fluctuations, the 50 mg/kg WEA group was selected for multi-omics analysis. Pectoral muscle lipidomics identified 46 differential lipid species, characterized by decreased neutral lipids, including triacylglycerols, monoacylglycerols, and free fatty acids, and increased phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine derivatives. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 1,032 differentially expressed genes in pectoral muscle and 1,227 in ileum, with enrichment in AMPK, cAMP, PPAR signaling, lipolysis regulation, and fat digestion and absorption pathways. qPCR further supported AMPK upregulation and FAS downregulation in pectoral muscle, as well as SCD1 downregulation in ileum. These findings indicate that dietary WEA mainly acts as a metabolic and intestinal function modulator rather than a direct growth promoter in broilers, and 50 mg/kg WEA may be a suitable supplementation level for regulating lipid metabolism and intestinal health.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 12","pages":"107854"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13653471/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149081865","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":"Dietary date (Phoenix dactylifera) modulates antioxidant defenses, immune function, and cecal microbiota to improve performance in Muscovy ducks.","authors":"Ali Mujtaba Shah, Zijie Li, Liuxiang Chen, Yue Zhao, Jihan Jiang, Yongsi Ma, Wence Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107852","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107852","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Phytogenic feed additives from agro-industrial byproducts are increasingly explored as antibiotic alternatives in poultry, yet their efficacy in Muscovy ducks remains poorly documented. This study investigated the effects of dietary date (Phoenix dactylifera) fruit supplementation at 0% (control), 5% (D1), and 10% (D2) on growth performance, blood biochemistry, antioxidant status, immune function, meat quality, intestinal morphology, and cecal microbiota in Muscovy ducks over a 42-day feeding trial. Date fruit supplementation dose-dependently improved final body weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05) without affecting feed intake. Serum antioxidant capacity was markedly enhanced, with elevated T-SOD, GSH-Px, and T-AOC alongside reduced MDA in both treated groups (p < 0.05). Immunologically, date significantly increased IgA and IgG while decreasing TNF-α and IL-6 (p < 0.05). Intestinal histomorphometry revealed improved ileal villus height, width, and crypt depth (p < 0.05). Cecal microbiome analysis showed increased alpha diversity, phylum-level shifts favoring Bacillota and Actinomycetota, and genus-level enrichments correlated with enhanced performance and immunity. Meat quality remained largely unaffected, with only reduced leg muscle redness. Correlation analyses linked specific beneficial genera to improved antioxidant and immune indices. Collectively, these findings provide the first systematic evidence that 10% whole date fruit inclusion is a safe, effective functional additive for Muscovy ducks, enhancing productivity through antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and microbiome-modulating mechanisms and offering a sustainable nutritional strategy to reduce reliance on synthetic additives in duck production systems.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 12","pages":"107852"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13660636/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149114281","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":"Metabolic markers linked to growth performance in Ross 708 broilers fed varying dietary crude protein levels.","authors":"Doyun Goo, Woo Kyun Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107853","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2026.107853","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary crude protein (CP) levels on plasma metabolome profiles and growth performance in 480 male 0-day-old Ross 708 broilers (n = 8). Broilers were fed three-phase corn-soybean meal-based diets from d 0 to 42, consisting of starter (d 0 to 14; 21.0, 22.5, and 24.0% CP), grower (d 15 to 28; 19.0, 20.5, and 22.0% CP), and finisher diets (d 29 to 42; 17.5, 19.0, and 20.5% CP for Low, Med, and High CP groups, respectively). Plasma was collected on d 42 for untargeted metabolomic profiling. On d 42, the Low CP group showed lower body weight compared to the Med CP group (P = 0.014), without changes in feed intake or feed conversion ratio. Increasing dietary CP quadratically changed body weight (P = 0.009) and overall feed intake (P = 0.035). Compared with the Med CP group, the Low CP group had significantly lower plasma levels of linolenic acid, phosphate, alanine, pseudouridine, and glycine, whereas the High CP group had higher phenylethylamine, γ-tocopherol, and aminomalonic acid but lower phosphate (P < 0.05). Pathway analysis showed that the Low CP diet altered alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism (FDR < 0.001), associated with higher TCA cycle intermediates such as fumarate and succinate. The Low CP diet also altered beta-alanine metabolism and phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan metabolism (FDR < 0.05). The High CP diet altered galactose and branched-chain amino acid metabolism (FDR < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that body weight was positively correlated with plasma phosphate (r = 0.607, P = 0.002), alanine (r = 0.437, P = 0.049), and linolenic acid (r = 0.405, P < 0.05). In conclusion, a low protein diet is associated with coordinated alterations in amino acid and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolism, whereas a high protein diet imposes an internal metabolic burden associated with surplus amino acid catabolism without growth benefits, with plasma phosphate acting as a strong growth marker.</p>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"105 12","pages":"107853"},"PeriodicalIF":4.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13653971/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149114295","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}