Poultry Science最新文献

{"title":"The influence of genetic strain on production and egg quality amongst four strains of laying hens housed in a cage-free environment","authors":"Bhavisha P. Gulabrai,&nbsp;Allison N. Pullin,&nbsp;Kenneth E. Anderson,&nbsp;Aaron S. Kiess","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105073","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105073","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As the United States egg industry transitions towards cage-free production, genetic strains must be evaluated in their performance in these alternative environments. Transitioning strains that were selected for caged production may elicit challenges in their adaptation to alternative systems, so it cannot be assumed that egg production and quality parameters are comparable in various environments. White strains are historically associated with caged production while brown strains typically occupy cage-free systems. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of genetic strain on egg production and quality in a cage-free environment. Hy-Line W-36 White, H&amp;N White, Hy-Line Brown, and Bovan Brown laying hen strains were evaluated through numerous egg production and quality parameters throughout the entirety of a lay cycle. H&amp;N White hens in this study were the lowest producing strain demonstrated by producing the least amount of eggs per hen, having the lowest hen-day egg production (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.0001), producing the fewest USDA grade A eggs (<em>p</em> = 0.0023), and the most check eggs (<em>p</em> = 0.0006). However, the Bovan Browns were the least efficient strain as this strain consumed the most feed and had the lowest feed conversion ratio (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.0001). Overall, both white strains demonstrated poorer egg quality compared to brown strains. Hy-Line W-36 White hens had the lowest albumen height, Haugh unit score, yolk color, and yolk weight (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.0001). H&amp;N Whites had the lowest vitelline membrane strength, shell weight, and shell thickness (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.0001). In conclusion, the Hy-Line Brown hens may be better suited for cage-free production based on overall greater egg production and quality metrics compared to the three other strains used in this study. Therefore, this research demonstrates that genetic strain did influence cage-free laying hen performance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 6","pages":"Article 105073"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143725303","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":"miR-200b-3p affects the proliferation and differentiation of chicken preadipocytes by modulating SESN1 expression through competition with CircADGRF5","authors":"Pengtao Yuan ,&nbsp;Hongtai Li ,&nbsp;Hongyuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Shengxin Fan ,&nbsp;Yaqi Dai ,&nbsp;Jiyu Jia ,&nbsp;Jingqi Shen ,&nbsp;Yanhua Zhang ,&nbsp;Hong Li ,&nbsp;Guirong Sun ,&nbsp;Xiaojun Liu ,&nbsp;Yadong Tian ,&nbsp;Xiangtao Kang ,&nbsp;Yinli Zhao ,&nbsp;Guoxi Li","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105068","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105068","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Excessive deposition of abdominal fat in chickens has a significant impact on the poultry industry, and there is increasing evidence that non-coding RNAs play a crucial role in fat development. In our previous RNA-seq study, miR-200b-3p was found to be differentially expressed during different developmental periods of fat in Gushi chickens. In this study, we report that miR-200b-3p can directly bind to the 3′UTR region of <em>SESN1</em> to promote proliferation and inhibit differentiation of preadipocytes. Overexpression of <em>SESN1</em> inhibits preadipocyte proliferation and promotes differentiation. In contrast, inhibition of <em>SESN1</em> resulted in the opposite outcome. Interestingly, we also identified the circADGRF5/miR-200b-3p/<em>SESN1</em> ceRNA network involved in the developmental process of preadipocytes. Furthermore, we validated a novel circRNA, circADGRF5, in this report and found that it regulates <em>SESN1</em> expression through competitive binding with miR-200b-3p. In conclusion, these data suggest that miR-200b-3p directly targets <em>SESN1</em> to regulate the proliferation and differentiation of preadipocytes, and circADGRF5 regulates <em>SESN1</em> expression through competitive binding with miR-200b-3p.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 5","pages":"Article 105068"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143684656","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":"Dihydromyricetin ameliorates lipopolysaccharide‒induced hepatic injury in chickens by activating the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway and regulating mitochondrial dynamics","authors":"Liang Yuan ,&nbsp;Xinru Jiang ,&nbsp;Yani Ren ,&nbsp;Bingke Ma ,&nbsp;Zhenghua Ji ,&nbsp;Shibo Wang ,&nbsp;Beili Hao ,&nbsp;Changwen Li ,&nbsp;Rui Li ,&nbsp;Fangping Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105034","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105034","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dihydromyricetin (<strong>DHM</strong>) is a flavonoid found in vine tea that exhibits various pharmacological characteristics, including antibacterial, antiapoptotic, and antioxidant effects. Our previous study revealed that DHM can alleviate chicken hepatic injury, but the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. To further investigate the protective mechanism of DHM, this study firstly predicted by network pharmacology that the potential regulatory pathways of DHM on hepatic injury. Subsequently, the experimental models were replicated in vivo and in vitro using Hy‒Line white broiler chickens and chicken primary hepatocytes treated with DHM and with/ without LPS. Network pharmacology results showed that the effect of DHM on hepatic injury might be related to oxidative stress and mitochondrial function. Further experiments showed that DHM significantly reduced LPS‒elicited serum ALT and AST activities, promoted antioxidant enzyme activities and scavenged ROS in chicken liver or primary hepatocytes. Molecular docking studies showed that DHM could directly bind to Nrf2 and Keap1. Furthermore, DHM treatment regulated the expression of Nrf2 and Keap1, thereby upregulating the downstream expression of antioxidant factors, including HO‒1 and NQO1, in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, DHM modulated the expression of mitochondrial dynamics related factors, including Mfn1/2, Opa1, Drp1, and Fis1, meanwhile, DHM ameliorated mitochondrial structural damage and increased the MMP. Overall, these results suggested that DHM activated the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway and regulated the balance between mitochondrial fusion and fission, ultimately alleviating chicken hepatic injury induced by LPS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 5","pages":"Article 105034"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143685421","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 Puerariae Lobatae Radix polysaccharides improve ovarian function and reproductive efficiency in laying hens with fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome","authors":"Anqi Wang,&nbsp;Hui Ren,&nbsp;Yanyan Zhang,&nbsp;Hongfan Ge,&nbsp;Zhenlei Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105062","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105062","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) is a common nutritional and metabolic disease in laying hens, leading to a rapid decline in egg production. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant effects of dietary supplementation with Pueraria Lobatae Radix polysaccharide (PLRP) on laying hens with FLHS induced by a high-energy low-protein (HELP) diet. A total of 72 thirty-seven-wk-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens were divided into 4 groups: basal diet (<strong>CON</strong>), HELP diet (<strong>HELP</strong>), HELP + 100 mg/kg PLRP (<strong>HELP-Low</strong>), and HELP + 300 mg/kg PLRP (<strong>HELP-High</strong>), with 6 replicates of 3 hens each. After 4 weeks on the HELP diet, PLRP was added to the diet of the HELP-Low and HELP-High groups for 8 weeks. The results demonstrated that PLRP supplementation significantly improved laying rate compared to the HELP group, with the HELP-Low and HELP-High groups exhibiting respective increases of 23.81% and 28.57% (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.01). PLRP also promoted follicular development, increasing the number of stratified, primary, and secondary follicles and improving the ovarian index. Biochemical analysis revealed enhanced antioxidant activity, with increased levels of T-AOC, T-SOD, and GSH-Px and reduced MDA in the liver and ovaries of PLRP-treated hens (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). At the molecular level, PLRP upregulated mRNA expression of <em>ER-α, ER-β, MTTP, APOB, APOVLDL-II</em>, and <em>VTG-II</em> in the liver, as well as <em>VLDLR, LHR</em>, and <em>FSHR</em> in the ovaries, facilitating yolk precursor biosynthesis and follicular development (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). It indicated that PLRP supplementation mitigates oxidative stress and enhances yolk precursor synthesis, thereby improving egg production in FLHS-affected hens. PLRP shows promise as an effective feed additive for preventing and alleviating FLHS in laying hens. Future studies will investigate the regulatory effects of PLRP on gut microbiota composition and its potential interactions with FLHS in laying hens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 5","pages":"Article 105062"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143684547","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":"Population genomics elucidates the trajectory of chicken domestication from Asia to Japan","authors":"Yuki Matsuda ,&nbsp;Yuki Matsumoto ,&nbsp;Yuki Higashiura ,&nbsp;Andres Bendesky ,&nbsp;Masaoki Tsudzuki ,&nbsp;Tsuyoshi Shimmura","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105060","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105060","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chickens were domesticated over 4,000 years ago and are now the most popular poultry species in the world. In Japan, chickens are believed to have been first introduced around 2,000 years ago. Today, approximately 45 chicken breeds can be found in Japan, and they have unique and diverse phenotypic characteristics. However, their origins and histories have largely remained unexplored. Here, we newly sequenced whole genomes of 41 populations including 21 Japanese native chickens. By integrating them with published genomes to compile a total of 133 geographically comprehensive samples, we conducted population genomic analyses to elucidate the trajectory of their domestication from Asia to Japan. Our findings indicate that Japanese native chickens were derived from Southeast and East Asia, the centers of chicken domestication, through several separate events. The whole-genome phylogenetic analyses classified Japanese chickens into several groups and clarified the geographic origins of each group. These results provide new insights into the population structure, admixture history of Asian chicken breeds, and genomic trajectory of chickens from Asia to Japan.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 5","pages":"Article 105060"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143684595","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":"CircFBLN2 regulates duck myoblast proliferation and differentiation through miR-22-5p and MEF2C interaction","authors":"Shuibing Liu ,&nbsp;Jintao Wu ,&nbsp;Hongxia Jiang ,&nbsp;Ya'nan Zhou ,&nbsp;Xuwen Huang ,&nbsp;Yuxiang Wang ,&nbsp;Zhanbin Xie ,&nbsp;Zurong Liao ,&nbsp;Zhenxvan Ding ,&nbsp;Jing Liu ,&nbsp;Xiaolong Hu ,&nbsp;Huirong Mao ,&nbsp;Sanfeng Liu ,&nbsp;Biao Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105063","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105063","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growth and development of duck skeletal muscle significantly affect duck meat production, making it essential to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are identified in many species and play essential roles in the regulation of myogenic processes; however, research on circRNAs and miRNAs involved in the duck skeletal muscle development is limited. In prior whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing study, we identified differential expression of miR-22-5p and the novel circular RNA circFBLN2, which arises from the second exon of the <em>FBLN2</em> gene, in duck primary myoblasts (DPMs). In this study, we confirmed the circular structure of circFBLN2 and explored its expression patterns and functional implications in myogenesis. To elucidate the function of circFBLN2 in the myogenic processes of duck, we conducted experiments involving both the silencing and overexpression of circFBLN2 in DPMs. Our findings indicated that circFBLN2 inhibits DPM proliferation while promoting their differentiation. Conversely, when miR-22-5p was silenced and overexpressed, it exhibited opposing effects by promoting the proliferation of DPMs and inhibiting their differentiation. These results suggest a complex dynamic interplay between circFBLN2 and miR-22-5p in the regulation of DPMs proliferation and differentiation. Additionally, our results revealed that both circFBLN2 and myocyte enhancer factor 2 C (MEF2C) act as sponges for miR-22-5p, as demonstrated by binding predictions and dual-luciferase reporter assays. These results offer novel perspectives on the regulatory pathways underlying the duck embryonic skeletal muscle development, underscoring the pivotal function of circFBLN2 in the regulation of miR-22-5p expression. This research deepens our comprehension of the molecular underpinnings of avian myogenesis, potentially paving the way for more effective approaches to bolster growth and development of livestock.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 5","pages":"Article 105063"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143684964","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 a bacteriophage cocktail with high specificity against high-risk avian pathogenic Escherichia coli","authors":"Rodrigo Norambuena,&nbsp;Victoria Rojas-Martínez,&nbsp;Eduardo Tobar-Calfucoy,&nbsp;Matías Aguilera,&nbsp;Andrea Sabag,&nbsp;María Sofía Zamudio,&nbsp;Pabla Lara,&nbsp;Daniel San Martín,&nbsp;Marcela Zabner,&nbsp;Daniel Tichy,&nbsp;Pamela Camejo,&nbsp;Felipe Rojas,&nbsp;Luis León,&nbsp;Michael Pino,&nbsp;Paola Mora,&nbsp;Soledad Ulloa,&nbsp;Pablo Cifuentes,&nbsp;Hans Pieringer,&nbsp;Nicolás Cifuentes Muñoz","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105038","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105038","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Avian pathogenic <em>Escherichia coli</em> (APEC) is a widespread pathogen that poses a significant threat to the poultry industry globally. A recent typing scheme has proposed several APEC pathotypes, including non-APEC, High Risk non-APEC (HR non-APEC), APEC, and High Risk APEC (HR APEC), based on the presence of the <em>ompT</em> and <em>hlyF</em> genes, sequence types (ST) ST131, ST23, ST428, ST355, and the O78 antigen. In Brazilian broiler farms, a higher prevalence of lesions in carcasses has been linked to the presence of HR APEC pathotypes. Due to the growing concern over antimicrobial resistance, bacteriophage-based formulations are emerging as a promising alternative for controlling APEC outbreaks. In this study, we isolated and sequenced 142 strains from Brazilian commercial broiler farms, classifying them as APEC (70), HR APEC (12), HR non-APEC (3) and non-APEC (57). Notably, 38 % of the isolates were classified as multi-drug resistant (MDR), with serotypes H10 and ST155 being the most frequently identified. Additionally, we isolated, sequenced, and classified 66 bacteriophages that exhibited lytic activity against these bacterial strains in both qualitative and quantitative assays. Eight of the bacteriophages demonstrated complementary host ranges against the bacterial collection. Bacteriophage cocktails were assembled, tested in quantitative assays, and shown to be effective against APEC. A cocktail consisting of four bacteriophages (AC-01) displayed a broad lytic spectrum in vitro, inhibiting the growth of 56.3 % (<em>n</em> = 80/142) of the isolates with a mean inhibition of 32.9 %. Remarkably, the in vitro lytic activity of the cocktail was significantly more effective against HR APEC isolates (12/12, 65.9 % mean inhibition) and HR non-APEC isolates (3/3, 58.0 % mean inhibition). Our results emphasize the importance of genetically characterizing target bacteria when developing an effective and specific bacteriophage cocktail against APEC.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 6","pages":"Article 105038"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143737954","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 effect of Galega orientalis Lam. flavonoid extract on broilers’ growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune function, and bone metabolism","authors":"Nana I. Tchana,&nbsp;Huiyan Zhang,&nbsp;Yinchuan Pan,&nbsp;Shiyi Wang,&nbsp;Dieudonné M. Dansou,&nbsp;Xiaoxuan Xia,&nbsp;Qingyu Zhao,&nbsp;Chaohua Tang,&nbsp;Junmin Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105061","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105061","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to evaluate the impact of dietary <em>Galega orientalis</em> Lam. flavonoid extract (GOLFE) on production performance, biological markers, and bone health of white-feather broilers. A total of 540 one-day-old Cobb broilers were randomly assigned to six dietary groups: a negative control group (without additives; G0), four nutritional additive groups supplemented with GOLFE (G1:200 mg, G2: 400 mg, G3:800 mg, and G4:1600 mg), and a positive control group (supplemented with chlortetracycline; G5:100 mg). Each group consisted of 90 birds (6 replicates with 15 birds each) and the feeding trial lasted 42 days. Growth performance and blood profiles were assessed during two phases (days 1–21 and 22–42), while bone health, serum biochemical, antioxidant, and immune parameters were evaluated in the second phase (22–42 days). The results demonstrated that GOLFE supplementation significantly reduced mortality in birds, improved feed conversion ratio, and reduced feed intake (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) without significant effect on body weight (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05). GOLFE also led to a reduction in white blood cell counts (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Serum biochemical and antioxidant analyses revealed substantial improvements in calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) concentrations (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), alongside a decrease in MDA biomarkers, with an increase in SOD, CAT, and TAOC content (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Significant decrease of pro-inflammatory cytokines (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), including interleukins (IL): IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-8 were also noticed. Additionally, growth plate histomorphometry indicated that GOLFE enhanced the microstructure of bone tissue, and tibia bone characteristics such as weight, length, strength (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), and mineral content (Ca and P), (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05) were also improved. These findings suggest that GOLFE supplementation may promote better growth performance and overall health in broilers, positioning it as a potential natural alternative to antibiotics in poultry production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 5","pages":"Article 105061"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143684961","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":"LAYING RATE WAS CORRELATED WITH MICROBIAL Fecal microbiota transplantation improves the laying performance by changing the gut microbiota composition in late laying period","authors":"Chong Gao ,&nbsp;Yifan Chen ,&nbsp;Zhenhong Zhang ,&nbsp;Dahai Xu ,&nbsp;Xuelu Liu ,&nbsp;Dehe Wang ,&nbsp;Lei Shi ,&nbsp;Xuechang Wang ,&nbsp;Hui Chen ,&nbsp;Erying Hao","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105064","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105064","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research investigated the differences and succession patterns of microbes in different ages, the performance of laying hens, and the effect of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) on aged laying hens. First, based on the different laying rates and age, we divided the laying hens into four groups: 75-week-old high-yield (OH, laying rate (LR) &gt; 90%), 75-week-old low-yield (OL, LR &lt; 60%), 75-week-old non-laying hens (OZ, LR = 0%) and 35-week-old high-yield (YH, LR &gt; 90%) with 5 replicates in each group and 6 chickens in each replicate. The microbial metabolic patterns between different ages and laying rates were determined using 16S rDNA technology. Then, to verify the results of microbiome research, we utilized FMT technology to transplant the gut microbiota from OH to OZ (OZ_FMT-OH), thereby revealing the connection between gut microbes and production performance. The results showed that high-yielding hens (YH and OH groups) had higher levels of Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Immunoglobulin A (IgA) compared to OL and OZ groups. The Villus height to Crypt depth ratio(V/C) was significantly higher in the YH group than in 75-week-old hens (<em>P &lt;</em> 0.05). Alpha diversity indicated higher microbial diversity in the YH group compared to older hens (<em>P &lt;</em> 0.05), with YH hens harboring more <em>Megamonas</em>, OH hens more <em>Bacteroides</em>, and OL and OZ groups showing higher levels of harmful bacteria. The villus height, V/C, mucosal layer thickness, cup cell number acetic acid level, and LR in the OZ_FMT-OH group were significantly higher than those in the OZ group (<em>P &lt;</em> 0.05), while the IL-2 level, crypt depth and cecal intestinal wall thickness were significantly lower than those in OZ group (<em>P &lt;</em> 0.05). FMT also changed the morphological structure of grade follicles and small yellow follicles, improved the microbe composition of cecum and increased <em>Bacteroides</em> abundance. In the late laying period, if the intestinal flora cannot maintain the dynamic balance and carry out timely replacement, the production performance may be decreased, and the increase of <em>Bacteroides</em> abundance in the intestinal tract can improve the intestinal health and production performance of laying hens in the late laying period.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 5","pages":"Article 105064"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143684541","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":"Efficacy of a killed Salmonella Enterica serovar Typhimurium bacterin vaccine administration in layer birds challenged with heterologous Salmonella Enterica serovar Enteritidis","authors":"Syamily Shaji ,&nbsp;Parimal Sheth ,&nbsp;Revathi Shanmugasundaram ,&nbsp;Ramesh K Selvaraj","doi":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105044","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psj.2025.105044","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of administering a killed <em>Salmonella enterica</em> ser. Typhimurium bacterin (ST) vaccine with an adjuvant intramuscularly on humoral immunity, cellular immunity, and SE load reduction in layers. The ST vaccine was prepared with 97% <em>S</em>. Typhimurium and an adjuvant of 3% Immune Plus® with preservatives. Eighty 14-week-old <em>Salmonella</em>-free Hy-Line W-36 pullets were randomly allocated into two groups: unvaccinated control and ST vaccinated, with 40 birds per group. Birds were immunized intramuscularly with 500 µL (Endovac) vaccine at week 17 and a booster dose at week 19. At 27 weeks of age, both groups were challenged with 5 × 10⁸ CFU/mL of nalidixic acid-resistant <em>Salmonella enterica</em> ser. Enteritidis. At 22, 23, and 24 weeks of age, ST-vaccinated birds showed higher serum anti-<em>Salmonella</em> IgY levels than the control group by 186%, 202% (P &lt; 0.05), and 2700% (P &gt; 0.05), respectively. At 28 weeks of age, vaccinated birds had 8.3% lower levels (P &gt; 0.05) of anti-<em>Salmonella</em> IgA in bile and 240% greater levels (P &lt; 0.05) of anti-<em>Salmonella</em> IgY in serum compared to control group. At 28 weeks of age, splenocytes from the ST-vaccinated birds had increased antigen-specific T-lymphocyte proliferation (P &gt; 0.05). There were no significant differences in CD4+/CD8+-T-cell ratios, IL-10, IL-4, IL-1β, IFNγ mRNA levels in the spleen and cecal tonsil between vaccinated birds compared to control. However, the vaccine did not reduce the <em>Salmonella</em> Enteritidis load in ceca, spleen, and liver. It can be concluded that the intramuscular administration of the killed ST vaccine with the adjuvant Immune Plus can increase serum antibody titers and induce a humoral immune response specific to <em>Salmonella</em>. However, the increase in serum antibody titers were not successful in reducing the <em>Salmonella</em> load in ceca, spleen, and liver.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20459,"journal":{"name":"Poultry Science","volume":"104 5","pages":"Article 105044"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143735155","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}