Veterinary Sciences最新文献

{"title":"Sheep Pox Susceptibility: Role of Genetic Variants, Gene Expression, and Immune-Oxidative Markers.","authors":"Asmaa A Darwish, Huda A Alqahtani, Amin Tahoun, Ahmed Ateya, Noha A Helmy, Amani A Hafez, Hanan M Alharbi, Khairiah M Alwutayd, Manal A Babaker, Ammar Al-Farga, Eman A Al-Shahari, Zakaria A Salih, Mohammed Ali Al-Duais, Ahmed El-Sayed","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12090867","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12090867","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sheep pox, caused by sheep pox virus (SPV), is a transboundary disease that threatens sheep production and trade. This study aimed to identify genetic, immunological, and biochemical markers associated with susceptibility to SPV in Barki ewes. A total of 100 adult ewes were examined, including 50 clinically healthy and 50 naturally infected animals. PCR detected SPV DNA in 60% of suspected scab samples, highlighting diagnostic challenges in field investigations. Blood samples were analyzed for hematological indices, cytokine profiles, acute phase proteins, oxidative stress biomarkers, iron metabolism, and hormonal parameters. Expression profiles and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 15 immune and antioxidant genes were characterized from cDNA-derived sequences. Infected animals exhibited microcytic hypochromic anemia, leukocytosis, elevated proinflammatory cytokines, and reduced IL-10. Acute phase proteins, oxidative stress markers, and cortisol were increased, whereas antioxidant capacity and transferrin were reduced. Twenty-three SNPs were identified, including non-synonymous variants, which showed promising but unvalidated associations with disease status. These findings highlight immune, oxidative, and genetic alterations in SPV-infected sheep, but further longitudinal and cross-validated studies are needed to establish their diagnostic or breeding utility.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12474403/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Exploring Sexual Dimorphism and Asymmetry in Quail (<i>Coturnix coturnix</i>) Feet Using Geometric Morphometrics.","authors":"Barış Can Güzel, Burak Ünal, Mehmet Eroğlu, Fatma İşbilir, Tomasz Szara","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12090871","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12090871","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding morphological variation and asymmetry in avian limbs provides essential insights into functional anatomy, locomotor behavior, and developmental stability. In this study, we investigated shape and size variation in the feet of quails (<i>Coturnix coturnix</i>) using two-dimensional geometric morphometric methods. A total of 233 animals were analyzed, representing both the left and right feet of male and female individuals. Nine homologous fixed landmarks were digitized on each foot, and configurations were subjected to Generalized Procrustes Analysis, followed by mirroring of right-side landmarks to ensure consistent orientation. Statistical analyses revealed no significant sexual dimorphism in either foot shape or centroid size. Principal Component Analysis indicated that the main shape variation was distributed individually rather than by sex and primarily affected the relative positions of toes and claws. Procrustes ANOVA confirmed that differences between sexes were not greater than expected by chance. Directional and fluctuating asymmetry were evaluated using a bilateral symmetry model to assess bilateral asymmetry. Directional asymmetry indicated consistent left-right differences, while fluctuating asymmetry reflected individual-level developmental instability and comprised the main source of variation. These findings provide a detailed morphological baseline for quail foot structure and highlight the importance of considering asymmetry in studies of avian functional morphology. The approach may also be a reference for future research into developmental stress, locomotor adaptation, or species-specific anatomical patterns.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12474042/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145178980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Retrospective Analysis of Central Nervous System Diseases in Dogs, with Special Focus on Non-Suppurative Encephalomyelitis (1962-2022).","authors":"Inga Marie Nägler, Adnan Fayyad, Christina Puff, Wolfgang Baumgärtner, Peter Wohlsein","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12090869","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12090869","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Studies spanning decades provide important information about the epidemiology and occurrence of a broad range of diseases that affect the central nervous system (CNS) of dogs. This study analyzed records and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) CNS tissue samples from necropsied dogs with neuropathologic changes between 1962 and 2022. A total of 134,854 animals, including 20,117 dogs, were submitted for necropsy during this time span. Of these dogs, 2646 displayed alterations of the CNS. Degenerative and non-suppurative inflammatory lesions were the most common changes, accounting for 35.6% and 28.6%, respectively. Vascular diseases, neoplasms, congenital malformations, and suppurative inflammation represented 13.8%, 8.6%, 7.2%, and 5.4% of cases, respectively. Morbillivirus canis, the agent of canine distemper, was the most commonly diagnosed. The second most commonly detected virus, varicellovirus suidalpha1, the agent of pseudorabies, occurred almost exclusively between the mid-1970s and 1990s. Other pathogens, including Lyssavirus rabies, canine herpes virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, apicomplexan parasites, such as <i>Neospora caninum</i> and <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i>, as well as fungal and other parasitic infections, were less frequently diagnosed. Interestingly, 47.6% of cases with non-suppurative inflammation remained etiologically undetermined. This study provides insights into the epidemiology of canine neurotropic infections and shows the value of FFPE material for investigations of past disease outbreaks.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12474455/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Effects of Novel Mutations in the <i>LEPR</i> Gene on Litter Size in Gobi Short Tail Sheep and Sonid Sheep.","authors":"Sen Yang, Lin An, Pengda Dong, Ming Zhang, Guifang Cao, Taogetao Baoying, Lai Da, Changqing Li, Bin Tong","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12090868","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12090868","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Increasing the litter size in sheep is a primary objective in breeding programs, driving sustained interest in identifying candidate functional genes and molecular markers associated with fecundity. The known FecD mutation in the <i>LEPR</i> gene has been shown to regulate reproductive traits by influencing the ovulation rate of Davisdale sheep. However, the relationship between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the <i>LEPR</i> and litter size remains unknown in Gobi short tail sheep and Sonid sheep. In this research, we found one novel variant and thirteen known variants through direct sequencing in Sonid sheep and Gobi short tail sheep and performed an association study in a large-scale population. The association analysis identified two SNPs (c.240C>T (rs159694506) and c.279C>T (rs159694508)) with significant litter size associations in Gobi short tail sheep (<i>p</i> < 0.01 ). In Sonid sheep, the c.240C>T (rs159694506), c.279C>T (rs159694508), g.41249772C>T (rs412130067), g.41249873A>C (rs425490800), g.41250357T>C (rs424307284), and g.41250358T>C (rs404651806) SNPs were significantly associated with litter size (<i>p</i> < 0.05 ). In addition, in GB sheep, the frequency of the litter-size-associated C allele at the c.240C>T (rs159694506) and c.279C>T (rs159694508) variants were significantly lower than that in Sonid sheep (SN), Mongolia sheep (MG), Ujimqin sheep (UM), Tan sheep (Tan), Hu sheep (Hu), and Small-tailed Han sheep (STH) populations. In SN sheep, the frequency of the litter-size-associated C allele at the c.240C>T (rs159694506) and c.279C>T (rs159694508) variant was significantly lower than that in the DPU. These findings provided valuable molecular markers pertinent to the fecundity of sheep, offering scientific evidence for the genetic improvement of these breeds.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12474046/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Prevalence and Risk Factors of Mycoplasma Hyopneumoniae in Swine Farms, Mainland China, 2003-2024: A Meta-Analysis.","authors":"Hongyu Zhou, Huiling Zhang, Xueping Zhang, Lina Ye, Xinyuan Liu, Tangjie Zhang","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12090863","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12090863","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis on the prevalence and risk factors of <i>M. hyopneumoniae</i> infection in swine farms across mainland China from 2003 to 2024. A total of 54 eligible cross-sectional studies were analyzed by stratifying farms as subclinically or clinically infected. The overall pooled prevalence of <i>M. hyopneumoniae</i> was estimated as 33.4%, with clinical infection farms showing a significantly higher prevalence (52.9%) than subclinical farms (11.5%). Subgroup analyses revealed significant variations in infection rates based on age, sampling year, geographic region, farming scale, season, sampling type, and diagnostic method. Small-scale farms, farms with breeding swine, and farms in the Northwest region showed the highest infection rates. Diagnostic methods and sampling types also significantly influenced detection rates. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the results, while publication bias was addressed using the Trim-and-Fill method. To effectively reduce the burden of <i>M. hyopneumoniae</i> in the swine industry in mainland China, future efforts should prioritize enhanced biosecurity, improved diagnostic accuracy, and region-specific vaccination and management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12474028/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Antiviral Activity of Diltiazem HCl Against Pseudorabies Virus Infection In Vitro.","authors":"Mengting Zuo, Decai Xiang, Zhen-Xing Zhang, Xi Yang, Yuqing Duan, Juan Li, Bangquan Zeng, Lu Dong, Guoquan Wu, Yi Zhou, Lei Tan, Bofang Duan","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12090864","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12090864","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a highly pathogenic agent that adversely impacts swine populations, leading to considerable economic losses within the Chinese pig industry. Furthermore, the potential for PRV to transmit across species from pigs to other hosts has attracted significant attention. In light of this, it is essential to identify efficacious antiviral agents for the treatment of PRV infection. In this study, we investigated the antiviral properties of Diltiazem HCl (DTZ) against PRV infection in susceptible cell lines. Our results demonstrated that DTZ significantly inhibited PRV infection in both PK15 and Vero cells. Moreover, this chemical compound exhibited antiviral activity against both variant and classical strains of PRV, as well as herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Time-of-addition assays showed that DTZ exerted its inhibitory effect through specific interference with the virus replication process. Subsequent transcriptomic analysis via RNA sequencing indicated that the calcium signaling pathway might be involved in the antiviral properties of DTZ against PRV infection. Specifically, treatment with EGTA or calcium ion (Ca²⁺)-free medium inhibited PRV infection; this inhibitory effect was substantially mitigated upon the reintroduction of CaCl₂. In summary, DTZ effectively suppressed PRV infection in vitro, demonstrating its potential as an antiviral agent against PRV infections.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12474134/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179056","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 Ecological-Evolutionary Game of the Insect Gut Microbiome: Environmental Drivers, Host Regulation, and Prospects for Cross-Cutting Applications.","authors":"Ying Wang, Jie Tang, Yao Chen, Shuyi Chen, Sumin Chen, Xin Yu, Caijing Wan, Guoqi Xiang, Yaping Chen, Qiang Li","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12090866","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12090866","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The insect gut contains a complex and diverse microbial community, and the composition of the insect gut microbial community is influenced by multiple factors such as the host's genetics, dietary habits, and the external environment. The host's immune system maintains the stability and balance of the microbial community through a number of mechanisms. The microorganisms in this community play key roles in the nutrient metabolism, detoxification, immune regulation, development, and behaveior of insects. In recent years, the relevant literature has reported advances in the study of insect gut microbes, indicating the potential applications of insect gut microbes in several fields. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current information on the structure of insect gut microbial communities and complex host-microbe-environment interactions. The diversity of insects' gut microbial communities and the functions of their gut microbes are revealed. By studying insect gut microbial communities, we can gain insights into the functions of these microbes in the host and explore the causal relationships between them and the host's physiology and behavior. This will not only help us to understand the mechanism of action of the microbiome, but also provide a basis for the development of innovative biotechnology based on insect gut microbes. This research has significant theoretical value in academia and also has a wide range of applications in agriculture, environmental protection, industrial production, and healthcare.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12474139/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Behavioral Assessment of Equine Relaxation Following Manual Therapy: A Pilot Study.","authors":"Yavuzkan Paksoy, Kerem Ural, Hasan Erdoğan, Songül Erdoğan, Serdar Paşa","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12090865","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12090865","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the relaxation, stress reduction and behavioral changes observed after manual therapy applied to horses exposed to racing and physical training stimulus. This descriptive approach is aimed at veterinary clinicians to evaluate the therapy process more effectively with behavioral feedback. For this purpose, the study was conducted in two different equestrian clubs in Adana (Adana Mediterranean and Suvari Equestrian Clubs) between 2023 and 2024. A total of 32 racehorses (16 Thoroughbred, 16 Arabian; 16 female, 16 male) of different ages, genders and breeds were included in the study. Five minutes of manual therapy was applied for each of 7 different muscle groups. After the massage, behavioral observations were made for 10 min by moving 2 m away from the animals, and no separate baseline assessment was performed prior to the intervention. The application was carried out by a veterinarian with 15 years of experience. Importantly, no separate baseline assessment or control group was performed, and only behavioral responses were evaluated, which represents a major limitation of this pilot study. Among the observed behaviors in all horses, blinking, muscle twitching, respiratory changes, lip relaxation, licking and chewing were recorded for all horses. Relaxation signs such as head dropping (78.1%), yawning (34.4%), and ears falling to the side (62.5%) were frequently observed. Behaviors such as the appearance of the third eyelid (3.1%), grunting (12.5%) and sneezing (15.6%) were observed at a low percentage. Individual variables such as gender and breed did not have a statistically significant effect on the percentage of behavior (Chi-square test, <i>p</i> > 0.05). In conclusion, these preliminary findings suggest that manual therapy applications might be effective in reducing stress by triggering relaxation behaviors in riding horses, as these behaviors have been previously reported in the literature as reliable indicators of relaxation. Evaluation of behavioral responses after massage could be an important tool in determining physiotherapeutic effects. The fact that the application is performed by experienced people is an important factor that increases the success of the therapy and shows that manual therapy provides relaxation regardless of individual differences. Future controlled studies integrating physiological stress biomarkers are warranted to confirm these observations.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12474095/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145178979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Comparison of Three Different Balanced Sedative-Anaesthetic Protocols in Captive Baboons <i>(Papio hamadryas)</i>.","authors":"Martina Amari, Federica Alessandra Brioschi, Petra Cagnardi, Giulia Sala, Francesco Ferrari, Michele Capasso, Luigi Elia, Elena Venturelli, Federica Di Cesare, Francesco Zinno, Giuliano Ravasio","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12090859","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12090859","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Baboons' management requires chemical restraint. Three intramuscular sedative protocols in captive hamadryas baboons (<i>Papio hamadryas</i>) undergoing health-check and male vasectomy were compared. Animals were assigned to TZD_G (<i>n</i> = 17; tiletamine/zolazepam 3 mg/kg + dexmedetomidine 20 μg/kg), KDM_G (<i>n</i> = 23; ketamine 6 mg/kg + dexmedetomidine 30 μg/kg + methadone 0.2 mg/kg), or MDM_G (<i>n</i> = 9; midazolam 2 mg/kg + dexmedetomidine 60 μg/kg + methadone 0.2 mg/kg). Propofol was titrated intravenously for anaesthetic induction and maintenance. Sedation time and quality and cardiopulmonary parameters were recorded. Atipamezole (TZD_G 0.2 mg/kg, KDM_G 0.3 mg/kg, MDM_G 0.6 mg/kg) and flumazenil (MDM_G 0.02 mg/kg) were administered intramuscularly post-procedure. Recovery time and quality were recorded. Data were reported as median (interquartile range) or regression coefficient (B). Sedation was deepest in TZD_G (20, 20-20; KDM_G 20, 19-20; MDM_G 19, 15-20; <i>p</i> = 0.017). MDM_G had a significantly higher heart rate (B = 10.27, <i>p</i> = 0.001), respiratory rate (B = 9.09, <i>p</i> < 0.001), and lower end-tidal carbon dioxide (B = -3.00, <i>p</i> = 0.03) than TZD_G, while KDM_G had a lower respiratory rate than TZD_G (B = -3.67, <i>p</i> = 0.02) and a higher temperature (B = 1.66 <i>p</i> = 0.001). TZD_G showed the longest recovery (minutes: 19, 11.5-30; KDM_G: 6, 4-12; MDM_G: 4, 2.5-5; <i>p</i> < 0.001), while MDM_G the best recovery (0, 0-0; TZD_G: 9, 6-12; KDM_G: 0, 0-6; <i>p</i> < 0.001). TZD produced deepest sedation but bad recovery; KDM offered optimal sedation and recovery, and cardiopulmonary stability; MDM provided lighter sedation and excellent recovery.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12474213/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179045","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Effects of Dietary <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> and Bacteriophage Supplementation on Water Quality, Carcass Traits, and Muscle Growth in Magang Geese.","authors":"Yong Li, Yongquan Luo, Yuanhao Han, Zhiyuan Liu, Songchao Li, Xiujin Li, Zhongping Wu, Yunbo Tian, Yunmao Huang, Xumeng Zhang","doi":"10.3390/vetsci12090861","DOIUrl":"10.3390/vetsci12090861","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong><i>Escherichia coli</i> and <i>Salmonella</i> contamination in goose bath water releases endotoxins like lipopolysaccharide (LPS), compromising immunity and hindering goose farming.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study evaluated effects of dietary <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> and bacteriophage supplementation on water quality, carcass traits, and muscle growth in Magang geese.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A total of 288 geese were divided into four groups based on similarity in weight (n = 6 geese): A (basal diet); B (basal diet + bacteriophage: 5.0 × 10¹⁰ PFU/L at 1:1000 dilution); C (basal diet + <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>: 5.0 × 10⁹ CFU/kg); D (basal diet + bacteriophage + <i>Bacillus subtilis</i>).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Supplementation significantly increased wing length, tibia length, and live weight at 60 days. It reduced water and plasma endotoxin levels and suppressed viable counts of <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Salmonella</i>, and total bacteria in water across rearing stages. Supplementation up-regulated mRNA and protein expression of myogenic regulators (<i>MYOD</i>, <i>MYOG</i>, <i>MYH1</i>) and <i>IGF-1</i>, while down-regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines (<i>TNF-α</i>, <i>IL-6</i>), suggesting enhanced myofiber growth.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings demonstrate that <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> and bacteriophage supplementation improves goose growth performance and immune status by modulating key genes, reducing pathogens and endotoxins, offering an eco-friendly strategy to enhance productivity and potentially reduce antibiotic dependency.</p>","PeriodicalId":23694,"journal":{"name":"Veterinary Sciences","volume":"12 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-09-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12474057/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145179084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}