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Full-Text Articles in Poultry or Avian Science

Evaluation Of Limestones Varying In Calcium Solubility On Egg Production Performance And Total Tract Calcium Retention In Lohman Lsl Lite Laying Hens, R. L. Drysdale, P. L. Utterback, Benjamin Parsons, J E. Emmert, C. M. Parsons Mar 2026

Evaluation Of Limestones Varying In Calcium Solubility On Egg Production Performance And Total Tract Calcium Retention In Lohman Lsl Lite Laying Hens, R. L. Drysdale, P. L. Utterback, Benjamin Parsons, J E. Emmert, C. M. Parsons

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Limestone is one of the primary sources of Ca in poultry diets because it is often readily available and inexpensive. The amount and availability of Ca in limestone can vary due to factors such as the origin of the rock, particle size, and solubility. It is believed that larger particles that solubilize at moderate or slow rates may be advantageous by limiting Ca-phytate interactions and increasing retention time of particles in the gastrointestinal tract, which would lead to better utilization of Ca by the bird. There were 5 limestones evaluated with 2 dietary Ca levels fed per limestone (2.65 and …


Effect Of Heat Stress On Jejunal Epithelial Barrier Integrity In Broilers Divergently Selected For High- And Low-Water Efficiency, Elizabeth S. Greene, Sara Orlowski, Sami Dridi Feb 2026

Effect Of Heat Stress On Jejunal Epithelial Barrier Integrity In Broilers Divergently Selected For High- And Low-Water Efficiency, Elizabeth S. Greene, Sara Orlowski, Sami Dridi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Drought and water scarcity, exacerbated by global warming, are enormous threats to global food sustainability and security. Poultry, in particular, are highly impacted by adverse environmental stressors. As nutrient absorption and intestinal integrity are critical for growth and performance, understanding the impact on the broiler gastrointestinal tract is highly relevant. Here, we examined the effect of chronic cyclic heat stress (HS) on the jejunal expression profile of tight-junction, gap-junction, adherens, and desmosome genes in the 4th generation of broiler lines divergently selected for low (LWE)- and high-water efficiency (HWE). Male HWE and LWE broilers (n = 240/line) were allotted to …


Γ-Aminobutyric Acid Improves Gut-Brain Axis Function And Behavioral Adaptation In Broilers Under Low-Protein Diet, Randi Randi, Anisa Aulia, Muhtadin Muhtadin, Chusnul Hanim, Michael Kidd, Al Anas Muhsin Jan 2026

Γ-Aminobutyric Acid Improves Gut-Brain Axis Function And Behavioral Adaptation In Broilers Under Low-Protein Diet, Randi Randi, Anisa Aulia, Muhtadin Muhtadin, Chusnul Hanim, Michael Kidd, Al Anas Muhsin

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Low crude protein (CP) diets can improve feed efficiency and reduce ammonia emissions, but negative impacts on broiler productivity can occur. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) supplementation in low CP diets on productivity, enzyme activity, neuropeptidergic gene expression, and behavior of broilers. A total of 360 male Ross 308 broilers were used in a factorial design experiment with two CP levels (19.5 and 18.0%) and three GABA levels (0, 100, and 200 mg/kg). Dietary CP and GABA levels did not significantly affect broiler productivity (P>0.05). Reducing CP in the diet increased amylase and …


Incidence Of Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis Lameness In Commercial Duck Flocks In Mojokerto, Indonesia, Andi Asnayanti, Siti Azizah, Anif Mukaromah Wati, Ahmad Ridwan, Ahmad Arman Dahlan, Dinda Rosalita, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Adnan Alrubaye Dec 2025

Incidence Of Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis Lameness In Commercial Duck Flocks In Mojokerto, Indonesia, Andi Asnayanti, Siti Azizah, Anif Mukaromah Wati, Ahmad Ridwan, Ahmad Arman Dahlan, Dinda Rosalita, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Adnan Alrubaye

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO) lameness is an infection of opportunistic bacteria in the structural skeletal bones impacting multiple animal species, particularly poultry species. BCO lameness results in significant financial losses to industrial poultry production and increases the risk of foodborne illnesses, posing a major threat to consumers' food safety. As BCO lameness is an inherent risk of fast body weight gain in poultry species, especially broiler chickens, abundant studies have been conducted in broilers and turkeys. Nevertheless, BCO lameness incidence in ducks remains elusive. Thus, this is the first survey investigating the prevalence of BCO lameness cases in ducks. …


Preliminary Investigation Of Cecal Microbiota In Experimental Broilers Reared Under The Aerosol Transmission Lameness Induction Model, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Khawla Alharbi, Ruvindu Perera, Andi Asnayanti, Adnan Alrubaye Dec 2025

Preliminary Investigation Of Cecal Microbiota In Experimental Broilers Reared Under The Aerosol Transmission Lameness Induction Model, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Khawla Alharbi, Ruvindu Perera, Andi Asnayanti, Adnan Alrubaye

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO), and its associated lameness, is one of the most common and devastating issues the poultry industry constantly faces, both globally and domestically. Leveraging the currently accepted "leaky gut" model of pathogenesis, this study aims to evaluate the cecal community of broilers reared under the aerosol transmission BCO induction model. A trial involving 1320 Cobb 500 broilers was conducted using the same induction model for 56 d with the following treatments: (1) positive control (PC)-untreated birds on wire-flooring pens; (2) negative control (NC)-untreated birds on litter-flooring pens; (3) LOW-birds treated with probiotic Enterococcus faecium spray on …


Characterization Of Water Intake And Water Conversion Ratio For Male And Female Broilers From Four Commercial Broiler Lines Reared To Eight Weeks Of Age, J.Z. Hiltz, C.W. Maynard, T.W. Tabler, M.A. Maquesda, K.M. Shafer, K.B. Nelson, M.T. Kidd, N.B. Anthony, S.K. Orlowski-Workman Dec 2025

Characterization Of Water Intake And Water Conversion Ratio For Male And Female Broilers From Four Commercial Broiler Lines Reared To Eight Weeks Of Age, J.Z. Hiltz, C.W. Maynard, T.W. Tabler, M.A. Maquesda, K.M. Shafer, K.B. Nelson, M.T. Kidd, N.B. Anthony, S.K. Orlowski-Workman

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Increased interest and investigation into the sustainability of broiler production has led to a need for reliable and repeatable means to measure water intake and its conversion rate into salable meat. Therefore, a study was conducted to characterize the water intake and water conversion ratio (WCR) of male and female broilers from four modern broiler strains. Two of these lines represented fast growing broiler strains (FGB A and FGB B) targeting a small bird market and two represented high yielding broiler strains (HYB A and HYB B). Three replicates of 25 sexed broilers from each line were placed into 24 …


Dietary Perennial Ryegrass Improves Meat Quality: Insights Into The Gut-Muscle Axis In Geese, Zeshan Zulfiqar, Muhammad Arslan Asif, Khawla Alharbi, Han Yao, Xiaoyan Zhu, Zhichang Wang, Hao Sun, Yalei Cui, Boshuai Liu, Shucheng Huang, Yinghua Shi Dec 2025

Dietary Perennial Ryegrass Improves Meat Quality: Insights Into The Gut-Muscle Axis In Geese, Zeshan Zulfiqar, Muhammad Arslan Asif, Khawla Alharbi, Han Yao, Xiaoyan Zhu, Zhichang Wang, Hao Sun, Yalei Cui, Boshuai Liu, Shucheng Huang, Yinghua Shi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The gut-muscle axis represents a key regulatory pathway linking intestinal microbiota to muscle development and meat quality, yet its mechanistic basis in geese remains unclear. This study investigated how dietary perennial ryegrass modulates meat quality through microbiota reshaping and AMPK/Akt-mTOR signaling. Geese were fed a commercial diet (CD) or a ryegrass feeding (GD) for 30 days. GD markedly improved breast muscle morphology, increasing fiber density and reducing cross-sectional area, while enhancing meat color, texture, protein conformation, and reducing cooking loss and shear force. Amino acid and fatty acid enrichment, together with elevated antioxidant activity in serum, ileum and muscle, further …


Effect Of Chronic Heat Stress On Duodenal Epithelial Barrier Integrity In Low- And High-Water-Efficient Broiler Chickens, Lulu Liu, Elizabeth S. Greene, Brooklee Roach, Sara Orlowski, Sami Dridi Nov 2025

Effect Of Chronic Heat Stress On Duodenal Epithelial Barrier Integrity In Low- And High-Water-Efficient Broiler Chickens, Lulu Liu, Elizabeth S. Greene, Brooklee Roach, Sara Orlowski, Sami Dridi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Heat stress (HS) has long posed a significant challenge to the poultry industry due to its adverse effects, such as depressed feed intake, decreased growth performance, and increased water consumption. Water efficiency (WE, conversion of water intake into body weight gain), although often neglected, is a key economic and production trait that is significantly affected by HS. Recently, we selected two broiler lines for high WE (HWE) and low WE (LWE) and showed a differential hypothalamic expression of genes involved in water homeostasis regulation. As the gut also plays a significant role in water absorption, the present study aimed to …


Comparison Of Relative Calcium Bioavailability Based On Bone Ash And Apparent Ileal Ca Digestibility In Broiler Chickens, R. L. Drysdale, B. W. Parsons Nov 2025

Comparison Of Relative Calcium Bioavailability Based On Bone Ash And Apparent Ileal Ca Digestibility In Broiler Chickens, R. L. Drysdale, B. W. Parsons

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Two experiments were conducted to determine relative Ca bioavailability based on bone ash and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of Ca in reagent-grade calcium carbonate (RCaCO3) and RCaCO3 + phytic acid in commercial broiler chickens. In Experiment 1, relative Ca bioavailability of RCaCO3 and RCaCO3 + phytic acid was determined in ad libitum-fed broiler chickens using the slope-ratio method. Dietary treatments were corn-soybean meal-based diets. Diet 1 was Ca-deficient (0.30 % Ca; 0.45 % non-phytate P), while diets 2 through 5 were the same as diet 1, except that 2 increasing levels of RCaCO3 or RCaCO3 + phytic acid were added …


Productive Energy, As Determined By Arkansas Net Energy, Predicts Broiler Processing Weights, Carcass Market Value, And Gross Profit, Diego A. Martinez, Nawin Suesuttajit, Cole Umberson, Craig N. Coon Oct 2025

Productive Energy, As Determined By Arkansas Net Energy, Predicts Broiler Processing Weights, Carcass Market Value, And Gross Profit, Diego A. Martinez, Nawin Suesuttajit, Cole Umberson, Craig N. Coon

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study assessed the sensitivity of Productive Energy (PE) to breast meat production, feed efficiency, and broiler economics, developed models for processing traits and economics, and examined economics dynamics. The experimental design involved 96 pens, 12 per block and eight blocks, with each pen within block receiving one of 12 dietary treatments for one week. Treatment diets, varying in amino acid concentrations, starch, and energy densities, were control-fed. The weights of processing body parts and net energy for gain (NEg) were determined with Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry, and fed heat production, fasting heat production (FHP), and net energy for maintenance (NEm) …


Effects Of Caprylic Acid On The Cecal Colonization Of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Heidelberg And The Cecal Microbiome In Broiler Chickens, Shijinaraj Manjankattil, Dhananjai Muringattu Prabhakaran, Anup Kollanoon Johny, Claire Peichel, Divek V.T. Nair, Grace Dewi, Jason Langlie, Trevor J. Gould, A. M. Donoghue Oct 2025

Effects Of Caprylic Acid On The Cecal Colonization Of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella Heidelberg And The Cecal Microbiome In Broiler Chickens, Shijinaraj Manjankattil, Dhananjai Muringattu Prabhakaran, Anup Kollanoon Johny, Claire Peichel, Divek V.T. Nair, Grace Dewi, Jason Langlie, Trevor J. Gould, A. M. Donoghue

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study determined the efficacy of in-feed supplementation of a medium-chain fatty acid, caprylic acid (CA), on the cecal colonization of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella Heidelberg (SH) and its effect on the cecal microbiome of commercial broilers. A total of 24, 4-week-old commercial Ross 708 chickens were randomly allocated to two replicates of four treatment groups in eight BSL2 isolators (3 birds/isolator): Negative control (NC), Positive Control (PC), Antibiotic group (AB), and caprylic acid (CA) groups. The birds received a Salmonella-free standard corn-soy-based diet, with the broilers in the AB receiving 50 g/ton bacitracin methylene disalicylate, and the CA group receiving …


Smart Search Results For Growth And Economic Performance Comparison Of Twenty-Year-Old ... Refine Results For Arkansas Net Energy: A Productive Energy System Sensitive To Broiler Performance And Body Composition Arkansas Net Energy: A Productive Energy System Sensitive To Broiler Performance And Body Composition 21 Of 94 Arkansas Net Energy: A Productive Energy System Sensitive To Broiler Performance And Body Composition, Diego A. Martinez, Nawin Suesuttajit, Cole Umberson, Craig N. Coon Oct 2025

Smart Search Results For Growth And Economic Performance Comparison Of Twenty-Year-Old ... Refine Results For Arkansas Net Energy: A Productive Energy System Sensitive To Broiler Performance And Body Composition Arkansas Net Energy: A Productive Energy System Sensitive To Broiler Performance And Body Composition 21 Of 94 Arkansas Net Energy: A Productive Energy System Sensitive To Broiler Performance And Body Composition, Diego A. Martinez, Nawin Suesuttajit, Cole Umberson, Craig N. Coon

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study determined the sensitivity of productive energy (PE; Arkansas Net Energy) to performance and body composition and developed predictive models based on PE. Chicks (2,148 day-old ones) were placed in 96 pens and assigned to one of 12 dietary treatments, including varying concentrations of total digestible amino acids (TDAA), digestible CP (dCP), digestible fat (dFat), digestible starch, and non-starch polysaccharides (NSP). Eight replications per treatment, one per block, were used, being the block consecutive groups of birds weekly starting the seven-day experimental period. In each block, birds were control fed to meet similar ME intake, placed in calorimetry chambers …


Effects Of Heat Stress And Depressed Feed Intake On The Cecal And Ileal Microbiota Of Broiler Chickens, Philip M. Campos, Elizabeth S. Greene, Monika Proszkowiec-Weglarz, Sami Dridi Oct 2025

Effects Of Heat Stress And Depressed Feed Intake On The Cecal And Ileal Microbiota Of Broiler Chickens, Philip M. Campos, Elizabeth S. Greene, Monika Proszkowiec-Weglarz, Sami Dridi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Chronic heat stress (HS) is known to depress feed intake (FI) and growth in broiler chickens, and may alter the gut microbiota and health, however, the amplitude and duration of each (HS and depressed FI) effect on gut microbiota is still unclear. This study aimed to determine the effects of chronic and acute HS on the cecal and ileal microbiota profiles. Broilers were subjected to thermoneutral (TN, 23 degrees C) or chronic cyclic HS (CHS, 8 h/d, 35 degrees C) condition from d29-42, and one group to acute HS (AHS, 2 h, 35 degrees C) at d42. To distinguish between …


Precise Nutrition 2: Regression Equations Using Koh Protein Solubility To Estimate Digestible Lysine And Digestible Arginine In Commercial Lots Of Soybean Meal That Have Undergone Overprocessing Or Auto Combustion, Nelson Ruiz, Carl M. Parsons, Benjamin Parsons Sep 2025

Precise Nutrition 2: Regression Equations Using Koh Protein Solubility To Estimate Digestible Lysine And Digestible Arginine In Commercial Lots Of Soybean Meal That Have Undergone Overprocessing Or Auto Combustion, Nelson Ruiz, Carl M. Parsons, Benjamin Parsons

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The objective of this study was to develop regression equations for lysine (Lys) and arginine (Arg) that would allow poultry nutritionists and formulators to estimate amino acid (AA) digestibility in commercial lots of solvent-extracted soybean meal (SBM) using a newly standardized protocol for KOH protein solubility (KOHPS). A total of 82 SBM samples, selected from 100 samples that were analyzed for in vivo AA digestibility, were analyzed for KOHPS. The KOHPS values ranged from 14 to 88 %, while digestible Lys coefficients ranged from 0.47 to 0.96. Digestible Arg coefficients ranged from 0.62 to 0.98. It became evident from total …


Effects Of Light Wavelength On Broiler Performance, Blood Cell Profiles, Stress Levels, And Tibiotarsi Morphology, Angela Perretti, Victor J. Oyeniran, Jaelen M. Cherry, Rosemarry H. Whittle, Zachary Grider, Alexander H. Nelson, Seong W. Kang, Gisela F. Erf, Shawna L. Wiemer Aug 2025

Effects Of Light Wavelength On Broiler Performance, Blood Cell Profiles, Stress Levels, And Tibiotarsi Morphology, Angela Perretti, Victor J. Oyeniran, Jaelen M. Cherry, Rosemarry H. Whittle, Zachary Grider, Alexander H. Nelson, Seong W. Kang, Gisela F. Erf, Shawna L. Wiemer

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Lighting influences broiler production, health, and behavior. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of three light wavelengths (White [350-780 nm], Blue [450 nm], and Green [560 nm]) on broiler production, activity, fear, stress, blood cell profiles, and tibiotarsi (tibia) morphology. Day-of-hatch male broiler chicks (N = 600) were housed in pens (N = 12) with one lighting treatment for 42 days. Body weight and feed consumption were recorded on day (D) 0, 14, 28, and 42, and the feed conversion ratio was calculated. The Tonic Immobility test was used to assess the latency (seconds) to right …


Genetic And Environmental Factors Contributing To The Pathogenesis Of Vertebral Osteomyelitis Caused By Enterococcus Cecorum In Broiler Chicken, Ummu Syauqah Al Musyahadah, Andi Asnayanti, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Adnan Alrubaye Aug 2025

Genetic And Environmental Factors Contributing To The Pathogenesis Of Vertebral Osteomyelitis Caused By Enterococcus Cecorum In Broiler Chicken, Ummu Syauqah Al Musyahadah, Andi Asnayanti, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Adnan Alrubaye

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Enterococcus cecorum (EC) is the primary cause of Vertebral Osteomyelitis (VO) in poultry, characterized by a hock-sitting posture with legs extended forward. The disease begins with intestinal colonization, where pathogenic strains of E. cecorum establish themselves in the gut within the first week of a bird's lifecycle and translocate to the bloodstream later, reaching the organs, which finally infect the birds' Free Thoracic Vertebrae (FTV). Several factors contribute to the initiation and progression of the disease. Environmental factors such as heat stress, high blood sugar levels, prior infections, overcrowding, and rapid growth conditions weaken immunity and stimulate the emergence of …


The Effect Of Feed And Water Provision Strategies On Broiler Breeder Pullet Performance And Welfare, Allison D. Weaver, Lisa R. Bielke, Ramon D. Malheiros, Sara K. Orlowski, Allison N. Pullin Aug 2025

The Effect Of Feed And Water Provision Strategies On Broiler Breeder Pullet Performance And Welfare, Allison D. Weaver, Lisa R. Bielke, Ramon D. Malheiros, Sara K. Orlowski, Allison N. Pullin

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Feed restriction is common in the broiler breeder industry to optimize health and reproduction. However, this practice has been associated with increased drinking behavior, leading to water spillage, higher litter moisture, and footpad lesions. Consequently, parts of the industry have adopted water restriction protocols. This study aimed to evaluate how different combinations of feed and water restriction affected drinking behavior, welfare, and performance indicators in broiler breeder pullets. At 1 day of age, 960 Cobb 500 FF pullets (Gallus gallus domesticus) were randomly allocated to one of four treatments: skip-a-day feeding with ad libitum water (SAD + ADLIB), every-day feeding …


Feasibility Of Applying Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens-Derived Solid State Fermentation Products Into The Hatch Cabinet Environment As A Method To Mitigate The Microbial Bloom During The Hatching Phase Authors, Mitchell C. Rowland, Lucas E. Graham, Callie Selby, Aaron J. Forga, Billy M. Hargis, Christine N. Voung, Graham Danielle Jul 2025

Feasibility Of Applying Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens-Derived Solid State Fermentation Products Into The Hatch Cabinet Environment As A Method To Mitigate The Microbial Bloom During The Hatching Phase Authors, Mitchell C. Rowland, Lucas E. Graham, Callie Selby, Aaron J. Forga, Billy M. Hargis, Christine N. Voung, Graham Danielle

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Formaldehyde has been used to control microbial contamination in commercial hatch cabinets. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of spray application of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens solid state fermentation products on the microbial load in the hatch cabinet, pioneer colonization of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and early performance compared to formaldehyde fumigation. An environmental challenge model was used to simulate the microbial bloom to compare the application of two B. amyloliquefaciens strains (MCR002, MCR009) to formaldehyde fumigation. Groups included 1) non-challenged control (NC), 2) challenged with pathogen mix (PM) containing Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus …


Evaluation Of The Incremental Effect Of Fasting Length On Ph, Select Cecal Microbial Groups, Cecal Volatile Fatty Acid Concentrations, And Secretory Iga Excretion In Roosters, B.W. Parsons, M.R. Bedford, C.L. Wyatt Jul 2025

Evaluation Of The Incremental Effect Of Fasting Length On Ph, Select Cecal Microbial Groups, Cecal Volatile Fatty Acid Concentrations, And Secretory Iga Excretion In Roosters, B.W. Parsons, M.R. Bedford, C.L. Wyatt

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of incremental fasting time on the gastrointestinal tract in chickens. Adult White Leghorn roosters with intact ceca were provided a nutrient-adequate corn-soybean meal diet ad libitum for 3 weeks. Prior to initiation of the experimental phase, ad libitum feed intake was recorded for 8 h and immediately after the fasting period commenced. In Experiment 1, roosters were fasted for either 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 16, or 24 h. At each time point birds were euthanized and pH in the crop, gizzard, and ceca were recorded and cecal contents were collected to …


Assessing The Impact Of Spraying An E. Faecium Probiotic At Hatch And Supplementing Feed With A Triple-Strain Bacillus-Based Additive On Bco Lameness Incidence In Broiler Chickens, Khawla Alharbi, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Abdulaziz Alqahtani, Ruvindu Perera, Alexa Thomas, Antoine Meuter, Adnan Ali Khalaf Jun 2025

Assessing The Impact Of Spraying An E. Faecium Probiotic At Hatch And Supplementing Feed With A Triple-Strain Bacillus-Based Additive On Bco Lameness Incidence In Broiler Chickens, Khawla Alharbi, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Abdulaziz Alqahtani, Ruvindu Perera, Alexa Thomas, Antoine Meuter, Adnan Ali Khalaf

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is a major cause of lameness in broiler chickens. This condition arises when bacteria from the gastrointestinal or aerosol tract migrate to infect bone microfractures, often exacerbated by rapid growth, reduced blood flow, and mechanical stress. As concerns about antibiotic resistance grow, probiotics have gained attention for their potential to improve gut health and reduce systemic bacterial load. This study evaluated the efficacy of a probiotic program comprising an Enterococcus faecium-based spray (2 x 10(9) CFU/bird at hatch) and a triple-strain Bacillus-based feed additive (B. subtilis 597, B. subtilis 600, and B. amyloliquefaciens 516 at …


Judgment Bias, Fear, And Stress Responses Of Red Junglefowl And Athens Canadian Random Bred Chickens, Victor J. Oyeniran, Rosemary H. Whittle, Sara K. Orlowski, Shawna L. Weimer Jun 2025

Judgment Bias, Fear, And Stress Responses Of Red Junglefowl And Athens Canadian Random Bred Chickens, Victor J. Oyeniran, Rosemary H. Whittle, Sara K. Orlowski, Shawna L. Weimer

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Understanding how poultry perceive and interpret their environment is essential to enhancing their welfare. Animal welfare science relies on measures of the behavioral and physiological components of affective states (positive and negative) as welfare indicators. There has been growing interest in using the judgment bias test (JBT) to study birds' affective states by assessing their responses to ambiguous cues. The objective of this study was to investigate the affective state of two chicken breeds with different evolutionary histories: the Red Junglefowl (RJF), the primary ancestor of modern chickens, and the Athens Canadian Random Bred (ACRB), a rustic domesticated breed, using …


Re-Evaluating The Host Specificity Of Thirteen Eimeria Species That Infect Galliform Birds: Cross-Infection Experiments In Chukar Partridges (Alectoris Chukar), Northern Bobwhites (Colinus Virginianus) And Turkeys (Meleagris Gallopavo), Jessica L. Rotolo, A. Leveille, Rachel K. Imai, Elizabeth G. Zeldenrust, Billy M. Hargis, Elijah G. Kiarie, John R. Barta Jun 2025

Re-Evaluating The Host Specificity Of Thirteen Eimeria Species That Infect Galliform Birds: Cross-Infection Experiments In Chukar Partridges (Alectoris Chukar), Northern Bobwhites (Colinus Virginianus) And Turkeys (Meleagris Gallopavo), Jessica L. Rotolo, A. Leveille, Rachel K. Imai, Elizabeth G. Zeldenrust, Billy M. Hargis, Elijah G. Kiarie, John R. Barta

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The commercial poultry industry has expanded and profited from intensively rearing birds, but it is not without consequences. Coccidiosis is an intestinal disease caused by Eimeria species that is well recognized by poultry producers because of the resulting health implications that often contribute to reduced welfare of birds, meat production and profitability. Strict host specificity of these parasites (infection of one host species only) is often assumed; however, examples of Eimeria spp. capable of infecting multiple galliform hosts have been described. Despite the relevance of coccidiosis in commercial poultry production, the number and extent of such crossinfections remain poorly understood, …


Genetic Factors Of Campylobacter Jejuni Required For Its Interactions With Free-Living Amoeba, Deepti Pranay Samarth, Asim Z. Abbasi, Young Min Kwon May 2025

Genetic Factors Of Campylobacter Jejuni Required For Its Interactions With Free-Living Amoeba, Deepti Pranay Samarth, Asim Z. Abbasi, Young Min Kwon

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Acanthamoeba, a free-living amoeba ubiquitous in environmental water, has been considered as the environmental reservoir of certain bacterial pathogens, including Campylobacter jejuni, an intracellular human pathogen causing self-limiting gastroenteritis. Acanthamoeba-C. jejuni interaction mechanisms may help clarify how the otherwise fastidious bacterium C. jejuni survives in environmental waters. In this study, we constructed single deletion mutants of C. jejuni strain 81-176 for the 10 selected genes (motAB, ciaB, kpsE, virB11, cheY, flaAB, cstII, docB, sodB, and cadF) previously shown to be important for the interaction (invasion and intracellular survival) of C. jejuni with mammalian hosts. We used a modified gentamicin protection …


Effect Of Heat Stress On Ileal Epithelial Barrier Integrity In Broilers Divergently Selected For High- And Low-Water Efficiency, Elizabeth S. Greene, Brooklee Roach, Maria Fernandez Cuadrado, Sara Orlowski, Sami Dridi Apr 2025

Effect Of Heat Stress On Ileal Epithelial Barrier Integrity In Broilers Divergently Selected For High- And Low-Water Efficiency, Elizabeth S. Greene, Brooklee Roach, Maria Fernandez Cuadrado, Sara Orlowski, Sami Dridi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Water scarcity and rising global temperatures are two of the greatest current and future threats to poultry sustainability. Therefore, selection for water efficiency (WE) and heat resilience are of vital importance. Additionally, intestinal integrity is of critical importance under challenging conditions to maintain nutrient absorption and therefore, growth and performance of broilers. Here, we examined the effect of chronic cyclic heat stress (HS) on the ileal expression profile of tight-junction, gap-junction, adherens, and desmosome genes in the fourth generation of divergently selected low (LWE)- and high water efficient (HWE)-chicken lines. LWE birds exhibited higher levels of gut permeability, regardless of …


Evaluation Of The Effect Of In Ovo Applied Bifidobacteria And Lactic Acid Bacteria On Enteric Colonization By Hatchery-Associated Opportunistic Pathogens And Early Performance In Broiler Chickens, Mitchell C. Rowland, Aaron J. Forga, James Higuita, Makenly E. Coles, Billy M. Hargis, Christine N. Vuong, Danielle Graham Mar 2025

Evaluation Of The Effect Of In Ovo Applied Bifidobacteria And Lactic Acid Bacteria On Enteric Colonization By Hatchery-Associated Opportunistic Pathogens And Early Performance In Broiler Chickens, Mitchell C. Rowland, Aaron J. Forga, James Higuita, Makenly E. Coles, Billy M. Hargis, Christine N. Vuong, Danielle Graham

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Probiotics have been used to promote pioneer colonization by beneficial bacteria in poultry. The purpose of the present study (four trials) was to determine if an in ovo injection with Bifidobacterium saeculare (B2-2, B3-4) and/or lactic acid bacteria (LAB18, LAB46) at d18 of embryogenesis reduced Enterococcus and Gram-negative bacterial colonization in the gut at hatch. An environmental challenge model was used to simulate microbial contamination in large-scale hatch cabinets in a laboratory setting. In all trials, gut homogenates obtained from chicks at hatch were plated to enumerate relevant bacterial populations. Performance was evaluated in trials two and four. The top …


The Mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin Mediates Clostridium Perfringens-Induced Chicken Necrotic Enteritis Attenuated By Secondary Bile Acid Deoxycholic Acid, Mohit Bansal, Tahrir Alenezi, Ying Fu, Janashrit Shrestha, Ayidh Almansour, Hong Wang, Anamika Gupta, Rohana Liyanage, Xiaolun Sun Mar 2025

The Mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin Mediates Clostridium Perfringens-Induced Chicken Necrotic Enteritis Attenuated By Secondary Bile Acid Deoxycholic Acid, Mohit Bansal, Tahrir Alenezi, Ying Fu, Janashrit Shrestha, Ayidh Almansour, Hong Wang, Anamika Gupta, Rohana Liyanage, Xiaolun Sun

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Clostridium perfringens is a prevalent gut bacterial pathogen in humans and animals. This study investigated the role of the mechanistic targets of rapamycin (mTOR) and deoxycholic acid (DCA) on C. perfringens intestinal infection. Chickens were sequentially infected with Eimeria maxima and received the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin and DCA. C. perfringens-induced necrotic enteritis (NE) was evaluated using body weight gain (BWG), histopathology, bile acids, pathogen colonization, cell infiltration and death, and gene expression. The significant difference of p < 0.05 was analyzed by one-way ANOVA and multiple comparisons. Notably, rapamycin strongly reduced the subclinical and clinical NE histopathologies. DCA and DCA combined with rapamycin alleviated clinical NE and BWG loss. Rapamycin, DCA, and DCA + rapamycin attenuated bile acid reduction in NE birds, and they also reduced immune cell infiltration into the intestinal lamina propria as well as immune cell migration in vitro. At molecular levels, DCA and DCA + rapamycin reduced proinflammatory IFN gamma, MMP9, IL23, and IL17 gene expression. Rapamycin, DCA, and DCA + rapamycin reduced NE-induced intestinal cell apoptosis. Together, these results suggest that mTOR signaling mediates C. perfringens-induced ileitis, and combining mTOR inhibition and DCA improves the intervention efficacy against NE ileitis and BWG loss.


Mitochondrial Dysfunction Is A Hallmark Of Woody Breast Myopathy In Broiler Chickens, Elizabeth S. Greene, Paula R. Chen, Carrie Walk, Mike Bedford, Sami Dridi Feb 2025

Mitochondrial Dysfunction Is A Hallmark Of Woody Breast Myopathy In Broiler Chickens, Elizabeth S. Greene, Paula R. Chen, Carrie Walk, Mike Bedford, Sami Dridi

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

The woody breast (WB) myopathy poses significant economic and welfare concerns to the poultry industry, however, there is no effective strategy to mitigate this pathology due to its unknown etiology. After showing previously that hypoxia is a key factor in WB progression, we used here various techniques demonstrating dysregulated mitochondria (morphology, biogenesis, tethering, function, and bioenergetics) in WB-affected muscles and in hypoxic myoblasts compared to healthy tissues and normoxic cells, respectively. The increased levels of calcium (Ca2+) in both WB-affected tissues and hypoxic myoblasts suggested that mitochondrial Ca2+ overload is likely a leading cause for mitochondrial dysfunction that merits further …


Effects Of Genetic Strain, Stocking Density, And Age On Broiler Behavior, Rosie Whittle, Darrin M. Karcher, M. A. Erasmus, Shawna L. Weimer Feb 2025

Effects Of Genetic Strain, Stocking Density, And Age On Broiler Behavior, Rosie Whittle, Darrin M. Karcher, M. A. Erasmus, Shawna L. Weimer

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Fast growth rate and stocking density are global animal welfare concerns for broiler chickens. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of genetic strain and stocking density on the behavior of broilers. In a 2 × 2 randomized complete block design, conventional (CONV) and slow-growing (SG) broilers were stocked at either 29 kg/m2 (LO, n = 31 birds/pen) or 37 kg/m2 (HI, n = 40 birds/pen) in 16 pens (n = 4 pens/treatment). On days 25 and 39 (CONV and SG), and 60 (SG only), behavior was observed from video recorded in the …


Sustainable Poultry Education For Undergraduate Students, A. C. Fanatico, A. Kollanoor Johny, A. Upadhyay, S. B. Bramall Feb 2025

Sustainable Poultry Education For Undergraduate Students, A. C. Fanatico, A. Kollanoor Johny, A. Upadhyay, S. B. Bramall

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Sustainable poultry production can help address many critical socio- and environmental issues, including food insecurity, climate crisis, and loss of biodiversity. The education of undergraduate students in poultry science helps prepare a future workforce in poultry production and to develop responsible citizens for global engagement. The University of Connecticut has a poultry project, funded by U.S. Department of Agriculture's Sustainable Agriculture Systems, that researches the sustainability of meat chickens, particularly holistic health and alternatives to antibiotics. The project's education component is led by the Sustainable Development Department at Appalachian State University in partnership with the Universities of Connecticut, Minnesota, …


Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Probiotic And Multivalent Vaccination Strategies In Mitigating Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis Lameness Using A Hybrid Challenge Model, Amanda Anthney, Khawla Alharbi, Ruvindu Perera, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Andi Asnayanti, Reginald Onyema, Sara Reichelt, Antoine Meuter, Palmy R.R. Jesudhasan, Adnan Alrubaye Feb 2025

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Probiotic And Multivalent Vaccination Strategies In Mitigating Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis Lameness Using A Hybrid Challenge Model, Amanda Anthney, Khawla Alharbi, Ruvindu Perera, Anh Dang Trieu Do, Andi Asnayanti, Reginald Onyema, Sara Reichelt, Antoine Meuter, Palmy R.R. Jesudhasan, Adnan Alrubaye

Poultry Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is caused by Salmonella, Staphylococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., and Mycoplasma spp. It is a leading cause of broiler lameness, resulting in economic losses and welfare concerns. BCO occurs when bacteria enter the bloodstream and colonize bone tissue. It is exacerbated by rapid growth, mechanical stress (e.g., repetitive pressure on hock joints and footpads), uneven flooring, or excessive body weight in commercial settings. This study tested the effectiveness of a probiotic program and an inactivated vaccine in reducing BCO lameness. The probiotic program included an Enterococcus faecium spray at hatch and a triple-strain Bacillus-based …