Poultry or Avian Science Commons^™

Re-Survey Of Blastocystis Infection In Free-Living Birds From Urban Xinxiang City, Xuehan Liu, Yingying Cao, Di An, Chengshui Liao, Ruibiao Wang, Bo Wen, Chunling Zhu, Huarun Sun, Longfei Zhang, Baoliang Qin, Yanhui Wang, Jianhe Hu, Yueyu Bai, Ke Ding, Lei Wang

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Blastocystis is the most ubiquitous intestinal protozoan parasite found in humans and animals worldwide. Commonly, ST7 and ST6 are the major Blastocystis subtypes reported in birds, and their frequencies fluctuate greatly with various factors. However, little literature is available on the prevalence and subtype characteristics of this parasite in free-living wild birds in the same city. For this purpose, a total of 114 fresh fecal specimens were collected from wild free-living birds in urban districts of Xinxiang city and tested for Blastocystis using PCR of the barcoding region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The positive isolates …

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) …

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

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 …

Review On Exploring The Potential Of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia Illucens) As A Novel Feed Ingredient For Poultry, Muhammad Naeem Jan, Nasir Rajput, Muhammad Naeem, Sher Ali, Ghulam Shabir Barham, Tehseen Fatima Miano

Journal of Bioresource Management

Poultry provides both direct and indirect employment opportunities to individuals. Every farm owner desires a reduced investment with more earnings. Over 50 % of the overall cost of chicken rearing is allocated to feed stuff. Among all feed ingredients, protein sources are the most expensive, yet protein is essential for production and growth. This exorbitant price cannot be sustained by the small-scale farmers. Consequently, contemporary scientists are attempting to substitute the protein supply with black soldier fly in their formulations. This review study examines the advantageous effect of utilizing Black Soldier Fly powder, larvae or oil, as demonstrated in scientific …

The Official List Of The Birds Of Nebraska: 2024, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The duties of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (NOURC 2010) include:

A. The committee shall publish an official list of the birds of Nebraska.
B. The official list will include all those species whose occurrence has been reported in Nebraska (and approved by the NOURC).
C. The committee shall keep the official list current.
D. The committee shall publish a list of species for which details are requested with every sighting reported.

The 2024 NOURC has completed the above-described duties, and the following is a result of its endeavors.

The “Official List of the Birds of Nebraska” was last …

First Confirmed Nebraska Breeding Record Of The Common Raven (Corvus Corax) Since The 19th Century, Eugene A. Huryn, Jacob C. Cooper

Nebraska Bird Review

In Nebraska, the Common Raven was likely widespread prior to 1900, being codistributed with the American Bison (Bison bison). Records in this time are spotty, but consistent. Thomas Say reported a nearly fledged brood—the only confirmed breeding record in this period—at Fort Calhoun in Washington County on May 12, 1820. A Common Raven was collected at Fort Randall, on the Missouri River just north of the modern Nebraska–South Dakota border, in the fall of 1857 during the Lieutenant Warren Expeditions. Another specimen, now lost, was collected by J. B. Hasty in 1899 in Arapahoe, Furnas County. Bruner et …

Evaluation Of Semen Characteristics And The Impact Of Storage Time In Dong Tao And Ho Indigenous Chickens, Phan Nhan, Nguyen Thi My Phuong

The Philippine Agricultural Scientist

This study aimed to evaluate the semen quality of 2 indigenous Vietnamese chicken breeds, Dong Tao and Ho, and to assess their reproductive potential for breeding and conservation programs. Semen samples were collected from 10 roosters of each breed and analyzed for macroscopic and microscopic traits. The results indicated that both breeds exhibited semen quality within acceptable physiological ranges. Mean semen volume was 0.47 mL in Dong Tao and 0.48 mL in Ho roosters; pH values were 7.47 and 7.42, respectively. Semen color scores (2.39 vs. 2.35), sperm concentrations (2.11 vs. 1.92 × 109/mL), and mass activity scores (3.79 vs. …

Summer Field Report, June–July 2025, W. Ross Silcock

Nebraska Bird Review

I have mentioned previously the breeding categories that are available to observers in eBird checklists. This database is becoming more comprehensive and useful, and I encourage observers to use this eBird feature.

Usefulness of Merlin-derived checklists continues to be an issue. As an example, Merlin seems to love White-winged Doves; there were 52 undocumented Merlin reports of this species this summer, no doubt some correctly identified and acceptable if observers had taken a minute to add even minimal observation details to support Merlin’s identifications.

A vexing issue for me is determining the status of midsummer (i.e. between spring and fall …

The Nebraska Bird Review (September 2025) 93(3), Whole Issue

Nebraska Bird Review

Summer Field Report, June–July 2025, by W. Ross Silcock

First Confirmed Nebraska Breeding Record of the Common Raven (Corvus corax) since the 19th Century, by Eugene A. Huryn and Jacob C. Cooper

2024 (36th) Report of the NOU Records Committee, by Mark A. Brogie

The Official List of the Birds of Nebraska: 2024, compiled by Mark A. Brogie

Subscription and Organization Information

2024 (36th) Report Of The Nou Records Committee, Mark A. Brogie

Nebraska Bird Review

The functions and methods of the Nebraska Ornithologists’ Union Records Committee (NOURC) are described in its bylaws (NOURC 2010). The committee’s purpose is to provide a procedure for documenting unusual bird sightings and to establish a list of all documented birds for Nebraska. Species for which the NOURC seeks documentation (NOURC Review List) can be found at the NOU website: www.NOUbirds.org.

Starting in 2020, the NOURC decided to deal mainly with those species deemed as Accidental on the “Official List of the Birds of Nebraska.” Casual species and out-of- range species are now summarized in the “Seasonal Reports” of the …

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 …

Abundance, Distribution, And Shoaling Of Driftfishes And Allies (Scombriformes: Stromateoidei) In The Pelagic Gulf Of Mexico, Juliet Tretler

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

The suborder Stromateoidei contains 80 species of mesopelagic fishes in five families distributed throughout temperate and tropical seas worldwide, including the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf hereafter). Mesopelagic fishes, especially those that spatially aggregate, serve as important forage items for commercially, recreationally, and ecologically important species of fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. However, knowledge of the ecology and trophic importance of stromateoid fishes in the Gulf is extremely limited. This study provides quantitative information on the species composition, abundance, distribution, and biomass contribution of the stromateoid species to the Gulf deep-pelagic fish assemblage, with comparison to “archetypal” mesopelagic fish families (e.g., …

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 …

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 …

Influence Of Exercise Opportunities On Bone Health In Laying Hens, Jaden Costner, Alexis Clark, Ahmed Ali

Publications

Laying hens are often housed in environments that restrict movement, which may contribute to bone fragility and decreased welfare. These confined environments, such as conventional cage systems, limit exercise and result in poor skeletal development. This study investigates the impact of exercise opportunities on bone health in laying hens by comparing the tibiotarsi and humeri bone characteristics in enriched and unenriched housing environments. A total of 200 hens were housed in pens (20 birds/pen) from 0 to 40 weeks of age. Five pens, which served as the experimental group, were equipped with multi-tier perches and ledges, providing exercise opportunities. In …

In Vitro Assessment Of The Antihistomonal Activity Of Methyl Jasmonate And Jasmonic Acid, Mckayla B. Williams

Poultry Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Histomonas meleagridis is a protozoan parasite and the causative agent of histomonosis in gallinaceous birds. There are currently no approved prevention or treatment options available for histomonosis control in the United States. Mortality in affected turkey flocks can exceed 80% which highlights the urgent need for research investigating novel strategies to mitigate histomonosis in the field. The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antihistomonal and antibacterial effects of of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and jasmonic acid (JA), two plant-derived compounds, in a xenic culture of H. meleagridis. Assays were conducted using cultured H. meleagridis (PHL strain) treated …

Analysis Of The Scleroderma / Systemic Sclerosis Etiopathology Using The University Of California At Davis (Ucd)-Ssc Chicken Line, Angeline E. Rodriguez

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Scleroderma/Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a multifaceted autoimmune disorder affecting approximately 300,000 people in the United States. Main features include vasculitis, immune dysfunction (innate and adaptive), autoantibody production, perivascular leukocyte infiltration, and extensive tissue fibrosis. The University of California, Davis (UCD) SSc chicken line was shown to exhibit all clinical and biological manifestations of human SSc. One early and distinctive clinical sign in both humans and UCD-SSc chickens is Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP), characterized by decreased blood flow in extremities and skin lesions. RP-like lesions develop in combs of UCD-SSc chickens within one- to two-weeks post-hatch, progressing from erythema and edema to …

Impact Of Lighting Wavelength On Broiler Behavior, Health, And Performance, Angela Perretti

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lighting influences broiler production, health, and behavior. Due to their advanced visual system, avian species perceive a wide spectrum of light. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of white (W, 350 to 780 nm) blue (B, 450 nm), and green (G, 560 nm) light on broiler production, processing performance, activity, fear, stress, blood cell profiles, tibiotarsi (tibia) morphology, and depth perception. Day-of-hatch by-product chicks from a Cobb 500 female line (N=600) were randomly assigned to 12 pens (N=4 treatment replicates). Body weight and feed consumption were recorded on day (D) 0, 14, 28, and 41, and …

Hepatic Lipid Metabolism Of High And Low Water-Efficient Broiler Lines Under Heat Stress, Maria Fernandez Cuadrado

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Heat stress (HS) is one of the most critical environmental challenges negatively impacting global poultry production, significantly compromising broiler performance, welfare, and economic viability. Specifically, heat stress profoundly disrupts physiological and metabolic processes, including hepatic lipid metabolism. Two broiler lines were divergently selected for high (HWE) or low (LWE) water efficiency. Heat-stressed HWE birds showed reduced fat content compared to their LWE counterparts, and HS reduced abdominal fat content in both lines. The purpose of this study was to determine the difference in underlying molecular mechanisms involved in this divergent fat content between the lines. Day-old chicks were placed in …