Six experiments were conducted to validate the hypothesis that Lys and SAA requirements decrease within the starter phase using 3-day periods from 2 to 11 d of age. In the first 3 experiments, 7 diets were generated by adding L-Lys to a lysine deficient basal diet in 0.10% increments, ranging from 0.85 to 1.45% Digestible Lys. In Experiments 4 to 6, 7 diets were generated by adding 0.07% increments

This study aimed to characterize the morphological traits and mineral composition of the tibia of healthy broilers under commercial practices in the UK. Morphological data and mineral composition of tibia of 432 healthy Ross 308 broilers (216 male and 216 female) were collected from 6 farms in Nottinghamshire, The UK. Each farm obtained its birds from 10 hatcheries. The birds in all farms received

Foodborne pathogens, such as Salmonella are problematic in food processing environments, and understanding the means of persistence is critical in the development of effective control measures. This study determined the antimicrobial tolerance of Salmonella isolates from the processing environment and characterized their biofilm production and antibiotic resistance. Twenty-five Salmonella isolates

Mitigation of food pathogens such as Salmonella continues to be a focus in poultry production, whether on shell eggs or meat products. No single approach is fully able to eliminate the risk, but rather comprehensive programs are used in a multi-faceted approach. Targeted in-feed additives are a component of a food safety program and may help to reduce Salmonella infection. This study was aimed to evaluate

Currently, the mass culling of infected poultry as well as those that may have had contact with them is an essential part of prevention and disease control strategy, amidst the growing concerns over the avian influenza virus (AIV) spreading nationwide; however, it is largely dependent on effective biosecurity measures, including disinfection. Although many disinfectants are commercially available for

Apart from soybean meal, alternative sources of protein are a long-term concern facing commercial broiler producers. These alternative protein sources must be rich in protein, have a balanced amino acid profile, be highly digestible, be nutritionally safe for the bird, and ideally contain some other intrinsic value. Spirulina platensis is a microalgae that is growing in popularity due to its high protein

During incubation, temperature is the main environmental condition affecting the hatchability and chick quality. The effect of high temperature after the first week of incubation to hatching has been widely investigated. However very little is known during the early period of incubation. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of increased eggshell temperature (EST) during the first 6 embryonic

The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of combinations of organic, inorganic acidifier and essential oil blends on growth performance and intestinal health of broilers. A total of 1,200 Vencobb 400 male and female chicks were randomly distributed to 6 treatment groups with 10 replicates of 20 birds each. Treatments groups were Control (C) without acidifier, combination of inorganic

The study was conducted to evaluate the on-farm growth and egg production performance of three tropically adapted chicken breeds in western Amhara region of Ethiopia. Kuroiler, Sasso and Sasso-R were tested under the on-farm condition for 45 weeks. In total 216 were included in the on-farm test. Breed by location interaction affects the body weight and daily weight gain, egg production, hen-day egg

Commercial poultry hatcheries provide ideal conditions for the multiplication and spread of microorganisms. Formaldehyde is widely used as a disinfectant; however, it is harmful to human health and can cause abnormal morphology in chicks. An alternative microbiological control is the use of copper, a metallic antimicrobial agent for contact surfaces. The antimicrobial efficacy of copper surfaces has

Previous research within our laboratory determined the optimal male Ross 708 dIle:dLys ratio for the starter phase to be greater than recent breeder recommendations (70 vs. 67%). Thus, the current objective was to assess the subsequent growth phase (grower) in order to evaluate the optimal dIle:dLys ratio for maximized growth performance of Ross 708 x Ross YP male broilers. On d of hatch, 2,400 chicks

Microbiome plasticity in chickens provides an attractive target for future potential therapeutic platforms. However, a better understanding of the chicken microbial ecology and how interventions such as xylanase addition can modulate this is needed. Interest in xylanase as an essential additive for livestock in manipulating growth performance has been reported as early as 1980s. In this paper, we describe

Soybean meal (SBM), a co-product of soybean oil obtained via solvent or mechanical extrusion, is the key protein source in broiler diet formulations. Mechanical extrusion, or high-temperature processing with high-shear dry extrusion, has demonstrated 1-2% increased amino acid digestibility in broilers versus solvent-extracted SBM through reduction of anti-nutritional factors (ANF). High-shear dry extrusion

The objective of this work is to investigate the feed supplementation with Bacillus subtilis-based probiotic and methanol extraction of anticoccidial herbs (leaves of Artemisia annua Linn., Dichroa febrifuga Lour., and peel of Punica granatum L.) individually or in combination as alternatives during chicken E. tenella infection. A total of 264 chickens were divided into 11 groups (n = 8 × 3). They

The image processing of muscular fibers has seen significant improvements over the last decades, from light microscopy acquisition to virtual microscopy and from manual segmentation and fiber typing to automatic. The present study aims to discuss the main tools employed in different histo-enzymological image processing phases applied to muscle fibers, which are respectively: the acquisition, segmentation

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is an economically significant pathogen of poultry which results in severe disease especially when complicated by other respiratory pathogens. The objectives of this study, were to establish preliminary baseline data on the respiratory pathogens in MG positive commercial turkey flocks in California and to identify key predictor variables of MG serologic status. The retrospective

The present studies evaluated the use of two common poultry specific Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) of differing light warmth (2,700 K and 5,000 K). Additionally, the studies evaluated the effects of providing a choice between LED bulbs of differing light warmth to broilers for production, distribution, feeding, and drinking behavior. Chicks were housed in choice systems consisting of two rooms with

Raising chickens is a rapidly growing subsector in the livestock industry. However, low biosecurity results in increased diseases spread and the use of drugs in chicken flocks. Increased use of drugs threatens public health, as it poses risks of drug residues and resistant pathogens escaping into chicken food chains or infect humans respectively. A cross sectional questionnaire survey and on-field

The popularity of free-range and organic poultry has increased in recent years due to consumer demands. A study was conducted to evaluate how the presence of organic dairy cattle manure could influence the environmental and egg microbiology of organic free-range laying flocks. A flock of brown egg layers was split and maintained in a rotational paddock grazing schedule of which was free of or exposed

Genetic improvement of muscle and meat quantity and quality of broiler chicken over the last fifty years played a key role in broiler meat production. Thermal manipulation technique has been suggested to promote muscle growth and development. The combination of incubating temperature and timing or duration is very critical to determine the optimum protocol of thermal manipulation which underlines muscle

This study evaluated the effects of whole-grain rice (WGR) on pellet quality, geese performance, and economic benefits. A total of 360 one-day-old healthy male Jiangnan White goslings with similar body weight (BW) were randomly divided into 2 groups with 6 replicates per group and 30 geese per replicate. Pelleted diets were prepared with WGR for the experimental group and crushed rice (CR) for the

Salmonellosis is a significant public health risk and is often associated with the consumption of poultry products. Colonization of poultry by Salmonella may be affected by dietary ingredients. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of hulless barley (HB) and β-glucanase (BGase) on Salmonella colonization in broiler chickens. Day-old broilers (200) were placed in battery cages and fed

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of embryonic thermal manipulation and dietary fat source during the finisher period on carcass characteristics and breast muscle myopathies following acute heat stress. Thermal manipulation (TM) of incubation temperatures has been shown to improve bird resistance to heat stress and enhance breast muscle growth. Fat supplementation is frequently

Broiler meat is a high-quality food for humans, and is worldwide consumed. Brazil plays an important role in the poultry industry and in its South region is situated the most important producer. Recently, alterations on the meat aspect have been aroused the interest of researchers to clarify their causes. In this way, the objective of this investigation was to evaluate the relationship between environmental

This experiment was conducted to assess a protocol combining 20% excess dietary methionine above the modern breeder pullet's requirement and AviPro MGF vaccine in controlling Mycoplasma gallispeticum (MG) infection. In a complete randomized design, a total of 276 6-wk-old breeder pullets, of the Ross 308 strain were allocated into 4 treatments, each with 3 floor pen replicates of 23 birds/pen: 1) nonvaccinated

The study examined the distribution of Cobb 700 broiler chickens in large (1.524 m × 6.096 m) pens under commercial conditions with 2 nipple waterer lines and a single feeder. The light intensity in the house was 4 lx provided by light emitting diode lighting but with supplementary lighting along the feeder line. There was a gradation of light intensity from 100 lx at bird level by the feeders to 4

Amakusa Daioh cross chickens from Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu Island, Japan, are F1 hybrid chickens resulting from a cross between the Amakusa Daioh and Kyushu Rhode breeds. A significant association has been reported between a SNP (AB604331, g.420 C>A) in the cholecystokinin type A receptor gene and growth traits in some Japanese slow-growing chickens. This genetic improvement effect was examined

The ban on the use of antibiotics in feed for broiler chickens in some parts of the world, coupled with increasing consumer demand for antibiotics-free poultry products, has in recent decades increased the interest of poultry researchers and producers to identify suitable alternatives to such antibiotics. One such alternative is yeast (S. cerevisiae). This review discusses the potential of probiotic

Although many studies have attempted to determine the effect of goose age on egg weight, the relationship remains unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of the relevant literature in an attempt to provide clarity on this question. We found that goose egg weight changes with age and that he greatest amount of yolk is produced following the second laying season, after which laying performance tends to

We studied the on-farm variety of thermotolerant Campylobacter strains isolated from field samples received over a 12-mo period from four broiler-producing companies in southern Brazil. In total, 515 of 807 (63.8%) of analyzed samples were found to be Campylobacter-positive. Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli were detected; the first one being more frequently isolated (98.2%). The highest antimicrobial

Aluminum doped magnetite (Fe3O4) magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) has been used as an effective sorbent to remove phosphorus (P) species in poultry processing wastewaters. It was found that spent MNP contains approximately 13% of P by weight. A study was conducted to evaluate the potential of using spent MNP as a P source. A total of 240 one-day-old male broilers were randomly allocated to four dietary

Dietary vitamin E supplementation has been indicated to enhance the antioxidant capacity of breeders. As breeders age, the productive and reproductive performance rapidly decline, and whether dietary vitamin E supplementation can play a positive role in this process. Here, two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation on laying performance, hatchability traits

Litter sampling is utilized as a noninvasive and practical method to determine broiler flock Salmonella status. The common methods include boot cover/sock (BC), drag swab (DS), or litter grab sampling (LG). Roller swabs are a new research method that can be used to sample litter without entering research pens. This study aimed to assess the use of roller swabs (RS) for Salmonella (S) detection in comparison

While the effects of stocking density on broiler welfare and performance have been extensively and regularly studied as genetics and production models have evolved, feeder space recommendations has received less attention. Most feeder space data for broilers dates from the 1950’s and 1960’s, with relatively few assessments since, targeting market weights below 2.5 kg. This study examined live performance

This study analyzed the effect of sodium bisulfate (SBS) supplementation on performance, intestinal morphology, and vitamin D3 status of broilers subjected to a 2X dose coccidiosis vaccine. Coccidiosis causes detrimental effects to poultry health and substantial economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. At day of placement, 800 one-day-old male Cobb500 broiler chicks were randomly assigned

This study aims to determine the influence of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) on performance, clinical and pathological pictures, virulence gene expression, and electron microscopy of experimentally induced Escherichia coli infection (colisepticemia) in broiler chickens. One-day-old chickens (n = 120) were segregated into 4 equal groups (1–4) with 3 replicates of 10 birds each. Birds were fed mash diet

Two independent trials were conducted to assess the effect of Herbanoplex CP (HB) on broiler chicken's performance using a 1) a nondefined challenge or 2) necrotic enteritis (NE) challenge model with intestinal lesion scoring. Herbanoplex CP is a unique combination of phytocompounds (ground hops, wheat germ, and chicory). In Exp 1, 400-day-old male chicks (Cobb 500) were individually tagged, weighed

Salmonella is an important foodborne pathogen, recognized globally, which can be introduced to humans through poultry products. Producers of poultry meat and eggs mitigate this threat through several means including vaccination. Salmonella Infantis has received recent attention due to outbreaks and contamination of processing facilities. Three floor pen experiments evaluated the efficacy of a modified

Improving pellet quality (PQ) by increasing the percentage of pellets in finished feed is complicated. The hurdles of feed manufacturing are well documented. Researchers continue to investigate the effects of PQ on various performance parameters, yet additional PQ benefits must be presented to stimulate change in feed manufacturing practices. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the

The aptitude of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) for changing its surface proteins allows the pathogen to reduce the efficacy of antimicrobial agents, especially those targeting surface proteins. Although antibiotic treatment cannot be a solution for the eradication of avian mycoplasmosis, it can be considered a good option to minimize the number of deaths. One of the challenges of antibiotic treatments

The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of 2 captive bolt devices in the euthanasia of market age Pekin ducks. One hundred twenty ducks were euthanized using either a commercially available captive bolt device (Zephyr-EXL, n = 60) or an Experimental Crossbow captive bolt device (n = 60). Ducks were euthanized and observed for pupillary light reflex, nictitating membrane reflex, cessation

Ammonia buildup in poultry houses is a concern for the poultry industry as it can lead to potential losses because of reduced bird performance, damage to the birds' skin and respiratory tract, and loss of customers owing to animal welfare issues. Current methods for ammonia control are useful, but there is considerable variation in ammonia levels from farm to farm. A potential strategy for eliminating

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing concern for human and animal health. Public awareness of these issues has contributed to increased demand for organic food. In poultry production, there are 3 major production types: no antibiotic ever, organic, and conventional. Organics have been considered safer alternatives that carry fewer antibiotic-resistant bacteria and have less incidence of stable

Alpha-monolaurin has been demonstrated to have antipathogenic properties and is therefore used as feed additive for broilers to prevent infectious diseases and improve production performance. As its antiviral effect is thought to be exerted by disintegrating the viral envelope, α-monolaurin might counteract with the current vaccination programs used in poultry production that are based on administering

At present, the poultry industry places great importance on natural pigment products to achieve an acceptable yolk color for the market. To determine the effect of achiote seed powder on the external and internal egg quality, a total of 400 Dekalb White egg-laying hens at 38 wk of age were placed for 56 d in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 20 replicate cages. Treatments consist

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of graded inclusion of almond hulls on growth performance, body composition, digestive tract weight, and liver antioxidant capacity of broilers. A total of 420 one-day-old Cobb male chicks was randomly allocated to 5 experimental treatments with 6 replicates of 14 birds each for 19 d of age. The five dietary treatments consisted of a corn-soybean

Four experiments were conducted to study the effect of supplementing different concentrations of xylanase (Xyl) (3,200–24,000 u/kg) and α-amylase (Amy) (300–2,250 u/kg) to corn-soybean meal (SBM)–based diets on performance, carcass variables, and apparent ileal digestibility of energy (AIDE) in broiler chicken. Corn–SBM–based diet without the enzymes was kept as the control. Each diet was fed ad libitum

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary amino acid density and exogenous protease inclusion on growth performance and amino acid digestibility in poultry. In experiment 1, Cobb 500 broiler chicks (n = 480) were fed to 21 d of age. Treatments were arranged as a 2 × 4 factorial design with main effects of commercial protease (with or without) and amino acid density which corresponded

Pretesting of any new animal housing system in Sweden must include an evaluation of animal welfare. In 2013, a Swedish hatching company applied to the competent authority (CA) for permission to import, install, and bring into use a system with large furnished cages for breeding birds of layer strains, with ∼70 birds per cage (compared with the current 16 birds per cage). Pretesting of the system was

Water scarcity is a global reality and with the anticipated population growth, freshwater resources will be further strained to meet both human and agriculture applications. To ensure a water sustainable and food secure future, all aspects of agriculture must become more efficient. Two strategies were explored. The first strategy was to develop a more efficient and accurate method for measuring water

The following research report provides information regarding the bacterial contamination that exists in feed ingredients and mixed animal feeds collected from 4 commercial feed mills and the research feed mill from Auburn University. The experiment was conducted to establish if feed ingredients or commercial animal feeds serve as sources of contamination of Salmonella, Escherichia coli (EC), and Clostridium

Feed mill pellet production rate is of great importance to integrated meat bird production. Ingredients such as dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), inorganic phosphate source (IPS), and fat influence production rate and feed quality because of their composition. The naturally abrasive properties of an IPS may scour the pellet die and affect the feed production rate. The objective of the study

An experiment was conducted to evaluate high doses of phytase associated with multicarbohydrase complex in diets with a nutritional reduction on feed cost, performance, intestinal morphometry, digesta viscosity, blood and bone parameters, and carcass yield of broilers. For this purpose, 1,540 1-day-old male broiler chicks were distributed in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments, with 14

Modern broilers have been selected for rapid growth but demonstrate reduced heat tolerance toward market age. As the poultry industry expands globally, strategies must be developed to support broiler performance in challenging climates. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of embryonic thermal manipulation (TM) and dietary fat source during the finisher period on broiler performance

In the present study the occurrence of turkey carcass alterations such as breast skin lesions, liver lesions, and swelling of the hock joint in turkeys reared in organic farms was investigated at slaughterhouses in Germany. The examinations included 1,860 turkey carcasses of 2 turkey lines Kelly Broad Breasted Bronze(BBB) (540 toms and 540 hens) and British United Turkeys (Big 6 and The Test Product

To explore the role of insulin and forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1) on cell proliferation regulated by sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) in goose primary hepatocyte, goose primary hepatocytes were isolated and incubated with Sirt1 inhibitor and nicotinamide, and then, some hepatocytes were transfected with FoxO1 interference plasmid or treated with insulin. The indexes related with cell proliferation were measured

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of phytase and multicarbohydrase (MC) on growth performance, bone ash, and nutrient digestibility in broilers fed a nutritionally reduced diet. A total of 480 Cobb 500 male broilers were randomly allocated to 8 treatments with 6 replicates of 10 birds each. Experimental diets consisted of a positive control (PC); a negative control (NC) with the reduction

The use of nutritional requirements adjusted to the new broiler genotypes defines their optimal genetic expression. Thus, broiler breeders, universities, and scientific institutions have carried out research with different nutritional requirements to improve the productive efficiency of broilers and decrease production costs. This test aimed to evaluate the growth performance and carcass characteristics

This study was conducted to establish the optimal digestible arginine (dArg) to digestible lysine (dLys) ratio of Yield Plus Male × Ross 708 male broilers from 1 to 14 d of age, 1 to 25 d of age (experiment 1), and 25 to 42 d of age (experiment 2) based on growth performance, feed utilization, and processing yields. Diets were comprised of corn, wheat middlings, corn gluten meal, poultry meal, and

While the number of students pursuing animal science degrees is increasing, more students are further removed from food animal production. There are not enough graduates to fill available jobs in agriculture. The poultry industry has a strong presence in the Midwest, but there are limited opportunities in many undergraduate programs to expose students to the industry and careers. Therefore, we created