An experiment was conducted to evaluate effects of dietary energy level and 1,3-diacylglycerol (DAG) on growth performance and carcass characteristics in broilers. A 2 × 2 completely randomized factorial arrangement was used in this study with Cobb standard or reduced levels of dietary energy and inclusion of DAG at 0 or 0.1%. For the standard energy group, metabolizable energy (ME) was formulated

Histomoniasis, an infectious disease of turkeys and other gallinaceous birds, has significant impacts on the health and welfare of infected turkey flocks. No preventatives or treatments for the disease are available. In the current study, the proximity of broiler breeder farms as a potential risk factor for histomoniasis in grow-out tom flocks was assessed using 2015 retrospective data provided by

Vaccination against influenza continues to be the primary method of control in many countries, but there is still a strong reliance on autogenous vaccines adjuvated with mineral oil emulsions known to induce overly high local inflammatory responses and lesions at the site of injection. The studies presented herein investigate various combinations of mannosylated chitosan adjuvant (MCA) and/or recombinant

There are various health benefits associated with people consuming sufficient quantities of omega-3 fatty acids, with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in particular impacting cardiovascular and mental health as well as influencing the immune response. Dietary deficiencies of omega-3 are common globally, and an emerging strategy to compensate is the enrichment of frequently consumed foods. Chicken meat represents

Salmonella is the most common pathogen in poultry associated to foodborne outbreaks. There is concern about the use of sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) during antimicrobial interventions in broiler chickens processing, due to trihalomethanes (THMs) generation through oxidation of organic matter. In this study, we showed the effectiveness of neutral electrolyzed water (NEW) in broiler chickens, and their

Previous research in our lab has revealed that feeding crumbled diets with various levels of starter digestible Lys (dLys) and AME affects early FCR (corrected and uncorrected for mortality) of Cobb MV × Cobb 500 broilers. However, overall performance was not affected, likely due to treatment application occurring in the starter phase. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate a 3 dLys

This study aimed to evaluate two phytases, at two supplementation doses, in broiler diets with nutritional matrices with reduction in Ca: total P (tP) ratio. One-day-old male chicks (n=3960) were distributed in an arrangement of 12 treatments, with 10 replicates each; the experimental unit consisted of a floor pen with 33 birds each. Trial lasted up to 42 days, and birds were given the experimental

An experiment was conducted to evaluate early broiler performance, tibia mineralization, and mineral digestibility of broilers fed diets that differed in inorganic feed phosphates (IFP) but that were formulated to be either similar in dietary non-phytate phosphorus (nPP) and calcium to phosphorus ratio (Ca:P), total mineral content, or calculated prececal digestible phosphorus (CPDP). Dicalcium phosphate

Distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS) is an alternative ingredient in poultry diets. However, DDGS has high concentrations of non-starch polysaccharides, which limits its inclusion in broiler diets. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effect of inclusion level of DDGS in broiler diets from 22 to 42 days of age. A total of 980 22-days-old broilers with an average BW of 923 ± 4 g

The objective of this study was to evaluate the immune effects and the dynamics of intestinal integrity in broilers challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) and treated continuously with yeast cell wall (YCW). At 4 d post-hatch (2 dpi and post-start of treatment), challenged animals presented the highest intestinal permeability (P < 0.05). The number of circulating leukocytes was highest in the

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of age of broiler breeders and storage duration on quality traits and blastoderm of eggs obtained from Marshall® broiler breeders. A total of 320 eggs were collected from two flocks, 43 weeks and 65 weeks old. Eggs were sampled immediately after collection and subjected to storage duration of 0 (control), 4, 7 and 10 days at 160C and 80% RH. Extended

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of different concentrations of ammonia on laying performance and Toll-like receptor (TLR) and cytokine mRNA expression in Shanma ducks. The experiment is a 2 × 3 × 4 three-factor mixed experimental design. The feeding density is 18 ducks per 2.2 square meter (high density) and 12 ducks per 2.2 square meter (low density). The ammonia concentration

The increase and spread of antimicrobial resistance, particularly multidrug resistance (MDR), in Salmonella isolated from food animal pose a serious public health concern worldwide. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterize antimicrobial resistance and analyze the transferability of integrons and antimicrobial resistance genes in MDR Salmonella isolates from retail chicken meat in

Salmonella is the second main cause of foodborne illness in poultry production. It is one of the most problematic zoonoses in terms of public health worldwide because of the difficulty in controlling it and its significant morbidity and mortality rates. Recent surveys have shown that small flocks of laying hens have the same or higher prevalence of salmonellosis than larger flocks, mainly due to a

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of ultraviolet light supplementation on production parameters, fear responses, and stress susceptibility in broiler chickens. Birds were reared under either light emitting diode (LED) bulbs supplemented with UV light fixtures (UV) or just LEDs (Control). Growth, feed conversion, tonic immobility, inversion, composite asymmetry, plasma corticosterone

An experiment was conducted to evaluate correlations between in vitro phytase activity after pelleting and broiler performance, tibia mineralization, and plasma myo-inositol of broilers fed diets containing different phytase enzymes conditioned at 3 different temperatures (70°C, 80°C, and 90°C). Dietary treatments included a positive control (0.9% calcium [Ca] and 0.4% nonphytate phosphorus [nPP])

To find an efficient control method for gizzard erosion (GE) caused by fowl adenovirus serotype 1 (FAdV-1) infection in poultry farms, we examined the virucidal effects of commercial disinfectants. In laboratory tests, the virucidal effects of the disinfectants calcium hydroxide (CHO), glutaraldehyde (GLT), orthodichlorobenzene, cresol, and didecyldimethylammonium chloride against FAdV-1s were examined

The Cobb MV × Cobb 700 male broiler was evaluated for BW and feed conversion ratio (FCR) when fed diets of increasing levels of digestible lysine (Lys) and ME within each growing phase (0–12 D, 12–26 D, 26–35 D, and 35–55 D). Male BW was highest (P < 0.0001) at 12 D of age for birds fed 1.24% digestible Lys and 3,194 ME vs. birds fed 1.20% digestible Lys and 3,084 ME. Male BW were also highest (P <

Campylobacter is a major foodborne pathogen associated with the consumption or handling of raw or undercooked poultry meat. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of commercial probiotic and organic acid (OA) feed additives for the reduction of Campylobacter coli. Supernatants from 4 probiotic strains were cocultured with C. coli at different dilutions. Probiotic

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of digestible essential AA density (dEAA) on the performance and processing yield of straight-run Cobb 700 × MV broilers. Broilers were fed a control diet based on the breeder's nutrient recommendations or one of 4 treatments consisting of 5% incremental increases in dEAA density over the control (+5, +10, +15, and +20% dEAA). The digestible lysine

This study was conducted to research the effect of overfeeding on antioxidant capacity of serum, liver, gut, and breast muscle in Gang Goose and Tianfu Meat Goose. Fifty-five Gang Geese and 55 Tianfu Meat Geese were separated respectively into a control group and an overfed group randomly (15 birds in control group, 40 birds in overfed group); all birds were slaughtered after overfeeding for 3 wk.

Vaccination with live anticoccidial vaccine is widely practiced to control coccidiosis in broiler breeders. However, vaccination during feed restriction may affect early pullet growth. Two experiments were conducted using Cobb-500-FF broiler breeder female chicks to evaluate the level of immunity generated by a live anticoccidial vaccine and to study the effects of vaccination with low doses of Eimeria

Physiological stress is known to promote economic losses by causing immunosuppression. Various factors induce stress, including non-optimal management and infection with various pathogens. The concentration of the stress hormone, corticosterone, is indicative of stress in birds. However, its measurement is difficult due to its elevation caused by catching, handling, bleeding, short half-life in the

The magnitude and timing of broiler responses to dietary amino acid (AA) density can vary between sexes and among genetic lines. Two experiments (Exp) were conducted to determine the responsiveness of Cobb MV × 700 broilers to changes in dietary AA density. In Exp 1, low (L), medium (M), and high (H) AA density diets were maintained across starter and grower phases in a 28 d growth performance trial

This study investigated the effects of an essential oil mixture (EOM; Eucalyptus globulus labill, Tymus vulgaris, Cymbopogon nardus, and Syzgium aromaticum) added to drinking water on temperature-stressed broilers. The performance parameters (body weight, average daily weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio), meat quality, and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were evaluated.

This study evaluated the additive effects of a commercial feed supplementation blend (Ava Cid P)—consisting of humic substances, coated sodium butyrate, and a small acidifier portion—on the growth, immune response, and gut health of broiler chickens. A total of 540 female and 540 male broilers were raised from 1–49 d. On the first day, the animals were distributed in a completely randomized 2 × 5 factorial

Limitations in beak size of newly hatched chicks have led the majority of broiler integrators in the United States to feed crumbles during the starter period. Previous research has reported improved growth performance on birds fed micro pellets during the starter period. However, research evaluating the effects of feeding micro pellets in the grower and finisher periods of broilers is sparse. Two experiments

The influence of different calcium source and calcium levels on the growth performance, immune organ indexes, intestinal microbiota and morphology of broiler chickens was studied. We used scallop shells to produce active dicalcium phosphate (ADP), shell powder cleaned by acetic acid (SCAC), and shell powder cleaned by distilled water (SS). A total of 300 1-d-old broiler chickens were randomly assigned

The current study investigated the effect of heat processing or carbohydrase enzyme addition on egg production, egg quality, egg fatty acid composition, tocopherol content, and lipid oxidation products in eggs from layer hens fed flaxseed. A total of ninety-six 23-wk-old white leghorn laying hens were kept in individual cages and were randomly allocated to 4 treatment groups, with 6 replicates containing

The primary purpose of this study was 2-fold. First, it was important to investigate the effects of short-term feeding of Lactobacillus species (plantarum, paracasei, and rhamnosus) via water on nitrogen compounds in manure and blood serum. Second, the effects of sunflower seed meal (SFM) on the same compounds were investigated. Components measured were: ammonia (NH3) emissions from manure, and ammonium

The U.S. broiler industry is trending toward antibiotic-free (ABF) production because of increasing concerns on antimicrobial resistance in human medicinal treatments. Given the differences in performance observed between ABF diets and conventional diets, changes in feeding and drinking behaviors may result. The objective of this study was to characterize feeding and drinking behaviors of male broilers

As production of cost-effective feed with minimal side effects on the environment is the main challenge in the feed industry, improving the bioavailability of nutrients, particularly phosphorous (P) is one way to approach these goals. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feed pretreatment with commercial exogenous enzymes on P releasing from phytate and assessing the bioavailability of

High concentrations of dietary Cu have been shown to improve growth performance of broilers raised without antibiotics. A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding high concentrations of dietary Cu to male broilers from 29 to 53 D of age. Broilers received common diets containing 135 mg/kg of supplemental Cu until 28 D of age. During the finisher 1 (29–40 D of age) and finisher 2 (41–53 D

A considerable segment of the broiler industry in the US grinds corn to approximately 800 μm regardless of the production period of broilers. However, research evaluating optimum corn particle size during each production period is sparse. Therefore, 3 experiments were conducted to determine the effect of corn particle size on growth performance of broilers during the starter, grower, and finisher periods

The purpose of this article is to review and discuss several issues concerning amino acid digestibility in poultry nutrition which are not totally resolved. Some issues are more resolved than others. These issues are as follows: Which method should be used to determine amino acid digestibility? Are amino acid digestibility values determined with cecectomized roosters similar to and interchangeable

Precision livestock feeding aims to match nutrient supply precisely with the nutrient requirements of individual animals, based on real-time feedback from sensors. The benefits include greater economic returns, reduced excretion to the environment, and improved efficiency of resource utilization. Animal models must be further developed and integrated with new and existing smart machines designed to

The percentage of broiler complex processing plants slaughtering big birds (e.g., those greater than 3.5 kg) has steadily increased in the United States the past 15 yr. Precision amino acids in dietary formulation is key as the growing cycle for these birds is extended, as well as total feed consumed. Furthermore, broilers reared for big-bird slaughter plants are destined for specialty breast meat

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of crude glycerin (CG) levels on performance, blood parameters, carcass yield and cuts, carcass chemical composition, and meat quality in broiler chickens. A total of 1,056 birds were randomly distributed into 2 experimental phases. In phase 1 (1–21 D), 6 levels of CG (0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9%) were supplemented in the diets, CG was supplemented

Availability and expense of preferred bedding materials such as pine shavings has prompted evaluation of other materials. Grass hay derived from high-yielding biomass cultivars has been successfully employed as bedding material in both research and commercial applications. Grass hay for ruminant feed can be stored outdoors if protected, and outdoor storage may provide additional flexibility in transportation

Lactobacillus species have been reported to reduce nitrogen-containing compounds in poultry manure and produce a safe environment for birds and humans. The effects of Lactobacillus species (Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus) on production performance, nitrogenous compounds in manure, specific biological components in serum, and uric acid (UA) concentration

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of a phytogenic compound (Alquernat Nebsui L [ANL]) applied through drinking water on hen day egg production (HDEP), egg quality, and small intestine histomorphology of Hy-Line W-36 laying hens from 65 to 73 wk of age. A total of 90 hens were randomly allocated into 2 treatment groups with 15 replicate cages, and each cage containing 3 hens. Hens

Increasing conditioning temperature and conditioning time has been considered a feed manufacture strategy to improve feed hygienics that may also affect feed production and nutritional quality. The objective of the study was to assess how varying steam conditioning temperatures and conditioning times interacted to affect pellet manufacture variables, true amino acid digestibility, and exogenous mixer-added

Consumer demands for chickens raised without the use of antibiotics, legislative restrictions, and trade opportunities have encouraged many integrators within the poultry industry to raise poultry without antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) and ionophores. However, with the removal of AGPs and ionophores, the incidence of enteric diseases such as coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis (NE), caused by Eimeria

Heat stress is a major problem in the poultry industry, especially during summer months and when birds are raised under high-density conditions. Previous studies have reported that vitamin C or electrolyte supplementation could palliate the effects of heat stress in broiler chickens. The present study evaluated the effect of a mineral and vitamin mix (AHS) added to drinking water on the performance

This experiment was planned to investigate the efficiency of dietary crude protein (CP) levels (normal, medium [90% of the normal CP level] and low [80% of the normal CP level]) and betaine (Bet; 0 and 1 g/kg of diet) in broilers under heat stress (HS) conditions. A total of 672 one-day-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 7 treatments (4 pens/treatment with 24 birds/pen). All experimental

With the continued development of highly accurate and rapid near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) analyses of nutrient profiles of poultry feed ingredients, it is possible to successfully implement NIRS into large-scale commercial formulation programs. In addition, these real-time feed ingredient analyses make use of modeling programs that factor nutrient cost and quality along with bird performance

The objective of the study was to assess the impact of drinking water sanitation on performance and welfare outcomes in broiler chickens kept on fresh or used litter. We hypothesized that under a more challenging environment (used litter), the impact of water sanitation would differ to that in a less challenging environment. Seventy-two pens housed 1,944 male broilers for 35 D. The treatments included

Feed manufacturing is an integral component of the poultry industry. A study was conducted to evaluate the impact of feed ingredients, conditioning temperature, and AZOMITE (AZ) level on production rate and pellet quality measured by pellet durability index (PDI). A 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 factorial arrangement within the randomized complete block design was used, for a total of 24 treatments. A broiler grower

Foodborne campylobacteriosis has been traced to undercooked chicken liver. We have detected Campylobacter in raw chicken livers from retail and processing plant samples. In the current study, we tested a 1 or 5 min 60°C heat treatment, a 48 h −25°C freeze treatment, and a combination of both as a means to pasteurize raw chicken liver lobes. We cultured treated and untreated liver lobes to determine

The use of enzymes in commercial practice is most often associated with the application of a nutrient matrix to account for the expected effects. Such matrices are determined by a number of different methods and in many cases digestibility and/or performance trials are employed. Each has its limitations, but particular care must be taken if digestibility trials are used in isolation as they ignore

The overall cost of feed is influenced largely by the nutritional requirements that are specified in its formulation and the ingredients that are used to meet those nutrient specifications. To meet the demand for breast meat and further processed products, heavy broiler chickens are grown to body weights exceeding 3.5 kg. In this study, we evaluated the effects of altering AA density and AME content

Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in various aspects of human health, but many people do not consume them in sufficient quantities, resulting in deficiencies in some populations. The enrichment of commonly consumed foods with omega-3 fatty acids has been proposed to address this deficit. Feeding omega-3–rich ingredients to animals can enrich their products, increasing the consumption by the

To avoid chick culling, meat production can be carried out with either dual-purpose hybrids, where both genders are used, or layer males. However, comparative in-depth studies are lacking. The growth and slaughter performance and the meat quality of 2 commercial dual-purpose hybrids (Lohmann Dual, LD; Novogen Dual, ND) and a layer hybrid (Lohmann Brown, LB) were compared with slow-growing broilers

There is a general consensus among healthcare leaders that animal production industries should improve practices aiming to mitigate antimicrobial resistance, a significant global threat to public health. However, the epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance in animal production systems is very complex as a result of innumerous sources and dissemination routes of resistant bacteria. Furthermore, antimicrobial

This study aimed to investigate the effects of modified-dietary fiber from cassava pulp (M-DFCP), mostly classified as insoluble dietary fiber (IDF), as a feed supplement on productive performance, nutrient digestibility, weight of digestive organs, abdominal fat storage, and cholesterol in meat and blood of broiler chickens. A total of 336 one-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were allocated

Creatine is a central constituent in energy metabolism, especially in cells with variable energy demand, such as muscle cells. Animal proteins such as fish meal, poultry meal, and meat meal may provide adequate amounts of creatine when included in diet formulation. Guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) is an immediate precursor of creatine and should be considered for use in animal nutrition. An experiment was

Nutrient availability is critical for the development of poultry digestive function and immune responses. Carbohydrase formulations, containing α-galactosidase (CAG) enzyme with specificity for galacto-oligosaccharides from soybean meal (SBM), have been shown to increase dietary ME in monogastric diets. This exploratory study aimed at evaluating the effect of CAG on the growth performance and humoral

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an alternative protein source that can be used to substitute soybean meal (SBM) in diets for young turkey. Raw chickpea seeds (RCKP) have a low content of anti–nutritional factors (i.e., trypsin inhibitor) compared with peas, common beans, and soybeans, offering alternative to extrusion. Depending on the variety, it would facilitate farmers to add RCKP on-farm diets

The objective was to evaluate the effects of different levels of phytase in diets with varying amounts of phytate on live performance and bone characteristics of broiler chickens at 21 D. The treatments consisted of a 3 × 5 factorial arrangement, with 3 levels of phytate, high (HP), medium (MP), and low (LP), and 5 diets consisting of a positive control (PC); negative control (NC, with a reduction

Several mathematical or statistical and artificial intelligence models were developed to compare egg production forecasts in commercial layers. Initial data for these models were collected from a comparative layer trial on commercial strains conducted at the Poultry Research Farms, Auburn University. Simulated data were produced to represent new scenarios by using means and SD of egg production of