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Lindholm C, Altimiras J. Physiological and behavioural effects of intermittent fasting vs daily caloric restriction in meat-type poultry. Animal 2023; 17:100849. [PMID: 37263132 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Intermittent fasting (IF) is the practice of temporal food restriction to promote metabolic switching between a glucose- and a ketone-based metabolism, which has been reported to come with diverse health benefits. IF practices appear to confer many of the advantages of caloric restriction without restricting total energy intake, and studies in both rodents and humans suggest organism-wide improvements in neurological, cardiovascular and metabolic health. IF is also commonly employed in the commercial rearing of breeding meat-type poultry, i.e. broiler breeders, which require strict feed restriction throughout life to maintain physical health. While the scientific poultry literature holds vast amounts of data on such "skip-a-day" feeding schedules, it has been unclear to what extent avian and mammalian literature may be compared as broiler breeders are typically feed-restricted to around 30% of ad libitum intake even in IF schedules. In this study, we set out to disentangle the effects of IF and caloric restriction in meat-type poultry by employing both IF and daily feeding schedules at two different restriction levels. Our results suggest that the physiological response to IF in chickens is only marginally affected by the intensity of feed restriction, while behavioural parameters are more closely related to feeding level and are expected to better mirror animal welfare. Our results suggest that avian and mammalian literature on IF should be comparable. Meat-type chickens do show some peculiarities in response to IF, such as a reduced insulin sensitivity, but it is currently unclear whether this is true for all chickens or is an effect of the intense selection for rapid growth in meat-type chickens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Lindholm
- AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Jordi Altimiras
- AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, IFM Biology, Linköping University, 58183 Linköping, Sweden
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2
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Romanov MN, Abdelmanova AS, Fisinin VI, Gladyr EA, Volkova NA, Koshkina OA, Rodionov AN, Vetokh AN, Gusev IV, Anshakov DV, Stanishevskaya OI, Dotsev AV, Griffin DK, Zinovieva NA. Selective footprints and genes relevant to cold adaptation and other phenotypic traits are unscrambled in the genomes of divergently selected chicken breeds. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2023; 14:35. [PMID: 36829208 PMCID: PMC9951459 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-022-00813-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The genomes of worldwide poultry breeds divergently selected for performance and other phenotypic traits may also be affected by, and formed due to, past and current admixture events. Adaptation to diverse environments, including acclimation to harsh climatic conditions, has also left selection footprints in breed genomes. RESULTS Using the Chicken 50K_CobbCons SNP chip, we genotyped four divergently selected breeds: two aboriginal, cold tolerant Ushanka and Orloff Mille Fleur, one egg-type Russian White subjected to artificial selection for cold tolerance, and one meat-type White Cornish. Signals of selective sweeps were determined in the studied breeds using three methods: (1) assessment of runs of homozygosity islands, (2) FST based population differential analysis, and (3) haplotype differentiation analysis. Genomic regions of true selection signatures were identified by two or more methods or in two or more breeds. In these regions, we detected 540 prioritized candidate genes supplemented them with those that occurred in one breed using one statistic and were suggested in other studies. Amongst them, SOX5, ME3, ZNF536, WWP1, RIPK2, OSGIN2, DECR1, TPO, PPARGC1A, BDNF, MSTN, and beta-keratin genes can be especially mentioned as candidates for cold adaptation. Epigenetic factors may be involved in regulating some of these important genes (e.g., TPO and BDNF). CONCLUSION Based on a genome-wide scan, our findings can help dissect the genetic architecture underlying various phenotypic traits in chicken breeds. These include genes representing the sine qua non for adaptation to harsh environments. Cold tolerance in acclimated chicken breeds may be developed following one of few specific gene expression mechanisms or more than one overlapping response known in cold-exposed individuals, and this warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael N. Romanov
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia ,grid.9759.20000 0001 2232 2818School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Alexandra S. Abdelmanova
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Vladimir I. Fisinin
- grid.4886.20000 0001 2192 9124Federal State Budget Scientific Institution Federal Research Centre “All-Russian Poultry Research and Technological Institute” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Sergiev Posad, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Elena A. Gladyr
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Natalia A. Volkova
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Olga A. Koshkina
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Andrey N. Rodionov
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Anastasia N. Vetokh
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Igor V. Gusev
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Dmitry V. Anshakov
- grid.4886.20000 0001 2192 9124Breeding and Genetic Centre “Zagorsk Experimental Breeding Farm” – Branch of the Federal Research Centre “All-Russian Poultry Research and Technological Institute” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Sergiev Posad, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Olga I. Stanishevskaya
- grid.473314.6Russian Research Institute of Farm Animal Genetics and Breeding – Branch of the L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Arsen V. Dotsev
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
| | - Darren K. Griffin
- grid.9759.20000 0001 2232 2818School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Natalia A. Zinovieva
- L.K. Ernst Federal Research Centre for Animal Husbandry, Dubrovitsy, Podolsk, Moscow Region Russia
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Liu K, Zhen W, Bai D, Tan H, He X, Li Y, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Ito K, Zhang B, Ma Y. Lipopolysaccharide-induced immune stress negatively regulates broiler chicken growth via the COX-2-PGE 2-EP4 signaling pathway. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1193798. [PMID: 37207231 PMCID: PMC10189118 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1193798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims Immune stress in broiler chickens is characterized by the development of persistent pro-inflammatory responses that contribute to degradation of production performance. However, the underlying mechanisms that cause growth inhibition of broilers with immune stress are not well defined. Methods A total of 252 1-day-old Arbor Acres(AA) broilers were randomly allocated to three groups with six replicates per group and 14 broilers per replicate. The three groups comprised a saline control group, an Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (immune stress) group, and an LPS and celecoxib group corresponding to an immune stress group treated with a selective COX-2 inhibitor. Birds in LPS group and saline group were intraperitoneally injected with the same amount of LPS or saline from 14d of age for 3 consecutive days. And birds in the LPS and celecoxib group were given a single intraperitoneal injection of celecoxib 15 min prior to LPS injection at 14 d of age. Results The feed intake and body weight gain of broilers were suppressed in response to immune stress induced by LPS which is an intrinsic component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), a key enzyme that mediates prostaglandin synthesis, was up-regulated through MAPK-NF-κB pathways in activated microglia cells in broilers exposed to LPS. Subsequently, the binding of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) to the EP4 receptor maintained the activation of microglia and promoted the secretion of cytokines interleukin-1β and interleukin-8, and chemokines CX3CL1 and CCL4. In addition, the expression of appetite suppressor proopiomelanocortin protein was increased and the levels of growth hormone-releasing hormone were reduced in the hypothalamus. These effects resulted in decreased expression of insulin-like growth factor in the serum of stressed broilers. In contrast, inhibition of COX-2 normalized pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and promoted the expression of Neuropeptide Y and growth hormone-releasing hormone in the hypothalamus which improved the growth performance of stressed broilers. Transcriptomic analysis of the hypothalamus of stressed broilers showed that inhibition of COX-2 activity significantly down-regulated the expression of the TLR1B, IRF7, LY96, MAP3K8, CX3CL1, and CCL4 genes in the MAPK-NF-κB signaling pathway. Conclusion This study provides new evidence that immune stress mediates growth suppression in broilers by activating the COX-2-PGE2-EP4 signaling axis. Moreover, growth inhibition is reversed by inhibiting the activity of COX-2 under stressed conditions. These observations suggest new approaches for promoting the health of broiler chickens reared in intensive conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Liu
- Department of Animal Physiology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Wenrui Zhen
- Department of Animal Physiology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Animal Welfare and Health Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Dongying Bai
- Department of Animal Physiology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Animal Welfare and Health Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Haiqiu Tan
- Department of Animal Physiology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Xianglong He
- Department of Animal Physiology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Yuqian Li
- Department of Animal Physiology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Yanhao Liu
- Department of Animal Physiology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Animal Physiology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Animal Welfare and Health Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Koichi Ito
- Department of Food and Physiological Models, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Bingkun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanbo Ma
- Department of Animal Physiology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- Longmen Laboratory, Science & Technology Innovation Center for Completed Set Equipment, Luoyang, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Animal Welfare and Health Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
- *Correspondence: Yanbo Ma,
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Lupi S, Morbey YE, MacDougall-Shackleton SA, Kaiya H, Fusani L, Guglielmo CG. Experimental ghrelin administration affects migratory behaviour in a songbird. Horm Behav 2022; 141:105139. [PMID: 35299118 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Twice a year, billions of birds take on drastic physiological and behavioural changes to migrate between breeding and wintering areas. On migration, most passerine birds regularly stop over along the way to rest and refuel. Endogenous energy stores are not only the indispensable fuel to complete long distance flights, but are also important peripheral signals that once integrated in the brain modulate crucial behavioural decisions, such as the decision to resume migration after a stopover. A network of hormones signals metabolic fuel availability to the brain in vertebrates, including the recently discovered gut-hormone ghrelin. Here, we show that ghrelin takes part in the control of migratory behaviour during spring migration in a wild migratory passerine. We manipulated blood concentrations of ghrelin of 53 yellow-rumped warblers (Setophaga coronata coronata) caught during stopover and automatically radio-tracked their migratory behaviour following release. We found that injections of acylated and unacylated ghrelin rapidly induced movements away from the release site, indicating that the ghrelin system acts centrally to mediate stopover departure decisions. The effects of the hormone manipulation declined within 8 h following release, and did not affect the overall rate of migration. These results provide experimental evidence for a pivotal role of ghrelin in the modulation of behavioural decisions during migration. In addition, this study offers insights into the regulatory functions of metabolic hormones in the dialogue between gut and brain in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Lupi
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstraße 1A, 1160 Vienna, Austria; Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada.
| | - Yolanda E Morbey
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada.
| | - Scott A MacDougall-Shackleton
- Department of Psychology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5C2, Canada.
| | - Hiroyuki Kaiya
- Department of Biochemistry, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute, 6-1 Kishibe-shinmachi, Suita 564-8565, Japan.
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstraße 1A, 1160 Vienna, Austria; Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Christopher G Guglielmo
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, ON N6A 5B7, Canada.
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Lindholm C, Batakis P, Altimiras J, Lees J. Intermittent fasting induces chronic changes in the hepatic gene expression of Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus). BMC Genomics 2022; 23:304. [PMID: 35421924 PMCID: PMC9009039 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08533-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Intermittent fasting (IF), the implementation of fasting periods of at least 12 consecutive hours on a daily to weekly basis, has received a lot of attention in recent years for imparting the life-prolonging and health-promoting effects of caloric restriction with no or only moderate actual restriction of caloric intake. IF is also widely practiced in the rearing of broiler breeders, the parent stock of meat-type chickens, who require strict feed restriction regimens to prevent the serious health problems associated with their intense appetites. Although intermittent fasting has been extensively used in this context to reduce feed competition and its resulting stress, the potential of IF in chickens as an alternative and complementary model to rodents has received less investigation. In both mammals and birds, the liver is a key component of the metabolic response to IF, responding to variations in energy balance. Here we use a microarray analysis to examine the liver transcriptomics of wild-type Red Jungle Fowl chickens fed either ad libitum, chronically restricted to around 70% of ad libitum daily or intermittently fasted (IF) on a 2:1 (2 days fed, 1 day fasted) schedule without actual caloric restriction. As red junglefowl are ancestral to domestic chicken breeds, these data serve as a baseline to which existing and future transcriptomic results from farmed birds such as broiler breeders can be compared. Results We find large effects of feeding regimen on liver transcriptomics, with most of the affected genes relating to energy metabolism. A cluster analysis shows that IF is associated with large and reciprocal changes in genes related to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, but also chronic changes in genes related to amino acid metabolism (generally down-regulated) and cell cycle progression (generally up-regulated). The overall transcription pattern appears to be one of promoting high proliferative plasticity in response to fluctuations in available energy substrates. A small number of inflammation-related genes also show chronically changed expression profiles, as does one circadian rhythm gene. Conclusions The increase in proliferative potential suggested by the gene expression changes reported here indicates that birds and mammals respond similarly to intermittent fasting practices. Our findings therefore suggest that the health benefits of periodic caloric restriction are ubiquitous and not restricted to mammals alone. Whether a common fundamental mechanism, for example involving leptin, underpins these benefits remains to be elucidated. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08533-5.
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Dixon LM, Dunn IC, Brocklehurst S, Baker L, Boswell T, Caughey SD, Reid A, Sandilands V, Wilson PW, D'Eath RB. The effects of feed restriction, time of day and time since feeding on behavioral and physiological indicators of hunger in broiler breeder hens. Poult Sci 2022; 101:101838. [PMID: 35378348 PMCID: PMC8983422 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2022.101838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Broiler breeder chickens are commercially feed restricted to slow their growth and improve their health and production, however, there is research demonstrating that this leads to chronic hunger resulting in poor welfare. A challenge in these studies is to account for possible daily rhythms or the effects of time since last meal on measures relating hunger. To address this, we used 3 feed treatments: AL (ad libitum fed), Ram (restricted, fed in the morning), and Rpm (restricted, fed in the afternoon) to control for diurnal effects. We then conducted foraging motivation tests and collected home pen behavior and physiological samples at 4 times relative to feeding throughout a 24-h period. The feed treatment had the largest influence on the data, with AL birds weighing more, having lower concentrations of plasma NEFA, and mRNA expression of AGRP and NPY alongside higher expression of POMC in the basal hypothalamus than Ram or Rpm birds (P < 0.001). R birds were more successful at and had a shorter latency to complete the motivation test, and did more walking and less feeding than AL birds in the home pen (P < 0.01). There was little effect of time since last meal on many measures (P > 0.05) but AGRP expression was highest in the basal hypothalamus shortly after a meal (P < 0.05), blood plasma NEFA was higher in R birds just before feeding (P < 0.001) and glucose was higher in Ram birds just after feeding (P < 0.001), and the latency to complete the motivation test was shortest before the next meal (P < 0.05). Time of day effects were mainly found in the difference in activity levels in the home pen when during lights on and lights off periods. In conclusion, many behavioral and physiological hunger measures were not significantly influenced by time of day or time since the last meal. For the measures that do change, future studies should be designed so that sampling is balanced in such a way as to minimize bias due to these effects.
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Kamkrathok B, Sartsoongnoen N, Chaiseha Y. Neuropeptide Y and maternal behavior in the female native Thai chicken. Acta Histochem 2021; 123:151698. [PMID: 33711725 DOI: 10.1016/j.acthis.2021.151698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Maternal care behaviors in birds include incubation and rearing behaviors. During incubating period, the hens stop laying and eating less due to food restriction as a natural fasting when compared with the rearing hens, resulting in low production of eggs and chicks. Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a neurotransmitter/neuromodulator, is very well known to be involved in food intake regulation in birds and mammals. The objective of this study is to elucidate the association between NPY and maternal behaviors in the female native Thai chicken. The distributions of NPY-immunoreactive (-ir) neurons and fibers in the brain of the incubating (INC), nest-deprived (ND), and replaced-egg-with-chicks (REC) hens at day 6 were determined utilizing immunohistochemistry technique. The results revealed that the distributions of NPY-ir neurons and fibers were observed within the septalis lateralis, nucleus rotundus, and nucleus dorsolateralis anterior thalami, with predominantly located within the the nucleus paraventricularis magnocellularis (PVN). NPY-ir fibers were located throughout the brain and the densest NPY-ir fibers were distributed in a discrete region lying close to the ventriculus tertius (third ventricle) through the hypothalamus. Changes in the number of NPY-ir neurons within the PVN of the INC, ND, and REC hens were compared at different time points (at days 6 and 14). Interestingly, the number of NPY-ir neurons within the PVN was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the INC hens when compared with those of the ND and REC hens at day 14 but not day 6. In addition, the number of NPY-ir neurons within the PVN of the INC hens was significantly increased (P < 0.05) from day 6 to day 14 but not the ND and REC hens. These results indicated, for the first time, the asscociation between NPY and maternal behaviors in the femle native Thai chicken. Change in the number of NPY-ir neurons within the PVN during the transition from incubating to rearing behavior suggested the possible role of NPY in the regulation of the maternal behaviors in this equatorial species. In addition, the native Thai chicken might be an excellent animal model for the study of this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boonyarit Kamkrathok
- School of Biology, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Natagarn Sartsoongnoen
- Program of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima Rajabhat University, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
| | - Yupaporn Chaiseha
- School of Biology, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand.
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Arrazola A, Widowski TM, Guerin MT, Kiarie EG, Torrey S. The effect of alternative feeding strategies for broiler breeder pullets: 2. Welfare and performance during lay. Poult Sci 2019; 98:6205-6216. [PMID: 31392331 PMCID: PMC6870554 DOI: 10.3382/ps/pez447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Feeding broiler breeders to satiety has negative consequences on their health and reproduction. Alternative feeding strategies during rearing can improve welfare, although their implications during lay are not well understood. The objective was to examine the effect of rearing feeding treatments on the reproductive performance and feeding behavior of broiler breeders under simulated commercial conditions. At 3 wk of age, 1,680 Ross 308 pullets were allocated to 24 pens under 1 of 4 isocaloric treatments: 1) daily control diet; 2) daily alternative diet (40% soybean hulls and 1 to 5% calcium propionate); 3) 4/3 control diet (4 on-feed days, 3 non-consecutive off-feed days per week); and 4) graduated control diet. Feeding frequency of the graduated treatment varied with age and finished on a daily basis. At 23 wk of age, group sizes were adjusted to 40 hens, and 5 mature Yield Plus Males roosters were introduced to each pen. Pens were under the same daily feeding management and same diet during lay. The performance of broiler breeders (growth rate, body weight uniformity, and reproductive performance) was determined until 64 wk of age. At the end of lay, feeding motivation was examined with a feed intake test and a compensatory feeding test. Data were analyzed using linear mixed regression models, with pen nested in the models and age as a repeated measure. The laying rate of hens reared on the graduated treatment decreased slower compared to control hens, resulting in a higher cumulative egg production (178.2 ± 3.8 eggs/hen) than control hens (165.2 ± 3.8 eggs/hen, P < 0.01) by 64 wk of age. Hens reared on non-daily feeding treatments laid lighter eggs with relatively heavier yolks and had higher feed intake at the end of lay than hens fed daily during rearing (P = 0.02). In conclusion, rearing feeding treatments impacted the growth rate and body weight uniformity during lay, feeding motivation at the end of lay, and the laying rate and hatchability depending on hens' age.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Arrazola
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - T M Widowski
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - M T Guerin
- Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - E G Kiarie
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - S Torrey
- Department of Animal Biosciences, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
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9
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"How Foraging Works": Let's not forget the physiological mechanisms of energy balance. Behav Brain Sci 2019; 42:e51. [PMID: 30940279 DOI: 10.1017/s0140525x1800198x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Anselme & Güntürkün propose a novel mechanism to explain the increase in foraging motivation when experiencing an unpredictable food supply. However, the physiological mechanisms that maintain energy homeostasis already control foraging intensity in response to changes in energy balance. Therefore, unpredictability may just be one of many factors that feeds into the same dopaminergic "wanting" system to control foraging intensity.
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10
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Caughey SD, Wilson PW, Mukhtar N, Brocklehurst S, Reid A, D'Eath RB, Boswell T, Dunn IC. Sex differences in basal hypothalamic anorectic and orexigenic gene expression and the effect of quantitative and qualitative food restriction. Biol Sex Differ 2018; 9:20. [PMID: 29843787 PMCID: PMC5975468 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-018-0178-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Research into energy balance and growth has infrequently considered genetic sex, yet there is sexual dimorphism for growth across the animal kingdom. We test the hypothesis that in the chicken, there is a sex difference in arcuate nucleus neuropeptide gene expression, since previous research indicates hypothalamic AGRP expression is correlated with growth potential and that males grow faster than females. Because growth has been heavily selected in some chicken lines, food restriction is necessary to improve reproductive performance and welfare, but this increases hunger. Dietary dilution has been proposed to ameliorate this undesirable effect. We aimed to distinguish the effects of gut fullness from nutritional feedback on hypothalamic gene expression and its interaction with sex. Methods Twelve-week-old male and female fast-growing chickens were either released from restriction and fed ad libitum or a restricted diet plus 15% w/w ispaghula husk, a non-nutritive bulking agent, for 2 days. A control group remained on quantitative restriction. Hypothalamic arcuate nucleus neuropeptides were measured using real-time PCR. To confirm observed sex differences, the experiment was repeated using only ad libitum and restricted fed fast-growing chickens and in a genetically distinct breed of ad libitum fed male and female chickens. Linear mixed models (Genstat 18) were used for statistical analysis with transformation where appropriate. Results There were pronounced sex differences: expression of the orexigenic genes AGRP (P < 0.001) and NPY (P < 0.002) was higher in males of the fast-growing strain. In genetically distinct chickens, males had higher AGRP mRNA (P = 0.002) expression than females, suggesting sex difference was not restricted to a fast-growing strain. AGRP (P < 0.001) expression was significantly decreased in ad libitum fed birds but was high and indistinguishable between birds on a quantitative versus qualitative restricted diet. Inversely, gene expression of the anorectic genes POMC and CART was significantly higher in ad libitum fed birds but no consistent sex differences were observed. Conclusion Expression of orexigenic peptides in the avian hypothalamus are significantly different between sexes. This could be useful starting point of investigating further if AGRP is an indicator of growth potential. Results also demonstrate that gut fill alone does not reduce orexigenic gene expression. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13293-018-0178-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- S D Caughey
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK.
| | - P W Wilson
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK
| | - N Mukhtar
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK
| | - S Brocklehurst
- Bioinformatics and Statistics Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - A Reid
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK
| | - R B D'Eath
- Scotland's Rural College, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - T Boswell
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England, UK
| | - I C Dunn
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK
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