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Yehia M, Alfonso-Avila AR, Prus JMA, Ouellet V, Alnahhas N. The potential of in ovo-fed amino acids to alleviate the effects of heat stress on broiler chickens: effect on performance, body temperature, and oxidative status during the finisher phase. Poult Sci 2024; 103:103821. [PMID: 38823160 PMCID: PMC11179241 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of the current study was to investigate the potential of in ovo-fed amino acids (AA) to reduce the effects of heat stress on finishing broiler chickens. To achieve this, a total of 1,400 fertile hatching eggs were randomly distributed into 5 groups (n = 280/group) and injected with one of the following in ovo treatments on embryonic day 18: 52 µL of sterile diluent/egg (CTRL), CTRL + 1.0 mg of L-Leucine (T1), CTRL + 0.45 mg of leucine + 1.15 mg of methionine (T2), CTRL + 3.0 mg of methionine + 2.0 mg of cysteine (T3), and CTRL + 0.40 mg of leucine + 1.60 mg of methionine + 1.60 mg of cysteine (T4). After hatch, chicks were allocated according to a complete randomized block design comprising 2 thermal conditions: thermoneutral (24°C, 45% RH) and heat stress (34°C, 55-60% RH) with 5 pens/group/condition. The cyclical heat stress regimen (10 h/d) was then applied from d 29 to d 34. Compared to the CTRL group, T3 and T4 exhibited a higher BW during the starter phase (P < 0.001). T4 also had a lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) than CTRL during this same phase (P = 0.03). During the grower phase, males of all treatment groups consistently exhibited higher BW compared to the CTRL group, which was not observed among female birds (PSex × TRT = 0.005). During the finisher phase, the in ovo treatment effect on performance was not significant. However, heat-stressed birds from treatment group T3 and T4 exhibited lower facial temperatures (Pday × TRT < 0.001) as well as lower plasma (Pcondition x TRT = 0.039) and liver (Pcondition x TRT < 0.001) malonaldehyde concentrations compared to the CTRL group. In conclusion, in ovo-fed AA have the potential to modulate the effects of heat stress on finishing broiler chickens by limiting its detrimental consequences, including increased body temperature and oxidative damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moustafa Yehia
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Université Laval, Quebec City G1V 0A6, Quebec, Canada
| | | | | | - Véronique Ouellet
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Université Laval, Quebec City G1V 0A6, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nabeel Alnahhas
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Université Laval, Quebec City G1V 0A6, Quebec, Canada; Swine and Poultry Infectious Diseases Research Center, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe J2S 2M2, Quebec, Canada.
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Oke OE, Akosile OA, Uyanga VA, Oke FO, Oni AI, Tona K, Onagbesan OM. Climate change and broiler production. Vet Med Sci 2024; 10:e1416. [PMID: 38504607 PMCID: PMC10951626 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.1416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change has emerged as a significant occurrence that adversely affects broiler production, especially in tropical climates. Broiler chickens, bred for rapid growth and high meat production, rely heavily on optimal environmental conditions to achieve their genetic potential. However, climate change disrupts these conditions and poses numerous challenges for broiler production. One of the primary impacts of climate change on broiler production is the decreased ability of birds to attain their genetic potential for faster growth. Broilers are bred to possess specific genetic traits that enable them to grow rapidly and efficiently convert feed into meat. However, in tropical climates affected by climate change, the consequent rise in daily temperatures, increased humidity and altered precipitation patterns create an unfavourable environment for broilers. These conditions impede their growth and development, preventing them from reaching their maximum genetic influence, which is crucial for achieving desirable production outcomes. Furthermore, climate change exacerbates the existing challenges faced by broiler production systems. Higher feed costs impact the industry's economic viability and limit the availability of quality nutrition for the birds, further hampering their growth potential. In addition to feed scarcity, climate change also predisposes broiler chickens to thermal stress. This review collates existing information on climate change and its impact on broiler production, including nutrition, immune function, health and disease susceptibility. It also summarizes the challenges of broiler production under hot and humid climate conditions with different approaches to ameliorating the effects of harsh climatic conditions in poultry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oyegunle Emmanuel Oke
- Department of Animal PhysiologyFederal University of AgricultureAbeokutaNigeria
- Centre of Excellence in Poultry SciencesUniversity of LomeLomeTogo
| | | | | | - Folasade Olukemi Oke
- Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm ManagementFederal University of AgricultureAbeokutaNigeria
| | | | - Kokou Tona
- Centre of Excellence in Poultry SciencesUniversity of LomeLomeTogo
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Beal CM, Robinson DM, Smith J, Gerber Van Doren L, Tabler GT, Rochell SJ, Kidd MT, Bottje WG, Lei X. Economic and environmental assessment of U.S. broiler production: opportunities to improve sustainability. Poult Sci 2023; 102:102887. [PMID: 37572620 PMCID: PMC10428061 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.102887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The United States is the largest broiler producer in the world, and Americans consume about 45 kg of chicken per capita per year, which generates substantial economic and environmental footprints. We conduct techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment (TEA/LCA) to evaluate the sustainability performance of the U.S. broiler industry and quantify the cost, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, energy, water, land, fertilizer, and respiratory impacts of 7 broiler production scenarios for a contract Grower, Integrator, and Combined control volume. The assessment is a farm-gate to farm-gate analysis that includes capital cost of chicken houses, labor, chicks brought into the farm, feeds, on-site fuels, and on-site emissions. We found that economics for the Integrator are profitable and dominated by the cost of corn and soybean meal feeds, payments to the Grower, and revenue from live broilers. Additionally, we found that economics for the Grower generate modest return on investment (ROI) largely based on the cost of houses and labor when compared to contract revenue from the Integrator. Environmental impacts for GHG, energy, and respiratory effects are primarily associated with upstream feed production (roughly 65%-80% of total impacts) and on-site fuel consumption (∼20%-35% of total impacts), while those for water, land, and eutrophication are almost entirely attributable to upstream feed production (litter spreading has a low economic allocation factor). Tradeoffs among sustainability metrics are further explored with a sensitivity analysis and by evaluating cost/environmental benefit scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin M Beal
- B&D Engineering and Consulting LLC, Lander, WY 82520, USA; University of Hawaii at Hilo, Pacific Aquaculture & Coastal Resources Center, College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management, Hilo, HI 95720, USA.
| | | | - Jack Smith
- B&D Engineering and Consulting LLC, Lander, WY 82520, USA
| | | | - George T Tabler
- University of Tennessee, Animal Science Department, Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center, Spring Hill, TN 37174, USA
| | | | - Michael T Kidd
- Poultry Science Department, University of Arkansas, POSC O-114, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Walter G Bottje
- Poultry Science Department, University of Arkansas, POSC O-114, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Xingen Lei
- Animal Science Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Moon J, DuBien J, Ramachandran R, Liang Y, Dridi S, Tabler T. Effects of a Sprinkler and Cool Cell Combined System on Cooling Water Usage, Litter Moisture, and Indoor Environment of Broiler Houses. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2939. [PMID: 37760340 PMCID: PMC10525607 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change is a serious challenge to food production around the world. Sustainability and water efficiency are critical to a poultry industry faced with global production concerns including increased demands for high-quality, affordable animal protein and greater environmental pressures resulting from rising global temperatures, flock heat stress, and limits on water availability. To address these concerns, a commercial sprinkler system used in combination with a cool cell system was evaluated against a cool cell system alone for two summer flocks of heavy broilers at Mississippi State University to determine effects of sprinkler technology on cooling water usage, litter moisture, and in-house environments. Environmental data were calculated and recorded throughout the flocks. The combination house exhibited a 2.2 °C (4 °F) increase in daily maximum temperature, lower coincident relative humidity, and a 64% (62,039 L/flock) reduction in average cooling water usage over the cool cell-only house. Litter moisture for the combination house tended to be numerically lower but showed no significant difference at several time points between and across flocks. A combined sprinkler/cool cell system reduced cooling water use by 64% over two flocks compared to a cool cell alone system and decreased in-house relative humidity levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Moon
- Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Jan DuBien
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Reshma Ramachandran
- Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Yi Liang
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Sami Dridi
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Tom Tabler
- Department of Animal Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
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Maynard CJ, Maynard CW, Mullenix GJ, Ramser A, Greene ES, Bedford MR, Dridi S. Impact of Phytase Supplementation on Meat Quality of Heat-Stressed Broilers. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2043. [PMID: 37370553 DOI: 10.3390/ani13122043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat stress (HS) is one of the most challenging stressors to poultry production sustainability. The adverse effects of HS range from feed intake and growth depression to alteration of meat quality and safety. As phytase supplementation is known to improve nutrient utilization and consequently growth, we undertook the present study to evaluate the effects of dietary phytase on growth and meat quality in heat-stressed broilers. A total of 720 day-old hatch Cobb 500 chicks were assigned to 24 pens within controlled environmental chambers and fed three diets: Negative Control (NC), Positive Control (PC), and NC diet supplemented with 2000 phytase units (FTU)/kg) of quantum blue (QB). On day 29, birds were exposed to two environmental conditions: thermoneutral (TN, 25 °C) or cyclic heat stress (HS, 35 °C, 8 h/d from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) in a 3 × 2 factorial design. Feed intake (FI), water consumption (WI), body weight (BW), and mortality were recorded. On day 42, birds were processed, carcass parts were weighed, and meat quality was assessed. Breast tissues were collected for determining the expression of target genes by real-time quantitative PCR using the 2-ΔΔCt method. HS significantly increased core body temperature, reduced feed intake and BW, increased water intake (WI), elevated blood parameters (pH, SO2, and iCa), and decreased blood pCO2. HS reduced the incidence of woody breast (WB) and white striping (WS), significantly decreased drip loss, and increased both 4- and 24-h postmortem pH. Instrumental L* and b* values were reduced (p < 0.05) by the environmental temperature at both 4- and 24-h postmortem. QB supplementation reduced birds' core body temperature induced by HS and improved the FCR and water conversion ratio (WCR) by 1- and 0.5-point, respectively, compared to PC under HS. QB increased blood SO2 and reduced the severity of WB and WS under TN conditions, but it increased it under an HS environment. The abovementioned effects were probably mediated through the modulation of monocarboxylate transporter 1, heat shock protein 70, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and/or glutathione peroxidase 1 gene expression, however, further mechanistic studies are warranted. In summary, QB supplementation improved growth performance and reduced muscle myopathy incidence under TN conditions. Under HS conditions, however, QB improved growth performance but increased the incidence of muscle myopathies. Therefore, further QB titration studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clay J Maynard
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Craig W Maynard
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
- Bell & Evans, Fredericksburg, PA 17026, USA
| | - Garrett J Mullenix
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Alison Ramser
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Elizabeth S Greene
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | | | - Sami Dridi
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
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Campbell DLM, Belson S, Erasmus MA, Lea JM. Behavior and welfare impacts of water provision via misting in commercial Pekin ducks. J Anim Sci 2022; 100:6761087. [PMID: 36239449 PMCID: PMC9733503 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skac341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ducks will access water to maintain feather condition and exhibit natural water-related behaviors such as wet preening. Providing water to ducks commercially is challenging as it may reduce litter and air quality leading to higher duck mortality or illness. This research aimed to measure the behavioral and welfare impacts of water provision via a misting system for commercial Pekin grower ducks in Victoria, Australia. Seven grower flocks were observed (four misted and three nonmisted in open-sided sheds) during May and November 2021. From 26 until 33 d of age, treatment ducks were provided 1 h of misting with shed curtains closed in both treatment and control sheds. At the start and end of the misting application period, external health and welfare measures were taken directly on the ducks via transect walks throughout each shed and catch-and-inspect observations on a sample of 150 ducks from each shed. Video recordings were also made of the misted and nonmisted ducks for 3 h representing time periods prior to, during, and after the 1-h misting across all sheds for all 8 d of the treatment period. Observations were made of all behavior that ducks exhibited at 10-min scan sample intervals across four cameras per shed, totaling 4,198 scans across the seven sheds. General linear mixed models showed the misting application predominantly had impacts on the patterns of behavioral change across the treatment time periods between the misted and nonmisted ducks rather than increasing or decreasing the overall expression of specific behaviors (interaction terms all P ≤ 0.003). The misted ducks increased drinking, tail wagging, and walking, and reduced preening, rooting litter, sitting, and stretching during misting relative to what they showed prior. The nonmisted ducks showed less sitting and more panting during misting relative to prior. Pearson's Chi-square tests showed some differences between the treatment groups in feather cleanliness on the back and wings (both P < 0.0001), likely resulting from pre-existing differences between sheds in blood from pin feathers. Most welfare indicators showed no positive or negative effect of the misting treatment. These results indicate overhead misting does affect duck behavior to some degree without compromising their welfare, but further research with larger water droplet sizes resulting in greater accumulation of surface water or extended durations of misting may lead to greater effects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sue Belson
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
| | - Marisa A Erasmus
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
| | - Jim M Lea
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
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Brugaletta G, Teyssier JR, Rochell SJ, Dridi S, Sirri F. A review of heat stress in chickens. Part I: Insights into physiology and gut health. Front Physiol 2022; 13:934381. [PMID: 35991182 PMCID: PMC9386003 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.934381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Heat stress (HS) compromises the yield and quality of poultry products and endangers the sustainability of the poultry industry. Despite being homeothermic, chickens, especially fast-growing broiler lines, are particularly sensitive to HS due to the phylogenetic absence of sweat glands, along with the artificial selection-caused increase in metabolic rates and limited development of cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Clinical signs and consequences of HS are multifaceted and include alterations in behavior (e.g., lethargy, decreased feed intake, and panting), metabolism (e.g., catabolic state, fat accumulation, and reduced skeletal muscle accretion), general homeostasis (e.g., alkalosis, hormonal imbalance, immunodeficiency, inflammation, and oxidative stress), and gastrointestinal tract function (e.g., digestive and absorptive disorders, enteritis, paracellular barrier failure, and dysbiosis). Poultry scientists and companies have made great efforts to develop effective solutions to counteract the detrimental effects of HS on health and performance of chickens. Feeding and nutrition have been shown to play a key role in combating HS in chicken husbandry. Nutritional strategies that enhance protein and energy utilization as well as dietary interventions intended to restore intestinal eubiosis are of increasing interest because of the marked effects of HS on feed intake, nutrient metabolism, and gut health. Hence, the present review series, divided into Part I and Part II, seeks to synthesize information on the effects of HS on physiology, gut health, and performance of chickens, with emphasis on potential solutions adopted in broiler chicken nutrition to alleviate these effects. Part I provides introductory knowledge on HS physiology to make good use of the nutritional themes covered by Part II.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Brugaletta
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Jean-Rémi Teyssier
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - Samuel J. Rochell
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - Sami Dridi
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - Federico Sirri
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum—University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Emami NK, Schreier LL, Greene E, Tabler T, Orlowski SK, Anthony NB, Proszkowiec-Weglarz M, Dridi S. Ileal microbial composition in genetically distinct chicken lines reared under normal or high ambient temperatures. Anim Microbiome 2022; 4:28. [PMID: 35449035 PMCID: PMC9028080 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-022-00183-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Heat stress (HS) has negative effects on poultry productivity, health and welfare resulting in economic losses. Broiler chickens are particularly susceptible to HS due to their high metabolic rate and rapid growth. The commensal intestinal bacterial populations have an important physiological role in the host and could ameliorate the negative effect of HS on the host. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare changes in the ileal (IL) microbiota in four different broiler lines during HS.
Results Day-old broiler chicks from Giant Jungle Fowl (JF), Athens Canadian Random Bred (ACRB), 1995 Random Bred (L1995), and Modern Random Bred (L2015) lines were raised under thermoneutral (TN) conditions until day (d) 28. On d 29 birds were subjected to TN (24 °C) or chronic cyclic HS (8 h/d, 36 °C) condition till d 56. On d 56 two birds per pen were euthanized, and IL luminal content (IL-L) and mucosal scrapings (IL-M) were collected for bacterial DNA isolation. Libraries were constructed using V3–V4 16S rRNA primers and sequenced using MiSeq. DNA sequences were analyzed using QIIME2 platform and SILVA 132 database for alpha and beta diversity, and taxonomic composition, respectively. Functional property of microbiota was predicted using the PICRUSt 2 pipeline and illustrated with STAMP software. Shannon index was significantly elevated in IL-M under HS. β-diversity PCoA plots revealed separation of microbial community of L2015-TN from JF-TN, JF-HS, ACRB-TN, and ACRB-HS in the IL-M. PERMANOVA analysis showed a significant difference between microbial community of L1995-HS compared to ACRB-HS and JF-TN, L1995-TN compared to ACRB-HS and JF-TN, L2015-HS compared to ACRB-HS and ACRB-TN, L2015-HS compared to JF-TN, L2015-TN compared to ACRB-HS and JF-TN, and ACRB-HS compared to JF-TN in the IL-L. The impact of HS on microbial composition of IL-M was more prominent compared to IL-L with 12 and 2 taxa showing significantly different relative abundance, respectively. Furthermore, differences in microbiota due to the genetic line were more prominent in IL-M than IL-L with 18 and 8 taxa showing significantly different relative abundance, respectively. Unlike taxonomy, predicted function of microbiota was not affected by HS. Comparison of L2015 with JF or ACRB showed significant changes in predicted function of microbiota in both, IL-M and IL-L. Differences were most prominent between L2015 and JF; while there was no difference between L2015 and L1995. Conclusions These data indicate the genetic line × temperature effect on the diversity and composition of IL microbiota. Moreover, the data showcase the effect of host genetics on the composition of IL microbiota and their predicted function. These data are of critical importance for devising nutritional strategies to maintain GIT microbial balance and alleviate the negative effects of HS on broiler chickens’ performance and health. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42523-022-00183-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nima K Emami
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, 1260 W. Maple Street, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA
| | - Lori L Schreier
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Northeast Area, Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA
| | - Elizabeth Greene
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, 1260 W. Maple Street, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA
| | - Travis Tabler
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, 1260 W. Maple Street, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA
| | - Sara K Orlowski
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, 1260 W. Maple Street, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA
| | - Nicholas B Anthony
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, 1260 W. Maple Street, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA
| | - Monika Proszkowiec-Weglarz
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Northeast Area, Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA.
| | - Sami Dridi
- Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, 1260 W. Maple Street, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA.
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Babington S, Campbell DLM. Water for Domestic Ducks: The Benefits and Challenges in Commercial Production. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2022.782507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although we have been farming ducks for at least 4,000 years, with some accounts suggesting domestication having begun more than 38,000 years ago, there are still many unknowns for optimizing domestic duck welfare in a commercial setting. Ducks being waterfowl, are semi-aquatic and have unique behavioral needs when compared to other commonly farmed poultry species. Providing ducks with open water which allows for full body immersion so that they may perform their full repertoire of water-related behaviors is important for their health and welfare. However, in a commercial setting this remains challenging due to biosecurity, contamination, health, and management concerns. An important question is therefore how best to provide ducks with a commercially feasible and safe water source in which they can derive maximum welfare and health benefits with no adverse consequences to health or global water resources. This review considers the amount of water provision necessary to satisfy duck's water-related needs to enhance yet not compromise their welfare in a commercial setting based on current knowledge, as well as identifies the outstanding questions for future research to address.
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