This trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing soybean meal with microalgae meal (MM; Arthrospira spp.) during grower and finisher phases on productive performance, footpad dermatitis ...(FPD) occurrence, breast meat quality, amino acid digestibility and plasma metabolomics profile of broiler chickens. One thousand day-old Ross 308 male chicks were divided into 5 experimental groups (8 replicates, 25 birds/each): CON, fed a commercial soybean-based diet throughout the trial (0–41 d); F3 and F6, fed the CON diet up to 28 d of age and then a finisher diet (29–41 d) with either 30 or 60 g MM/kg, respectively; and GF3 and GF6, receiving CON diet until 14 d and then diets containing 30 or 60 g MM/kg from 15 to 41 d, respectively. All diets were iso-energetic and with a similar amino acid profile. Growth performances were recorded on a pen basis at the end of each feeding phase and apparent ileal amino acid digestibility was determined at 41 d. Footpad dermatitis occurrence was assessed on all processed birds, while breast and plasma samples were collected for meat quality and metabolomics analysis (proton nuclear magnetic resonance - 1H-NMR). At 41 d, CON group showed higher body weight than F6 and GF6 ones (2,541 vs. 2,412 vs. 2,384 g, respectively; P < 0.05). Overall, GF6 group exhibited the highest feed conversion ratio, while F3 did not present significant differences compared to CON (1.785 vs. 1.810 vs. 1.934 g feed/g gain, respectively for CON, F3 and GF6; P < 0.01). The occurrence and the risk of developing FPD were similar among groups. MM administration increased breast meat yellowness and reduced amino acid digestibility (P < 0.001). The 1H-NMR analysis revealed variations in the levels of some circulating metabolites, including histidine, arginine and creatine, which play important metabolic roles. Overall, these findings can contribute to expand the knowledge about the use of Arthrospira spp. as protein source in broiler diets.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Commercial laying hens have high frequency of damage to the keel bone (KB), which causes negative effects on health and welfare. KB damage may consist in fractures (KBF) and deviations (KBD). The aim ...of the present study was to compare the KB shape, by means of Geometric Morphometric, and the occurrence of fractures in different chicken genotypes reared either free-range (FR) or in enriched cages. Moreover, the relationship between KB shape, genotype and rearing system was analysed. Sixty birds/genotype (2 Italian local breeds, Bionda Piemontese and Robusta Maculata, their crossbreeds with Sasso and Lohmann Brown) were used. All the hens fed the same commercial feed throughout the trial. Body weight, egg production, feed intake and mortality were recorded from 25 to 66 weeks of age. Ca intake (IN) and output (OUT) were estimated and Ca OUT/IN was calculated. FR affected the occurrence of KB deviations but not the shape, whereas the fractures were mainly affected by genotype. Local breeds had a lower prevalence of KBF with similar level of KBD but with different shapes. Crossbreeds seemed to be a suitable compromise between egg deposition rate and occurrence of KB damages.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Little attention has been paid to the biological role of arginine and its dietary supplementation in broilers under heat stress (HS) conditions. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to assess ...the response of broilers to arginine supplementation and cyclic HS, with a focus on liver, pectoral muscle, and blood metabolic profiles and the cecal microbiota. Day-old male Ross 308 broilers (
= 240) were placed in 2 rooms with 12 pens each for a 44-day trial. Pens were assigned to one of two groups (6 pens/group/room): the control group (CON) was given a basal diet in mash form and the treated group (ARG) was fed CON diet supplemented with crystalline
-arginine. The total arginine:lysine ratio of CON diet ranged between 1.02 and 1.07, while that of ARG diet was 1.20. One room was constantly kept at thermoneutral (TN) conditions, while the birds in the other room were kept at TN conditions until D34 and subjected to cyclic HS from D35 onwards (∼34°C; 9:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M.). Blood, liver,
muscle, and cecal content were taken from 2 birds per pen (12 birds/group/room) for metabolomics and microbiota analysis. Growth performance data were also collected on a pen basis. Arginine supplementation failed to reduce the adverse effects of HS on growth performance. Supplemented birds showed increased levels of arginine and creatine in plasma, liver, and
and methionine in liver, and reduced levels of glutamine in plasma, liver, and
. HS altered bioenergetic processes (increased levels of AMP and reduced levels of fumarate, succinate, and UDP), protein metabolism (increased protein breakdown to supply the liver with amino acids for energy production), and promoted the accumulation of antioxidant and protective molecules (histidine-containing dipeptides, beta-alanine, and choline), especially in
. Arginine supplementation may have partially counterbalanced the effects of HS on energy homeostasis by increasing creatine levels and attenuating the increase in AMP levels, particularly in
. It also significantly reduced cecal observed diversity, while HS increased alpha diversity indices and affected beta diversity. Results of taxonomic analysis at the phylum and family level are also provided.
The welfare of laying hens is crucial for a sustainable and ethical food industry. Free-range systems offer a more natural and stimulating environment, while dual-purpose autochthonous breeds and ...crossbreeding could address ethical concerns and improve productivity. In this study, behaviour, plumage status, and leg health of five genotypes (two local breeds, two crossbreeds with a medium growth hybrid, and one commercial hybrid) in two different housing systems (enriched cage/free-range) were evaluated. The animals were filmed with professional cameras for three consecutive days at 30 and 64 weeks of age. Each day the recording session lasted 20 minutes, resulting in a total of 120 minutes per pen (20 min X 6 days recorded). A total of 16 behaviours divided into six categories (feeding, movement, social, resting, comfort, stretching) were scored. In addition, the tonic immobility test was performed, and the plumage status and footpad dermatitis of the birds were assessed. The results revealed a significant influence of the housing system on the behaviour, plumage status, and foot health of laying hens. While the housing system affected all behaviours, mainly feeding and comfort behaviours were influenced by the genotype of the hens and the interaction between the housing system and genotype. All genotypes displayed a similar behavioural pattern within the two housing systems, except for the commercial hybrid, which differed in its behaviour from the others adapting better to the enriched cage environment. In particular, the free-range system provided hens with more opportunities to engage in movement and comfort behaviour, and social interactions. Furthermore, hens in the free-range system exhibited better plumage conditions and lower rates of footpad dermatitis, indicating a positive impact on their overall welfare.
•Behaviour of 5 laying hen genotypes in enriched cage and free range housing systems was studied.•Housing system affects behaviour, plumage status, and footpad dermatitis of laying hens.•Free range system offers more opportunities to perform a wide range of behaviours.•Significant behavioural differences were observed between the commercial hybrid.•Behavioural patterns were identified using a machine learning technique
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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