The effect of water shower spray on stress physiology and mortality in broiler chickens subjected to road transportation under the hot and humid tropical condition.

This study was performed to investigate the effect of water shower spray on rectal temperature (RT), serum levels of corticosterone (CORT), heat shock protein (HSP) 70 and creatine kinase (CK) in broiler chickens road transported at different times of the day. A total of 320 male broiler chickens (35 days of age) were crated and subjected to either water shower spray (WS) for 10 min or no water shower (control). The WS and control broilers were then loaded into an open truck and transported either from 0900 to 1100 h (29.0 °C and 89.0% RH) (AM) or 1900 h to 2100 h (26.0 °C and 94.0% RH) (PM) with an average speed of 80 km/h. The CORT of AM birds were significantly reduced by WS, but the treatment had negligible influence on the PM group. Transportation during AM significantly elevated RT, CORT and HSP70 compared to the PM group. Water shower spraying of birds before transit significantly reduced RT and HSP70 compared to controls. Neither water shower treatment nor transportation time had a significant on CK and mortality rate of broilers. In conclusion, water shower spray is beneficial to alleviate the physiological stress response in road-transported broilers under the hot and humid tropical environment.

Effects of dietary palm oil on broiler chicken productive performance and carcass characteristics: a comprehensive review.

Palm oil is a natural energy source ingredient in poultry diets that offers a broad range of beneficial effects on the performance of broiler chickens. This review was conducted to highlight the impact of palm oil as a feed ingredient on growth performance and carcass quality, as well as the biochemical, antioxidant activity and tissue fatty acids (FA) composition of broiler chickens. Palm oil inclusion in broiler chickens' rations contributes significantly to the high metabolisable energy (ME) of feed formulation, increases feed palatability and decreases digesta passage rate in the intestine. The reviewed literature indicated that dietary palm oil has a beneficial effect on broiler chickens' overall growth performance traits. The addition of palm oil can also improve the heat tolerance of chickens reared in high ambient temperature conditions. Regardless of breed and breeding conditions, palm oil exhibits good oxidative stability in broiler chickens due to the presence of prevalent phytonutrient elements in this oil. The inclusion of palm oil increased palmitic (C16:0) and oleic (C18:1) acids in tissue deposits, which improves meat stability and quality. Moreover, molecular studies have revealed that higher mRNA expression of several lipid-related hepatic genes in broiler chickens fed palm oil. Nonetheless, dietary palm oil can influence FA deposition in tissues, modulate lipoprotein and triglycerides (TG) levels, and cytokine contents in the blood serum of broiler chickens.

Quantification of Cooking Method Effect on COP Content in Meat Types Using Triple Quadrupole GC-MS/MS.

A diet containing cholesterol is an essential component of biological function; however, cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) remain a major public health concern. This study investigated the effects of cooking methods (boiling and frying) on the production levels of COPs in processed foods. Samples, as represented by minced beef, chicken sausages, and fish fillets, were subjected to different cooking methods followed by COP extraction using a saponification method. Then, six common COPs, 5α-cholest, α-epoxy, ß-epoxy, 25-HC, triol, and 7-keto, were quantified by triple quadrupole gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GS-MS/MS). A significantly high number of COPs were detected in minced meat, of which 7-keto and triol were detected as major oxidation products, followed by chicken sausages and fish fillets (p ≤ 0.05). Compared to boiling, frying generated significantly more COPs, specifically triol (0.001-0.004 mg/kg) and 7-keto (0.001-0.200 mg/kg), in all samples. Interestingly, cholesterol level was found to be slightly (but not significantly) decreased in heat-treated samples due to oxidation during cooking, producing a higher number of COPs. Notably, the fish fillets were found to produce the fewest COPs due to the presence of a low amount of cholesterol and unsaturated fatty acids. In conclusion, adapting boiling as a way of cooking and choosing the right type of meat could serve to reduce COPs in processed foods.

WITHDRAWN:Treated oil palm frond and its utilisation as an improved feedstuff for ruminants-An overview.

Ahead of Print article withdrawn by publisher.

Environmental temperature and stocking density effects on acute phase proteins, heat shock protein 70, circulating corticosterone and performance in broiler chickens.

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different stocking densities on serum corticosterone (CORT), ovotransferrin (OVT), α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and ceruloplasmin (CP) concentrations, brain heat shock protein (HSP) 70 expression and performance in broiler chickens exposed to unheated and heated conditions. Day-old chicks were stocked at 0.100 m(2)/bird (low density (LD)) or 0.063 m(2)/bird (high density (HD)), in battery cages and housed in environmentally controlled rooms. From 21 to 35 days of age, birds from each stocking density group were exposed to either 24 or 32 °C. Growth performance was recorded during the heat treatment period, and blood and brain samples were collected to determine CORT, OVT, AGP, CP and HSP 70 levels on day 35. Heat treatment but not stocking density was detrimental to growth performance. There were significant temperature × density interactions for CORT, CP and OVT on day 35. Although HD elevated CORT, CP and OVT when compared to LD, the effects of the former were more obvious under heated condition. Both temperature and density had significant effect on AGP and HSP 70. In conclusion, irrespective of temperature, high stocking density was physiologically stressful to broiler chickens, as indicated by CORT, AGP, CP, OVT and HSP 70, but not detrimental to growth performance and survivability. As it was shown in the present study, AGP, CP and OVT could be useful biomarkers to determine the effect of overcrowding and high temperature on the welfare of broiler chickens.

Effects of two herbal extracts and virginiamycin supplementation on growth performance, intestinal microflora population and Fatty Acid composition in broiler chickens.

The competency of garlic and pennywort to improve broiler chicken growth and influence intestinal microbial communities and fatty acid composition of breast meat were studied. Two hundred forty, "day-old" chicks were randomly allocated to 4 treatment groups consisting of 6 replications of 10 chicks in each pen. The groups were assigned to receive treatment diets as follows: i) basal diet (control), ii) basal diet plus 0.5% garlic powder (GP), iii) basal diet plus 0.5% pennywort powder (PW) and iv) 0.002% virginiamycin (VM). Birds were killed at day 42 and intestinal samples were collected to assess for Lactobacillus and Escherichia coli. The pectoralis profundus from chicken breast samples was obtained from 10 birds from each treatment group on day 42 and frozen at -20°C for further analyses. Fatty acid profile of breast muscles was determined using gas liquid chromatography. Feed intake and weight gain of broilers fed with GP, PW, and VM were significantly higher (p<0.05) compared to control. Feeding chicks GP, PW, and VM significantly reduced Escherichia coli count (p<0.05) while Lactobacillus spp count were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the gut when compared to control group on day 42. Supplemented diet containing pennywort increased the C18:3n-3 fatty acid composition of chickens' breast muscle. Garlic and pennywort may be useful in modulating broiler guts as they control the enteropathogens that help to utilize feed efficiently. This subsequently enhances the growth performances of broiler chickens.

Heat Shock Protein Response to Stress in Poultry: A Review.

Compared to other animal species, production has dramatically increased in the poultry sector. However, in intensive production systems, poultry are subjected to stress conditions that may compromise their well-being. Much like other living organisms, poultry respond to various stressors by synthesising a group of evolutionarily conserved polypeptides named heat shock proteins (HSPs) to maintain homeostasis. These proteins, as chaperones, play a pivotal role in protecting animals against stress by re-establishing normal protein conformation and, thus, cellular homeostasis. In the last few decades, many advances have been made in ascertaining the HSP response to thermal and non-thermal stressors in poultry. The present review focuses on what is currently known about the HSP response to thermal and non-thermal stressors in poultry and discusses the factors that modulate its induction and regulatory mechanisms. The development of practical strategies to alleviate the detrimental effects of environmental stresses on poultry will benefit from detailed studies that describe the mechanisms of stress resilience and enhance our understanding of the nature of heat shock signalling proteins and gene expression.

Effects of Thermal Manipulation on mRNA Regulation of Response Genes Regarding Improvement of Thermotolerance Adaptation in Chickens during Embryogenesis.

The phenomenon of increasing heat stress (HS) among animals is of particular significance when it is seen in economically significant industries, such as poultry. Due to the identification of the physiological, molecular, and genetic roots of HS responses in chickens, a substantial number of studies have focused on reducing the effects of HS in poultry through environmental management, dietary manipulation, and genetic alterations. Temperature manipulation (TM) during embryogenesis has been claimed to increase the thermal tolerance and well-being of chickens without affecting their capacity for future growth. There has been little investigation into the vulnerability of the epigenome involving TM during embryogenesis, although the cellular pathways activated by HS have been explored in chickens. Epigenetic changes caused by prenatal TM enhance postnatal temperature adaption and produce physiological memory. This work offers a thorough analysis that explains the cumulative impact of HS response genes, such as genes related to heat shock proteins, antioxidants, and immunological genes, which may aid in the enhanced adaptability of chickens that have undergone thermal manipulation during their embryonic stages.

Effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles on regulatory appetite and heat stress protein genes in broiler chickens subjected to heat stress.

This study was conducted to explore the effect of the zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) supplement on the regulatory appetite and heat stress (HS) genes in broiler chickens raised under high or normal ambient temperatures. In this study, 240 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Cobb 500) were randomly assigned to 48 battery cages. From day 1, these 48 cages were randomly subjected to four different treatment strategies: Control (wherein, their basal diet included 60 mg/kg of ZnO), ZNONPs 40 (wherein basal diet included 40 mg/kg of ZnONPs), ZnONPs 60 (basal diet included 60 mg/kg of ZnONPs), and ZnONPs 100 (basal diet included 100 mg/kg of ZnONPs). Thereafter, from day 22 to 42, the chickens from each dietary treatment group were subjected to different temperature stresses either normal (23 ± 1 °C constant) or HS (34 ± 1 °C for 6 h/d), which divided them into eight different treatment groups. Our findings revealed that dietary ZnONPs altered the gene expression of cholecystokinin (ileum), heat stress proteins (HSP) 70 (jejunum and ileum), and HSP 90 (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum). The gene expression of ghrelin was affected by the interaction between the ZnONPs concentration and temperature in the duodenum and stomach. More studies are required to elucidate its complex physiological and biochemical functions of the regulation of gene expression within the intestine in heat-stressed broiler chickens.

Effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles on growth performance and concentrations of malondialdehyde, zinc in tissues, and corticosterone in broiler chickens under heat stress conditions.

The use of nanominerals, such as nano-zinc, represents a promising and emerging technology in the animal farming industry. Due to the small particle size and bioavailability of nano-zinc, it can be easily assimilated in the digestive system, thereby reducing excretion and environmental pollution. The present study was conducted to assess the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) on the growth performance, zinc (Zn) concentration in edible tissues, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, and corticosterone concentrations in broilers reared under normal or heat stress environmental conditions. The experiment was performed with a completely randomized design based on a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement consisting of 4 diets (basal diet + 60 mg/kg conventional zinc oxide as control diet; basal diet + 40 mg/kg of ZnONPs; basal diet + 60 mg/kg of ZnONPs; and basal diet + 100 mg/kg of ZnONPs) and 2 environmental conditions (normal and heat stress). On day 22, birds from each dietary group were divided equally to normal temperature (23 ± 1°C throughout) or heat stress conditions (34 ± 1°C daily for 6 h from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm). From 1 to 42 D of age, the broiler chickens fed 100 mg/kg ZnONPs exhibited lower feed intake and feed conversion ratio than the control. The accumulation of Zn in the liver of broilers was significantly higher among all treatment groups compared to breast and thigh muscle tissues regardless of the temperature conditions. At 40 and 60 mg/kg ZnONPs, the malondialdehyde content increased in thigh muscle of broilers at 7 D postmortem, indicating that ZnONPs potentially inhibited the antioxidant system in muscle tissues. The control and ZnONPs at 40 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg led to low serum corticosterone levels that may be attributed to the antioxidant and antistress properties of Zn. Taken together, although supplementation with ZnONPs at 40 mg/kg and 60 mg/kg alleviated the negative results of heat stress, further research is needed to determine the optimal level of dietary ZnONPs supplementation.

Dietary Conjugated Linoleic Acid Supplementation Leads to Downregulation of PPAR Transcription in Broiler Chickens and Reduction of Adipocyte Cellularity.

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) act as an important ligand for nuclear receptors in adipogenesis and fat deposition in mammals and avian species. This study aimed to determine whether similar effects are plausible on avian abdominal fat adipocyte size, as well as abdominal adipogenic transcriptional level. CLA was supplemented at different levels, namely, (i) basal diet without CLA (5% palm oil) (CON), (ii) basal diet with 2.5% CLA and 2.5% palm oil (LCLA), and (iii) basal diet with 5% CLA (HCLA).The content of cis-9, trans-11 CLA was between 1.69- and 2.3-fold greater (P < 0.05) than that of trans-10, cis-12 CLA in the abdominal fat of the LCLA and HCLA group. The adipogenic capacity of the abdominal fat depot in LCLA and HCLA fed chicken is associated with a decreased proportion of adipose cells and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). The transcriptional level of adipocyte protein (aP2) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) was downregulated by 1.08- to 2.5-fold in CLA supplemented diets, respectively. It was speculated that feeding CLA to broiler chickens reduced adipocyte size and downregulated PPARγ and aP2 that control adipocyte cellularity. Elevation of CLA isomers into their adipose tissue provides a potential CLA-rich source for human consumption.