Proximal femoral head transcriptome reveals novel candidate genes related to epiphysiolysis in broiler chickens.

BACKGROUND: The proximal femoral head separation (FHS) or epiphysiolysis is a prevalent disorder affecting the chicken femur epiphysis, being considered a risk factor to infection which can cause bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis in broilers. To identify the genetic mechanisms involved in epiphysiolysis, differentially expressed (DE) genes in the femur of normal and FHS-affected broilers were identified using RNA-Seq technology. Femoral growth plate (GP) samples from 35-day-old commercial male broilers were collected from 4 healthy and 4 FHS-affected broilers. Sequencing was performed using an Illumina paired-end protocol. Differentially expressed genes were obtained using the edgeR package based on the False Discovery Rate (FDR < 0.05). RESULTS: Approximately 16 million reads/sample were generated with 2 × 100 bp paired-end reads. After data quality control, approximately 12 million reads/sample were mapped to the reference chicken genome (Galgal5). A total of 12,645 genes were expressed in the femur GP. Out of those, 314 were DE between groups, being 154 upregulated and 160 downregulated in FHS-affected broilers. In the functional analyses, several biological processes (BP) were overrepresented. Among them, those related to cell adhesion, extracellular matrix (ECM), bone development, blood circulation and lipid metabolism, which are more related to chicken growth, are possibly involved with the onset of FHS. On the other hand, BP associated to apoptosis or cell death and immune response, which were also found in our study, could be related to the consequence of the FHS. CONCLUSIONS: Genes with potential role in the epiphysiolysis were identified through the femur head transcriptome analysis, providing a better understanding of the mechanisms that regulate bone development in fast-growing chickens. In this study, we highlighted the importance of cell adhesion and extracellular matrix related genes in triggering FHS. Furthermore, we have shown new insights on the involvement of lipidemia and immune response/inflammation with FHS in broilers. Understanding the changes in the GP transcriptome might support breeding strategies to address poultry robustness and to obtain more resilient broilers.

Impact of treatments for recycled broiler litter on the viability and infectivity of microorganisms.

The microbiological risk of recycled litter depends on the efficacy of the management system applied to inactivate residual microorganisms and preserve the health of the successive broiler flock. This study aimed to assess the viability and infectivity of the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) and Salmonella Heidelberg in recycled litter exposed to different treatments. The litter was contaminated with microorganisms and submitted to the treatments (T): T1: shallow fermentation; T2: quicklime (calcium oxide); T3: shallow fermentation followed by addition of quicklime; T4: no treatment. Sentinel chicks housed on the treated litter showed that T1 and T3 inactivated residual IBDV. Analysis of the litter subjected to T1 also showed reduced levels of total enterobacteria. T2 was not able to reduce the microorganisms assessed and its association with T1 (T3) failed to enhance the effect of the treatment. NDV did not survive in the broiler litter, regardless of the treatment applied, and it was also not detected in the sentinel chicks. S. Heidelberg remained viable in the litter submitted to all studied treatments, being isolated from the sentinel chicks of all the experimental groups. The antimicrobial activity of T1 and T3 was associated to higher ammonia contents in the broiler litter. The results indicate that the shallow fermentation treatment is efficient for controlling residual IBDV and total enterobacteria in the recycled litter.

Atividade antibacteriana de desinfetantes para uso na produção orgânica de aves / Antibacterial activity of disinfectants for use in organic poultry keeping

A determinação de produtos eficazes para a desinfecção e que não causem danos ao meio ambiente é um grande desafio para a avicultura orgânica. Neste trabalho foram avaliadas as atividades antibacterianas de quatro desinfetantes: ácido peracético, amônia quaternária, hipoclorito de sódio a 1 por cento e a 0,1 por cento de cloro ativo e do composto de ácidos orgânicos (cítrico, lático e ascórbico), frente às amostras padrão de Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis e Staphylococcus aureus, na presença e ausência de matéria orgânica, sob duas diferentes temperaturas e tempo de contato de 20 minutos. Os ácidos orgânicos mostraram-se menos efetivos na presença de matéria orgânica. No entanto, o ácido peracético, na ausência desta, foi o mais eficaz frente à S. Enteritidis e igualmente efetivo, independente da matéria orgânica, frente ao S. aureus e E. coli, revelando-se uma opção válida para desinfecção na avicultura orgânica, desde que precedida de limpeza criteriosa.

Efficient products in the disinfection that do not cause damages to the environment are a challenge for the organic poultry keeping. The antibacterial activity of four disinfectants was evaluated to per acetic acid, quaternary ammonium, sodium hypochlorite at 1 percent and 0,1 percent and the composed of organics acids (citric, lactic and ascorbic) against standard samples of Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis and Staphylococcus aureus in the presence and absence of organic matter, at two different temperatures and with 20 minutes of contact. Organic acids were shown less effective in the presence of organic matter. However, the per acetic acid in the absence of this revealed most efficient against S. Enteritidis and equally effective in the presence of organic matter, against S. aureus and E. coli showing a valid option for disinfection in the organic poultry keeping since preceded of careful cleanness.

Histopatologia em pulmões e corações de frangos suplementados com oxigênio durante a fase de incubação / Histopathology of broiler chicken lungs and hearts supplemented with oxygen during the hatchery period

Analisou-se histopatologicamente, o efeito da suplementação de dois por cento (2 por cento) de oxigênio nas máquinas de incubação, durante o período embrionário, sobre corações e pulmões de aves no primeiro e no 40º dia de vida. A descrição das alterações histológicas dos órgãos revelou que as aves que receberam a suplementação apresentaram menores graus de lesões nos tecidos estudados e redução da taxa de mortalidade dos frangos.