The effects of ambient temperature and feeding regimens on cecum bacteria composition and circadian rhythm in growing rabbits.

Seasonal environmental shifts and improper eating habits are the important causes of diarrhea in children and growing animals. Whether adjusting feeding time at varying temperatures can modify cecal bacterial structure and improve diarrhea remains unknown. Three batches growing rabbits with two groups per batch were raised under different feeding regimens (fed at daytime vs. nighttime) in spring, summer and winter separately, and contents were collected at six time points in 1 day and used 16S rRNA sequencing to investigate the effects of feeding regimens and season on the composition and circadian rhythms of cecum bacteria. Randomized forest regression screened 12 genera that were significantly associated with seasonal ambient temperature changes. Nighttime feeding reduced the abundance of the conditionally pathogenic bacteria Desulfovibrio and Alistipes in summer and Campylobacter in winter. And also increases the circadian rhythmic Amplicon Sequence Variants in the cecum, enhancing the rhythm of bacterial metabolic activity. This rhythmic metabolic profile of cecum bacteria may be conducive to the digestion and absorption of nutrients in the host cecum. In addition, this study has identified 9 genera that were affected by the combination of seasons and feeding time. In general, we found that seasons and feeding time and their combinations affect cecum composition and circadian rhythms, and that daytime feeding during summer and winter disrupts the balance of cecum bacteria of growing rabbits, which may adversely affect cecum health and induce diarrhea risk.

UPLC-QTOF-MS based metabolomics unravels the modulatory effect of ginseng water extracts on rats with Qi-deficiency.

Ginseng is commonly used as a nutritional supplement and daily wellness product due to its ability to invigorate qi. As a result, individuals with Qi-deficiency often use ginseng as a health supplement. Ginsenosides and polysaccharides are the primary components of ginseng. However, the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of action of these components in Qi-deficiency remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the modulatory effects and mechanisms of ginseng water extract, ginsenosides, and ginseng polysaccharides in a rat model of Qi-deficiency using metabolomics and network analysis. The rat model of Qi-deficiency was established via swimming fatigue and a restricted diet. Oral administration of different ginseng water extracts for 30 days primarily alleviated oxidative stress and disrupted energy metabolism and immune response dysfunction caused by Qi-deficiency in rats. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography combined with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS) was used for untargeted serum metabolomic analysis. Based on the analysis results, the active constituents of ginseng significantly reversed the changes in serum biomarkers related to Qi-deficiency in rats, particularly energy, amino acid, and unsaturated fatty acid metabolism. Furthermore, analysis of the metabolite-gene network suggested that the anti-Qi-deficiency effects of the ginseng components were mainly associated with toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling and inflammatory response. Additional verification revealed that treatment with the ginseng components effectively reduced the inflammatory response and activation of the myocardial TLR4/NF-κB pathway induced by Qi-deficiency, especially the ginseng water extracts. Therefore, ginseng could be an effective preventive measure against the progression of Qi-deficiency by regulating metabolic and inflammatory responses.

Integrated ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry-based components analysis and network pharmacology strategy of Gancao Xiexin Decoction in treating gastric ulcer.

Gancao Xiexin Decoction (GCXXD) is a traditional Chinese decoction that is often used in treating gastric ulcers. However, the substance basis and mechanism of action remain unclear. In this study, in vivo and in vitro components of GCXXD were analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry. The compound Discover platform was used to ultimately enable rapid identification of compounds. Acquire X intelligent data acquisition technology software was innovatively adopted. In the process of collecting drug-containing plasma, all components detected in blank plasma samples were excluded to eliminate the interference and influence of endogenous components in plasma, making the analysis results more accurate and reliable. At the same time, the possibility of selecting precursor parent ions with low concentration levels within the chromatographic peak can be increased, improving the coverage and integrality of the detection of components in vivo. Also, the targeted network pharmacology strategy combined with molecular docking was established to explore the mechanism of GCXXD in treating gastric ulcers. As a result, 113 components were identified, 41 of which could enter the bloodstream and exert therapeutic effects in vivo. The main effective components are glycyrrhizic acid, 6-gingerol, jatrorrhizine, wogonin, palmatine, and liquiritigenin, main targets in vivo were related to ALB, IL6, and VEGF, which play an important role in anti-inflammatory and promoting angiogenesis. In summary, this study adopted a comprehensive analysis strategy to reveal the pharmacodynamic material basis and mechanism of GCXXD against gastric ulcers, providing a scientific basis for its clinical application.

UPLC-Q-TOF/MS based serum and urine metabolomics strategy to analyze the mechanism of nervonic acid in treating Alzheimer's disease.

Nervonic acid is a natural component of breast milk and is frequently used as a food additive due to its excellent neuroprotective effects. Although it has been reported that nervonic acid may play a role in the recovery of human cognitive impairment, its specific mechanism of action is still unclear. In this study, the results of serum biochemical indexes showed that nervonic acid improved inflammation and reduced amyloid ß peptide (Aß) deposition and tau protein phosphorylation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) rats. Subsequently, we further used a metabolomics approach to investigate the potential mechanism of action of nervonic acid in the treatment of AD. The results of serum and urine metabolomics study showed that the intervention of nervonic acid significantly reversed the metabolic profile disorder in AD rats. A total of 52 metabolites were identified. They mainly involved linoleic acid metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism, and all these metabolic pathways were associated with the emergence of inflammation in vivo. It suggests that the therapeutic effect of nervonic acid on AD is likely to be produced by ameliorating inflammation. The results obtained in this study provide new insights into the mechanism of nervonic acid treatment of AD and lay a foundation for the clinical application of nervonic acid in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

An integrated approach based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, network pharmacology, and molecular docking to study the key effective compounds and mechanism of action of Platycodi Radix in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Platycodi Radix (PR) is a valuable herb that is widely used in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in clinics. However, the mechanism of action for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease remains unclear due to the lack of in vivo studies. Our study established a novel integrated strategy based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry, network pharmacology, and molecular docking to systematically analyze the tissue distribution and active compounds of PR in vivo and the therapeutic mechanism of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. First, tissue distribution studies have shown that the lung is the organ with the highest distribution of PR compounds. Subsequently, network pharmacology results showed that the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, interleukin-17 signaling pathway, and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway were the critical mechanisms of PR against chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Ultimately, molecular docking results showed that the key targets were stably bound to the corresponding active compounds of PR. Our study is of great significance for the screening of the key effective compounds and the study of the mechanism of action in traditional Chinese medicine and provides data to support the further development and utilization of PR.

Optimizing Feeding Strategies for Growing Rabbits: Impact of Timing and Amount on Health and Circadian Rhythms.

Mammals exhibit circadian rhythms in their behavior and physiological activities to adapt to the diurnal changes of the environment. Improper feeding methods can disrupt the natural habits of animals and harm animal health. This study investigated the effects of feeding amount and feeding time on growing rabbits in northern China during spring. A total of 432 healthy 35-day-old weaned rabbits with similar body weight were randomly assigned to four groups: whole day diet-unrestricted feeding (WUF), whole day diet-restricted feeding (WRF), nighttime diet-unrestricted feeding (NUF), and nighttime diet-restricted feeding (NRF). The results showed that nighttime diet-unrestricted feeding improved performance, circadian rhythm of behavior, and body temperature, while reducing the risk of diarrhea and death. WRF group increased daytime body temperature but had no significant difference in feed conversion rate. The study suggests that nighttime diet-unrestricted feeding in spring can improve the growth and welfare of rabbits in northern China. Our study underscores the pivotal role of feeding timing in enhancing animal health. Future investigations should delve into the underlying mechanisms and expand the application of this strategy across seasons and regions to improve rabbit husbandry practices.

Therapeutic effect of Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim. leaves on ischemic stroke via the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim. leaves (ESL) are widely used to treat ischemic stroke (IS); however, the specific mechanism remains unclear. The microbiota-gut-brain axis plays a critical role in IS and has become a potential therapeutic target. This study aimed to reveal and verify the therapeutic effect of ESL on IS through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry-based untargeted/targeted metabolomics combined with 16S rRNA microbiota sequencing strategy were used to investigate the regulatory effect of ESL on the metabolism and intestinal microenvironment after IS. Lactobacillus reuteri and Clostridium butyricum were used to treat rats with IS to verify that elevated levels of probiotics are key factors in the therapeutic effect of ESL. The results showed that IS significantly altered the accumulation of 41 biomarkers, while ESL restored their concentrations back to normal. Moreover, ESL alleviated the dysbiosis of gut microbiota brought on by IS, by reducing the abundance of pathogens and increasing the abundance of probiotics (e.g., Lactobacillus reuteri and Clostridium butyricum); this could reduce post-stroke injury, thereby having a certain protective effect on IS. This study reveals that ESL plays an important role in treating IS through the microbiota-gut-brain axis, maintaining metabolic homeostasis in vivo.

Effect of Non-Isothermal Aging on the Mechanical Properties and Corrosion Resistance of 2A12 Aluminum Alloy.

The effect of linear non-isothermal aging and composite non-isothermal aging on the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of 2A12 aluminum alloy was investigated. Optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to study the microstructure and intergranular corrosion morphology, and the precipitates were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the mechanical properties of 2A12 aluminum alloy were improved by both non-isothermal aging techniques due to the formation of an S' phase and a point S″ phase in the alloy matrix. Linear non-isothermal aging resulted in better mechanical properties than composite non-isothermal aging. However, the corrosion resistance of the 2A12 aluminum alloy was reduced after non-isothermal aging due to the transformation of matrix precipitates and grain boundary precipitates. The corrosion resistance of the samples followed the order: annealed state > linear non-isothermal aging > composite non-isothermal aging.

Interaction between major catechins and umami amino acids in green tea based on electronic tongue technology.

Umami amino acids inhibit the bitter and astringent taste presentation of catechins, which is essential for the taste regulation of green tea. In this study, the concentration-intensity trends and taste threshold properties of major catechin monomers were investigated using an electronic tongue. The taste and chemical structure interactions between the ester-type catechins and theanine, glutamic acid (Glu), and aspartic acid (Asp) were further analyzed by in vitro simulation and analysis of their reciprocal chemical structures. The results showed that the bitterness and astringency of the major catechin monomers increased with increasing concentration, and their bitterness thresholds and their electron tongue response values were higher than those of the astringent values, while the bitterness and astringency of the ester-type catechins were higher than those of the nonester type. The three amino acids inhibited the bitterness intensity of ester catechins (epigallocatechin gallate, epicatechin gallate, and gallocatechin gallate) at different concentrations, and the effects on the astringency intensity of ester catechins were complicated. Ester catechins significantly enhanced the umami intensity of theanine, Glu, and Asp at different concentrations. Their reciprocal chemical structures showed that hydrogen bonding was the main interaction force between the three ester-type catechins and the umami amino acids, with theanine and Glu interacting more strongly with ester-type catechins than Asp, and Glu having a lower binding energy to ester-type catechins, which bonded more easily.

Predictive nonlinear modeling of malignant myelopoiesis and tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a blood cancer characterized by dysregulated production of maturing myeloid cells driven by the product of the Philadelphia chromosome, the BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have proved effective in treating CML, but there is still a cohort of patients who do not respond to TKI therapy even in the absence of mutations in the BCR-ABL1 kinase domain that mediate drug resistance. To discover novel strategies to improve TKI therapy in CML, we developed a nonlinear mathematical model of CML hematopoiesis that incorporates feedback control and lineage branching. Cell-cell interactions were constrained using an automated model selection method together with previous observations and new in vivo data from a chimeric BCR-ABL1 transgenic mouse model of CML. The resulting quantitative model captures the dynamics of normal and CML cells at various stages of the disease and exhibits variable responses to TKI treatment, consistent with those of CML patients. The model predicts that an increase in the proportion of CML stem cells in the bone marrow would decrease the tendency of the disease to respond to TKI therapy, in concordance with clinical data and confirmed experimentally in mice. The model further suggests that, under our assumed similarities between normal and leukemic cells, a key predictor of refractory response to TKI treatment is an increased maximum probability of self-renewal of normal hematopoietic stem cells. We use these insights to develop a clinical prognostic criterion to predict the efficacy of TKI treatment and design strategies to improve treatment response. The model predicts that stimulating the differentiation of leukemic stem cells while applying TKI therapy can significantly improve treatment outcomes.

Integrating polygenic and clinical risks to improve stroke risk stratification in prospective Chinese cohorts.

The utility of the polygenic risk score (PRS) to identify individuals at higher risk of stroke beyond clinical risk remains unclear, and we clarified this using Chinese population-based prospective cohorts. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the 10-year risk, and Fine and Gray's models were used for hazard ratios (HRs), their 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and the lifetime risk according to PRS and clinical risk categories. A total of 41,006 individuals aged 30-75 years with a mean follow-up of 9.0 years were included. Comparing the top versus bottom 5% of the PRS, the HR was 3.01 (95%CI 2.03-4.45) in the total population, and similar findings were observed within clinical risk strata. Marked gradients in the 10-year and lifetime risk across PRS categories were also found within clinical risk categories. Notably, among individuals with intermediate clinical risk, the 10-year risk for those in the top 5% of the PRS (7.3%, 95%CI 7.1%-7.5%) reached the threshold of high clinical risk (⩾7.0%) for initiating preventive treatment, and this effect of the PRS on refining risk stratification was evident for ischemic stroke. Even among those in the top 10% and 20% of the PRS, the 10-year risk would also exceed this level when aged ⩾50 and ⩾60 years, respectively. Overall, the combination of the PRS with the clinical risk score improved the risk stratification within clinical risk strata and distinguished actual high-risk individuals with intermediate clinical risk.

In-depth investigation of the mechanisms of Schisandra chinensis polysaccharide mitigating Alzheimer's disease rat via gut microbiota and feces metabolomics.

Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis) is an herbal medicine used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The purified polysaccharide fraction, namely SCP2, was previously isolated from S. chinensis crude polysaccharide (SCP) and its structure and in vitro activity were investigated. However, the in vivo activity of SCP2 and its potential mechanism for the treatment of AD have yet to be determined. This study used a combination of microbiomics and metabolomics to comprehensively explore the microbiota and metabolic changes in AD rats under SCP2 intervention, with the aim of elucidating the potential mechanisms of SCP2 in the treatment of AD. SCP2 showed significant therapeutic effects in AD rats, as evidenced by improved learning and memory capacity, reduced neuroinflammation, and restoration of the integrity of the intestinal barrier. Fecal metabolomic and microbiomic analyses revealed that SCP2 significantly modulated 19 endogenous metabolites and reversed gut microbiota disorders in AD rats. Moreover, SCP2 significantly increased the content of short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) in the AD rats. Correlation analysis showed a significant correlation between gut microbes, metabolites and the content of SCFAs. Collectively, these findings will provide the basis for further development of SCP2.

Decomposition-Based Multi-Step Forecasting Model for the Environmental Variables of Rabbit Houses.

To improve prediction accuracy and provide sufficient time to control decision-making, a decomposition-based multi-step forecasting model for rabbit house environmental variables is proposed. Traditional forecasting methods for rabbit house environmental parameters perform poorly because the coupling relationship between sequences is ignored. Using the STL algorithm, the proposed model first decomposes the non-stationary time series into trend, seasonal, and residual components and then predicts separately based on the characteristics of each component. LSTM and Informer are used to predict the trend and residual components, respectively. The aforementioned two predicted values are added together with the seasonal component to obtain the final predicted value. The most important environmental variables in a rabbit house are temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide concentration. The experimental results show that the encoder and decoder input sequence lengths in the Informer model have a significant impact on the model's performance. The rabbit house environment's multivariate correlation time series can be effectively predicted in a multi-input and single-output mode. The temperature and humidity prediction improved significantly, but the carbon dioxide concentration did not. Because of the effective extraction of the coupling relationship among the correlated time series, the proposed model can perfectly perform multivariate multi-step prediction of non-stationary time series.

Impact of cardiovascular health and genetic risk on coronary artery disease in Chinese adults.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether adherence to ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) can mitigate the genetic risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) in non-European populations. METHODS: Fine and Grey's models were used to calculate HRs and their corresponding 95% CIs, as well as the lifetime risk of CVH metrics across Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) categories. RESULTS: We included 39 755 individuals aged 30-75 years in Chinese prospective cohorts. 1275 CAD cases were recorded over a mean follow-up of 12.9 years. Compared with unfavourable CVH profile (zero to three ideal CVH metrics), favourable CVH profile (six to seven ideal CVH metrics) demonstrated similar relative effects across PRS categories, with the HRs of 0.40 (95% CI 0.24 to 0.67), 0.41 (95% CI 0.32 to 0.52) and 0.36 (95% CI 0.26 to 0.52) in low (bottom quintile of PRS), intermediate (two to four quintiles of PRS) and high (top quintile of PRS) PRS categories, respectively. For the absolute risk reduction (ARR), individuals with high PRS achieved the greatest benefit from favourable CVH, mitigating the risk to the average level of population (from 21.1% to 8.7%), and the gradient was strengthened in individuals at the top 5% of PRS. Moreover, compared with individuals at low PRS, those at high PRS obtained longer CAD-free years (2.6 vs 1.1) from favourable CVH at the index age of 35 years. CONCLUSION: Favourable CVH profile reduced the CAD relative risk by similar magnitude across PRS categories, while the ARR from favourable CVH was most pronounced in high PRS category. Attaining favourable CVH should be encouraged for all individuals, especially in individuals with high genetic susceptibility.

An integrated study on the comprehensive mechanism of Schisandra chinensis polysaccharides mitigating Alzheimer's disease in rats using a UPLC-Q-TOF-MS based serum and urine metabolomics strategy.

As a well-known traditional Chinese medicine and functional food, Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis) has been proved to possess excellent neuroprotective effects, and particularly the role of the polysaccharide fraction in neuroprotection has been increasingly emphasized. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects and potential mechanism of action of the homogeneous polysaccharide SCP2, isolated and purified from S. chinensis polysaccharide (SCP), on Alzheimer's disease (AD) rats based on a holistic metabolomics approach in serum and urine. The results of the pharmacodynamics study showed that SCP2 significantly improved Aß25-35-induced cognitive dysfunction, improved oxidative damage and reduced Aß deposition in the hippocampus. The holistic metabolomics results of serum and urine showed that the intervention with SCP2 significantly reversed the metabolic profile disorder in AD rats. A total of 40 metabolites (21 serum metabolites and 19 urine metabolites) were identified, which were mainly involved in linoleic acid metabolism, alpha-linolenic acid metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism. The results obtained in this study will provide new insights into the mechanisms of SCP2 in the treatment of AD and provide a basis for the subsequent structure-activity studies of SCP2.

Application of an integrated loach-plant-substrate-microbes non-aerated saturated vertical flow constructed wetlands: Mechanisms of pollutants removal and greenhouse gases reduction.

This study established an integrated loach-plant-substrate-microbes non-aerated saturated vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs) to enhance pollutants removal efficiencies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions simultaneously. The results of the VFCWs experiment indicated that the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorous, and total nitrogen in loach systems were significantly higher than those of non-loach systems, achieving 59.16%, 35.98%, and 40.96%, respectively. The CH4 and N2O emission fluxes were also significantly reduced in the integrated system, resulting in lower global warming potential (GWP) and GWP per unit of pollutants removal. Loaches promoted the transportation of oxygen, facilitated the re-contact and utilization of sediments, reduced CH4 emission, and enhanced nitrogen conversion and phosphorus accumulation. Increased bioavailable carbon and nitrate-nitrogen in the integrated system improved the abundance of denitrifying bacteria, which supported complete denitrification, reducing N2O emissions with high pollutant removal.

Chlorine poisoning caused by improper mixing of household disinfectants during the COVID-19 pandemic: Case series.

BACKGROUND: Misuse of disinfectants during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has led to several poisoning incidents. However, there are few clinical case reports on poisoning caused by improper mixing of household disinfectants. AIM: To summarize the clinical characteristics and treatment effects of chlorine poisoning caused by improper mixing of hypochlorite bleach with acidic cleaning agents.METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed baseline and clinical data, clinical symptoms, and treatment methods of seven patients with chlorine poisoning who were admitted to the National Army Poisoning Treatment Center. RESULTS: Among the seven patients, the average poisoning time (exposure to admission) was 57 h (4-240 h). All patients were involved in cleaning bathrooms. Chest computed tomography scans revealed bilateral lung effusions or inflammatory changes in five patients. The partial pressure of oxygen decreased in six patients, and respiratory failure occurred in one. Five patients had different degrees of increase in white blood cell count. Humidified oxygen therapy, non-invasive mechanical ventilation, anti-inflammatory corticosteroids, antioxidants, and antibiotics were administered for treatment. The average length of hospital stay was 7 d (4-9 d). All seven patients recovered and were discharged. CONCLUSION: Improper mixing of household disinfectants may cause damage to the respiratory system due to chlorine poisoning. Corticosteroids may improve lung exudation in severe cases, and symptomatic supportive treatment should be performed early.

Cdc42 Promotes Axonogenesis of Primary Hippocampal Neurons by Inhibiting Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3ß.

BACKGROUND: Progressive axon degeneration is a common pathological feature of neurodegenerative diseases. Cdc42 is a member of the Rho GTPase family that participates in axonogenesis. GSK-3ß is a serine/threonine kinase highly implicated in neuronal development and neurodegeneration. This study aimed to examine whether cdc42 promotes axonogenesis by regulating GSK-3ß activity. METHODS: Hippocampal neurons were isolated from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats and transfected with designated plasmid vectors to alter the activities of cdc42 and GSK-3ß. LiCl treatment was used to inhibit the GSK-3ß activity in primary neurons. GSK-3ß activity was determined by an enzyme activity assay kit. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect axons stained with anti-Tau-1 antibody and dendrites stained with anti-MAP2 antibody. RESULTS: Transfection with an active cdc42 mutant (cdc42F28L) decreased the activity of GSK-3ß and induced axonogenesis in primary rat hippocampal neurons, while transfection with a negative cdc42 mutant (cdc42N17) resulted an opposite effect. Moreover, transfection with plasmid vectors carrying wild-type GSK-3ß or a constitutively active GSK3ß mutant (GSK-3ß S9A) increased the activity of GSK-3ß and attenuated axonogenesis of primary hippocampal neurons with excessive cdc42 activity, whereas inhibition of GSK-3ß by LiCl abolished the inhibitory effect of the negative cdc42 mutant on axonogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that cdc42 induces axonogenesis of primary rat hippocampal neurons via inhibiting GSK-3ß activity. These findings support further investigation into the mechanisms of cdc42/GSK-3ß-mediated axonogenesis.

The Relationship between Animal Welfare and Farm Profitability in Cage and Free-Range Housing Systems for Laying Hens in China.

Several countries and regions have regulations in place to provide standards for the welfare of production animals, which have implications for breeding, management and trade. In the chicken egg production industry, the welfare impacts of this are not well understood. In the past decades, free-range systems were widely used for local chicken breeds in poultry industry in China, but their use has gradually declined due to the lower competitiveness compared to commercial cage systems. However, the practices of free-range systems for hens raising have gradually increased again over the past decade, as consumer individualized demand for higher food quality and animal welfare has increased. We recruited 14 free-range farms and 45 cage farms from Beijing, Shandong, Hebei, Anhui, Yunnan, Gansu and Jiangsu provinces in China, for an evaluation of hen welfare, production and economic outcomes from farm operations. This study provides data for the welfare outcomes of laying hens in China and preliminarily explored the relationship between welfare level and economic income within farming system types. The researchers visited the farms and used Welfare Quality measures to investigate the welfare, and farm self-reported profits. Nonparametric Mann−Whitney U tests were used to compare the welfare scores between cage and free-range rearing farms. Correlation and regression are used for the analysis of the animal welfare scores, economic data, and production metrics. The general income from free-range farms was linearly correlated with red mite score and stocking density (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). The results showed less centimeters of feeder and drinker space per animal in the free-range system than in cage systems (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). Welfare scores for both the stocking density and beak condition were significantly better in the free-range systems than the cage systems (p < 0.001), as were qualitative behavior assessment scores (p < 0.05). The total egg production and peak egg production in cage farms were much higher than in free-range farms (p < 0.001), and egg loss rate was significantly lower (p < 0.001). While the production efficiency of free-range farms was lower than that of cage farms, general income per 10,000 hens was actually higher. Our results provide some evidence that some welfare indicators and general income (per 10,000 hens) in free-range farms in China were better than those of cage farms. The results indicate that better parasite control and lower stocking densities may result in improved hen welfare on free-range farms and potentially improve profitability. The level of welfare and economic benefits of free-range farms vary widely, and there was potential room for improvement in feeding space, drinking water space and human−animal relationship.