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Background: The study aimed to determine the apparent total tract digestibility coefficients (ATTDC) of nutrients, the apparent metabolizable energy (AME and AMEn) and the amino acid (AA) apparent ileal digestibility coefficients (AIDC)of a partially defatted (BSFp) and a highly defatted (BSFh) black soldier fly larvae meal. The experimental diets were: a basal diet and two diets prepared by substituting 250 g/kg (w/w) of the basal diet with BSFp or BSFh, respectively.Results: Significant differences were found between BSFp and BSFh meals for ATTDC of the nutrients: BSFp resulted more digestible than BSFh, except for ATTDC of CP which did not differed between meals, while a statistical trend was observed for ATTDC of DM and EE. The AME and AMEn values were significantly (P < 0.05) different between the two BSF meals, with higher levels for BSFp (16.25 and 14.87 MJ/kg DM, respectively). The AIDC of the AA in BSFp ranged from 0.44 to 0.92, while in BSFh they ranged from 0.45 to 0.99. No significant differences were observed for the AA digestibility (0.77 and 0.80 for BSFp and BSFh, respectively), except for glutamic acid, proline and serine that were more digestible in the BSFh meal (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Defatted BSF meals can be considered as an excellent source of AME and digestible AA for broilers with a better efficient nutrient digestion. These considerations suggested the effective utilization of defatted BSF larvae meal in poultry feed formulation.

Background The present study has evaluated the effects of different inclusion levels of a partially defatted black soldier fly ( Hermetia illucens L.; HI) larva meal on the growth performance, blood parameters and gut morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 256 male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were reared from d 1 to d 35 and assigned to 4 dietary treatments (8 replicates/treatment and 8 birds/replicate). HI larva meal was included at increasing levels (0, 5%, 10% and 15%; HI0, HI5, HI10 and HI15, respectively) in isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets formulated for 3 feeding phases: starter (1–10 d), growing (10–24 d) and finisher (24–35 d). Two birds per pen were slaughtered at d 35 and morphometric investigations and histopathological alterations were performed. Results The live weight (LW) showed linear and quadratic responses to increasing HI larva meal (maximum for HI10 group). Average daily gain (ADG) showed a linear and quadratic responses to HI meal (maximum for HI10 group) during starter and growing periods. A linear decrease was observed for ADG during the finisher period. The daily feed intake (DFI) showed a linear and quadratic effect during the starter period (maximum for HI10 group). Linear and quadratic responses were observed for the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in the growing period and for the whole period of the experiment. The FCR showed a linear response in the finisher period (maximum for HI15). No significant effects were observed for the blood and serum parameters, except for the phosphorus concentration, which showed linear and quadratic responses as well as glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, the latter of which showed a linear response. The HI15 birds showed a lower villus height, a higher crypt depth and a lower villus height-to-crypt depth ratio than the other groups. Conclusions Increasing levels of dietary HI meal inclusion in male broiler chickens may improve the LW and DFI during the starter period, but may also negatively affect the FCR and gut morphology, thus suggesting that low levels may be more suitable. However, no significant effects on the haematochemical parameters or histological findings were observed in relation to HI meal utilization.

Background Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) are causative agent of extraintestinal infections, collectively known as colibacillosis, which results significant losses in poultry industries. The extraintestinal survival of E. coli is facilitated by numerous virulence factors which are coded by virulence genes. This study was conducted to find out the pattern of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes content in the APEC strains isolated from broiler chickens at National Avian Disease Investigation Laboratory and Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. Results A total of 50 E. coli strains were isolated from 50 colibacillosis suspected broiler chickens. Out of 50 isolates of E. coli , 47 (94%) showed resistant to three or more antimicrobials. The highest levels (22%) of multidrug-resistant E. coli were observed for five different types of antimicrobials. Antibiogram profiles of 50 E. coli strains showed the maximum resistance to ampicillin (98%), followed by co-trimoxazole (90%), and doxycycline (62%). The highest intermediate resistance was shown by colistin (50%) and the highest sensitivity was against amikacin (84%), followed by nitrofurantoin (55%). Based on the genetic criteria, 45 (90%) E. coli isolates were considered as pathogenic (APEC) which contained more than five virulence genes. Out of total APEC genes detected, we found the combination of iss, iucD, hlyF, ompT, iroN, and iutA genes were mostly associated with the APEC and additionally, to some lesser extent irp2, papC, Cva/cvi, and tsh genes showed the critical role for virulent traits of APEC strains. Conclusion In this study, high prevalent of antimicrobial resistant pattern was found with avian pathogenic E. coli strains isolated from broiler chickens. To our knowledge, this is the first molecular analysis which confirmed the prevalence of APEC strains in poultry sector in Nepal. These finding suggest the need of surveillance and intervention system to control misuse of antibiotics and APEC outbreak in the poultry farm.

Background The present study is designed to assess the effect of adding various doses of Spirulina platensis (SP) on broiler chicken growth performance, gut health, antioxidant biomarkers, cecal microbiota, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). 240 male Cobb 500 broiler chicks (1 day old) were placed into four groups (sixty birds/group), then each group was further divided into three replicates of 20 chickens each for 35 days. Birds were allocated as follows; the 1st group (G1), the control group, fed on basal diet, the 2nd group (G2): basal diet plus SP (0.1%), the 3rd group (G3): basal diet plus SP (0.3%), and the 4th group (G4): basal diet plus SP (0.5%). Results Throughout the trial (d 1 to 35), SP fortification significantly increased body weight growth (BWG) and feed conversion rate (FCR) ( P  < 0.05). Bursa considerably increased among the immunological organs in the Spirulina-supplemented groups. Within SP-supplemented groups, there was a substantial increase in catalase activity, blood total antioxidant capacity, jejunal superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity ( P  < 0.05). Fatty acid binding protein 2 (FABP2), one of the gut barrier health biomarkers, significantly increased in the SP-supplemented groups but the IL-1β gene did not significantly differ across the groups ( P  < 0.05). Different organs in the control group showed histopathological changes, while the SP-supplemented chicken showed fewer or no signs of these lesions. The control group had higher levels of iNOS expression in the gut than the SP-supplemented groups ( p  < 0.05). Cecal Lactobacillus count significantly elevated with increasing the rate of SP inclusion rate ( p  < 0.05). Conclusion Supplementing broiler diets with SP, particularly at 0.5%, can improve productivity and profitability by promoting weight increase, feed utilization, antioxidant status, immunity, and gastrointestinal health.

Clostridium perfringens type A and C are the primary etiological agents associated with necrotic enteritis (NE) in poultry. The predisposing factors implicated in the incidence of NE changes the physical properties of the gut, immunological status of birds, and disrupt the gut microbial homeostasis, causing an over-proliferation of C. perfringens. The principal virulence factors contributing to the pathogenesis of NE are the α-toxin, β-toxin, and NetB toxin. The immune response to NE in poultry is mediated by the Th1 pathway or cytotoxic T-lymphocytes. C. perfringens type A and C are also pathogenic in humans, and hence are of public health significance. C. perfringens intoxications are the third most common bacterial foodborne disease after Salmonella and Campylobacter. The restrictions on the use of antibiotics led to an increased incidence of NE in poultry. Hence, it is essential to develop alternative strategies to keep the prevalence of NE under check. The control strategies rely principally on the positive modulation of host immune response, nutritional manipulation, and pathogen reduction. Current knowledge on the etiology, pathogenesis, predisposing factors, immune response, effect on the gut microbial homeostasis, and preventative strategies of NE in this post-antibiotic era is addressed in this review.

ObjectiveSpirulina has been recognized formerly as a filamentous spiral-shaped blue-green algae but more recently as a genus of photosynthetic bacteria (Arthrospira). This microorganism is considered as a rich source of essential nutrients for human and animals. The present study was conducted to determine potential application of Spirulina for heat-exposed broilers.MethodsTwo hundred and fifty Cobb 500 chicks with male to female in equal ratio with average initial weight of 615.6 g at 17 days of age were divided into 5 treatments with 5 replicates of 10 chicks. Treatment groups were as follows: positive and negative controls with 0% Spirulina supplement and three Spirulina receiving groups with 5 g/kg (0.5%), 10 g/kg (1%), and 20 g/kg (2%) supplementation. Spirulina receiving groups as well as positive control were exposed to high ambient temperature at 36°C for 6 h/d from 38 to 44 days of age. Biochemical variables were measured in serum samples at 35, 38, 42, and 45 days of broiler chickens age.ResultsThe results showed that supplementation of the diet with Spirulina decreased concentration of stress hormone and some serum lipid parameters while enhanced humoral immunity response and elevated antioxidant status whereas it didn’t meaningfully affect performance characteristics. Nevertheless, feed conversion ratio was improved numerically but not statistically in broilers fed with 1% Spirulina under high ambient temperature.ConclusionOverall, the present study suggests that alleviation of adverse impacts due to high ambient temperature at biochemical level including impaired enzymatic antioxidant system, elevated stress hormone and lipid profile can be approached in broiler chickens through supplementation of the diet with Spirulina platensis.

Background Due to the important functions of arginine in poultry, it should be questioned whether the currently adopted dietary Arg:Lys ratios are sufficient to meet the modern broiler requirement in arginine. The present study aimed, therefore, to evaluate the effects of the dietary supplementation of L -arginine in a commercial broiler diet on productive performance, breast meat quality attributes, incidence and severity of breast muscle myopathies and foot pad dermatitis (FPD), and plasma and muscle metabolomics profile in fast-growing broilers. Results A total of 1,170 1-day-old Ross 308 male chicks was divided into two experimental groups of 9 replicates each fed either a commercial basal diet (CON, digestible Arg:Lys ratio of 1.05, 1.05, 1.06 and 1.07 in each feeding phase, respectively) or the same basal diet supplemented on-top with crystalline L -arginine (ARG, digestible Arg:Lys ratio of 1.15, 1.15, 1.16 and 1.17, respectively). Productive parameters were determined at the end of each feeding phase (12, 22, 33, 43 d). At slaughter (43 d), incidence and severity of FPD and breast myopathies were assessed, while plasma and breast muscle samples were collected and analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance-spectroscopy. The dietary supplementation of arginine significantly reduced cumulative feed conversion ratio compared to the control diet at 12 d (1.352 vs. 1.401, P  < 0.05), 22 d (1.398 vs. 1.420; P  < 0.01) and 33 d (1.494 vs. 1.524; P  < 0.05), and also tended to improve it in the overall period of trial (1.646 vs. 1.675; P  = 0.09). Body weight was significantly increased in ARG compared to CON group at 33 d (1,884 vs. 1,829 g; P  < 0.05). No significant effect was observed on meat quality attributes, breast myopathies and FPD occurrence. ARG birds showed significantly higher plasma concentration of arginine and leucine, and lower of acetoacetate, glutamate, adenosine and proline. Arginine and acetate concentrations were higher, whereas acetone and inosine levels were lower in the breast of ARG birds ( P  < 0.05). Conclusions Taken together, these data showed that increased digestible Arg:Lys ratio had positive effects on feed efficiency in broiler chickens probably via modulation of metabolites that play key roles in energy and protein metabolism.

Because the intestine is the primary nutrient supply organ, early development of digestive function in newly hatched chick will enable it to better utilize nutrients, grow efficiently, and achieve the genetic potential of contemporary broilers. Published data on the growth and digestive function of the gastrointestinal tract in neonatal poultry were reviewed. Several potential strategies to improve digestive tract growth and function in newly hatched chick are available and the options include breeder nutrition, in ovo feeding, early access to feed and water, special pre-starter diets, judicious use of feed additives, and early programming.

This study was aimed to detect the effect of co-enzyme Q10 against infectious bursal disease vaccinated with different programs (recombinant HVT-IBD single dose at one day old, classical vaccines D78 at eight days old, and E228 at 16 days old) through the evaluation of levels of interferon-gamma (INF-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in serum. Two hundred and ten broilers were divided into seven groups, with 30 chicks in each group. T1, feed Q10 (20 mg/kg diet) and vaccinated by (D78, E288); T2: feed Q10 (20 mg/kg diet) and vaccinated by (rHVT); T3: feed Q10 (40 mg/kg diet) and vaccinated by (D78, E288); T4; feed Q10 (40 mg/kg) and vaccinated by (rHVT): T5; vaccinated (D78, E288) only: T6; vaccinated (rHVT) only: T7; negative control. The results of the titers of interferon-gamma (INF-γ) on day 15 showed that T6 and T5 were significantly (P≤0.05) higher compared with other groups. In contrast, on days 25 and 33, they showed a decline throughout the experiment. At the same time, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) results indicated that T1 and T7 recorded a lower level than other groups at day 11. In comparison, on days 19 and 25, T1, T2, and T7 had the lowest titers among the different groups. In conclusion, the co-enzyme Q10 (40 mg/kg feed) enhances immunity function by modulating the immune response, especially (INF-γ), and decreasing pro-inflammatory markers (TNF-α). هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى تحديد تأثير المساعد الانزيمي- Q10 ضد مرض الجراب الفيروسي المعدي بعد التلقيح ببرامج مختلفة (الجرعة الفردية من اللقاح المعدل وراثياً HVT-IBD في اليوم الأول، واللقاحات الكلاسيكية D78  في اليوم الثامن، و E228 في اليوم السادس عشر) من خلال تقييم مستويات الإنترفيرون-غاما وعامل النخر الورمي-ألفا في المصل. تم تقسيم 210 من افراخ اللحم إلى سبع مجاميع وكل مجموعة تحتوي على 30 فرخا؛ T1: غذيت Q10 (20 ملغم / كغم علف) ولقحت ب (D78, E288)؛ T2 :غذيت بـ Q10 (20 ملغم / كغم علف) ولقحت ب (rHVT)؛ T3: غذيت بـ Q10 (40 ملغم / كغم علف) ولقحت ب (D78, E288)؛ T4:  غذيت بـ Q10 (40 ملغم / كغم علف) ولقحت ب (rHVT)؛ T5: لقحت ب (E288, D78) فقط؛ T6: لقحت ب  (rHVT) فقط؛ T7 : مجموعة السيطرة السالبة. أظهرت نتائج تراكيز الإنترفيرون-غاما في اليوم 15 أن T6 و T5 سجلت مستوى أعلى وبشكل ملحوظ (P≤0.05)  مقارنة بالمجموعات الأخرى. بالمقابل، في الأيام 25 و 33، أظهرتا انخفاضاً على طول التجربة. في الوقت نفسه، أشارت نتائج عامل نخر الورم-ألفا إلى أن T1 و T7 سجلتا مستوى منخفض بالمقارنة بالمجموعات الأخرى في اليوم 11. وبالمقارنة بالأيام 19 و 25 كانت T1و T2 و T7 لديها أقل مستوى بين المجموعات المختلفة. في الختام، يعزز تأثير المساعد الانزيمي Q10 (40 ملغم / كغم) وظيفة المناعة عن طريق تنظيم الاستجابة المناعية وخاصة  الإنترفيرون-غاما وتقليل عامل النخر الورمي-ألفا.

Monitoring animal welfare on farms and in research settings is attracting increasing interest, both for ethical reasons and for improving productivity through the early detection of stress or diseases. In contrast to video-based monitoring, which requires good light conditions and has difficulty tracking specific animals, recent advances in the miniaturization of wearable devices allow for the collection of acceleration and location data to track individual animal behavior. However, for broilers, there are several challenges to address when using wearables, such as coping with (i) the large numbers of chickens in commercial farms,(ii)the impact of their rapid growth, and (iii) the small weights that the devices must have to be carried by the chickens without any impact on their health or behavior. To this end, this paper describes a pilot study in which chickens were fitted with devices containing an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) sensor. To establish guidelines for practitioners who want to monitor broiler welfare and activity at different scales, we first compare the attachment methods of the wearables to the broiler chickens, taking into account their effectiveness (in terms of retention time) and their impact on the broiler’s welfare. Then, we establish the technical requirements to carry out such a study, and the challenges that may arise. This analysis involves aspects such as noise estimation, synergy between UWB and IMU, and the measurement of activity levels based on the monitoring of chicken activity. We show that IMU data can be used for detecting activity level differences between individual animals and environmental conditions. UWB data can be used to monitor the positions and movement patterns of up to 200 animals simultaneously with an accuracy of less than 20 cm. We also show that the accuracy depends on installation aspects and that errors are larger at the borders of the monitored area. Attachment with sutures had the longest mean retention of 19.5 days, whereas eyelash glue had the shortest mean retention of 3 days. To conclude the paper, we identify current challenges and future research lines in the field.