Effect of two brooding systems and four stocking densities on immune response and stress indicators of broiler chicks during the brooding period

This experiment investigated the effects of the brooding system (BS) and stocking density (SD) on the immune response of 1-14-day-old broiler chicks. A 3672 one-day-old Cobb 500 chicks were raised in two BSs (conventional floor brooding system (CFBS) and the newly developed multi-tier closed brooding system (NDBS)) at four different SDs (30, 60, 90, and 120 chicks/m2), resulting in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement. Immunity data on lymphoid organ weights, maternal antibody titres to IBV, IBDV, and NDV, and stress indicators were collected on days 6 and 12. The results showed that CFBS and NDBS had similar effects on the relative development of chick lymphoid organs (Bursa, spleen, and thymus), the durability of the maternal humoral immune response against IBDV, and the maintenance of normal levels of stress indicators. Birds in CFBS outperformed NDBS in terms of the durability of maternal immunity to IBV and NDV. Birds in NDBS had a higher liver weight percentage than CFBS. Maternal immunity, lymphoid organ weights %, glucose and cholesterol concentrations were not altered by SD. In contrast to relative weights, differences in absolute lymphoid weights (g) were attributed to differences in live weights. An increase in SD per area unit resulted in an increase in heterophils and a decrease in lymphocyte percentage resulted in an increase in the ratio of heterophils to lymphocytes(H:L). In conclusion, birds in the higher SD had lower live weights and higher H:L ratios. Smarter brooding systems are needed to usher in a new era for the poultry industry.Highlights The brooding system and/or stocking density accounted for the stress factors of the birds. Both brooding systems increased the relative development of chick lymphoid organs and the durability of the maternal humoral immune response to IBDV. Smarter brooding systems are needed to apply the critical control point standard and usher in a new era for the poultry industry. As stocking density per unit area increased, live and liver weights decreased, and the lymphocyte ratio increased

Influence of stocking density on welfare indices of broilers

The current study was conducted to identify the influence of short-term (five days) high stocking density (SD) on broilers' welfare by assessing several thermophysiological parameters in 32 birds of 43 days of age Ross male broiler chickens. Based on broiler's body weight, broilers were randomly allotted into two SD rates; control (26.5 kg/m2) or high (45.0 kg/m2). It appears evident that placing broilers at high SD as 45.0 kg/m2 had manifested noticeable impacts on their thermophysiological responses. This conclusion was demonstrated by the existence of results of the current study showed a major displacements in broilers' homeothermic status, high SD broilers experienced pronounced elevations of their body temperatures as well as head, body and shank surface temperatures over the control SD broilers. Additionally, this was further emphasized by the noticeable displacements of body internal, external and total thermal gradients as well as heat loss index of high SD broilers compared to the control broilers. Based on the presented evidences, short-term high SD markedly increased broilers stress and jeopardize their welfare. Measuring broilers' thermophysiological responses under different rates of SD can be adapted to assess their welfare. </p

Chemical Composition and Quality Characteristics of Meat in Three One-Humped Camel (Camelus dromedarius) Breeds as Affected by Muscle Type and Post-Mortem Storage Period

The influence of muscle type and postmortem storage period on meat chemical composition and quality attributes of three breeds of camels (Baladi Saudi, Pakistani, and Somali) were investigated in this study. Crude fat and ash content were significantly higher in the Pakistani than in the Baladi Saudi and Somali breeds, except for higher moisture content observed in the Somali breed. The longissimus lumborum (LL) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles had a greater crude protein than the biceps femoris (BF) muscle. Storage period exhibited a significant reduction in pH values and improvement in color components of meat. The Somali breed produced higher cooking loss % and shear force, with a lower water holding capacity than the Baladi Saudi and Pakistani breeds. The LL muscle had better cooking loss %, water holding capacity, and shear force, whereas storage period (7 days) exhibited a significant reduction in the myofibrillar fragmentation index. Baladi Saudi and Pakistani breeds and LL muscle samples presented better meat sensory attributes, while storage period had no significant influence on the overall sensory characters of meat. In conclusion, there were significant differences between the chemical and structural characteristics of the LL, BF, and SM muscle samples among the three breeds of camel. Baladi Saudi and Pakistani had better meat quality traits than the Somali breed. In addition, LL muscles had better nutritional values and meat quality parameters than BF and SM muscles. Improvement in meat quality attributes were achieved with the storage process of 7 days. It is observed that, the Saudi Baladi camels have a merit of low fat content over both Somali and Pakistani camel breeds. It is also concluded that no significant effects were observed between the treatments as a result of storage when sensory attributes were considered. Moreover, breed, muscle and storage period were interacted significantly only with regard to lightness color space and shear force. This is useful knowledge for the meat industry for optimizing processing and storage procedures for various camel muscles

Ameliorative Effects of Antibiotic-, Probiotic- and Phytobiotic-Supplemented Diets on the Performance, Intestinal Health, Carcass Traits, and Meat Quality of Clostridium perfringens-Infected Broilers

The poultry industry needs efficient antibiotic alternatives to prevent necrotic enteritis (NE) infections. Here, we evaluate the effects of probiotic and/or prebiotic dietary supplementation on performance, meat quality and carcass traits, using only an NE coinfection model, in broiler chickens. Three hundred and twenty-four healthy Ross 308 broiler chicks are allocated into six groups. Taking a 35 d feeding trial, the chicks are fed a basal diet with 0.0, 0.1, 0.5, 0.12, 0.5 + 0.12, and 0.2 g Kg&minus;1 for the control (T1), Avilamycin (Maxus; T2), live probiotic (CloStat (Bacillus subtilis);T3), natural phytobiotic compounds (Sangrovit Extra (sanguinarine and protopine); T4), CloStat + Sangrovit Extra (T5), and spore probiotic strain (Gallipro Tect (Bacillus subtilis spores); T6) treatments, respectively. Occurring at 15 days-old, chicks are inoculated with Clostridium perfringens. The obtained results reveal that all feed additives improve the performance, feed efficiency, and survival rate, and reduces the intestinal lesions score compared with the control group. The T6 followed by T3 groups show a significant (p &lt; 0.05) increase in some carcass traits, such as dressing, spleen, and thymus percentages compared with other treatments. Also, T5 and T6 have significantly recorded the lowest temperature and pHu values and the highest hardness and chewiness texture values compared to the other treated groups. To conclude, probiotics combined with prebiotic supplementation improves the growth, meat quality, carcass characterization and survival rate of NE-infected broiler chickens by modulating gut health conditions and decreasing lesion scores. Moreover, it could be useful as an ameliorated NE disease alternative to antibiotics in C. perfringens coinfected poultry

Effect of water supplementation of Magic oil at different growing periods on growth performance, carcass traits, blood biochemistry, and ileal histomorphology of broiler chickens

ABSTRACT: Natural antibiotic substitutes have recently been used as growth promoters and to combat pathogens. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effects of adding Magic oil (nano-emulsified plant oil) at different growing periods on growth performance, histomorphology of the ileum, carcass traits, and blood biochemistry of broiler chickens. A total of 432-day-old Ross 308 chicks were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 water supplementation treatment groups based on growing periods, with 4 groups of Magic oil programs compared to probiotic (Albovit) as a positive control and nonsupplemented group as a negative control, with 9 replicates each with 8 birds (4♂ and 4♀). The periods of adding Magic oil Magic oil were 35, 20, 23, and 19 d for T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively. Birds’ performance was evaluated during 0 to 4, 4 to 14, 21 to 30, 30 to 35, and overall days old. Carcass parameters, blood chemistry, and ileal histomorphology were examined on d 35. The findings showed that birds in the T4 group of the Magic oil supplementation program (from 1 to 4 and 21 to 35 d of age) consumed 1.82% and 4.20% more food, gained 3.08% and 6.21% more, and converted feed to meat 1.39% and 2.07% more than Albovit and negative control, respectively, during the experiment (1–35). Magic oil particularly T1 (Magic oil is supplemented throughout the growing period) and T4 programs improved intestinal histology compared to the negative control. There were no changes (P > 0.05) between treatments in carcass parameters and blood biochemistry. In conclusion, water supplementation with Magic oil for broilers improves intestinal morphometrics and growth performance similar to or better than probiotic, especially during brooding and overall periods. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of adding both nano-emulsified plant oil and probiotics on different parameters

Role of Pigeons in the Transmission of Avian Avulavirus (Newcastle Disease-Genotype VIId) to Chickens

Newcastle disease is an acute fatal disease of poultry. The aim of this study was to determine the dynamics of the transmission of avian avulavirus (velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease-genotype VIId) from either intramuscularly (IM)- or intranasally (IN) infected 8-week-old Egyptian Baladi pigeons in contact with commercial Arbor Acres broiler chickens (4 weeks of age). The mortality of IM infected chickens and pigeons was 10/10 for chickens and 8/15 for pigeons, while the mortality of IN infected chickens and pigeons was 7/10 for chickens and only 1/15 for pigeons. The concentration of viral shedding in the oropharynx was higher than that in the cloaca for both IN and IM infected pigeons. Pigeons infected IN continued shedding the virus from the oropharynx from the 4th day post-infection (dpi) up to the 16th dpi, while IM infected pigeons stopped oropharyngeal shedding at the 11th dpi. Chickens in contact with infected pigeons developed severe respiratory, digestive and nervous signs. The mortality rates in chickens in contact with IM and IN infected pigeons were 2/5 and 3/5, respectively. Chickens in contact with IM infected pigeons showed higher viral shedding titres in both the oropharynx and cloaca than chickens in contact with pigeons infected IN. In conclusion, free-range pigeons are considered an efficient carrier and transmitter of NDV-VIId compared to commercial broiler chickens raised in open houses

Practice patterns and outcomes after stroke across countries at different economic levels (INTERSTROKE):an international observational study

Background: Stroke disproportionately affects people in low-income and middle-income countries. Although improvements in stroke care and outcomes have been reported in high-income countries, little is known about practice and outcomes in low and middle-income countries. We aimed to compare patterns of care available and their association with patient outcomes across countries at different economic levels. Methods: We studied the patterns and effect of practice variations (ie, treatments used and access to services) among participants in the INTERSTROKE study, an international observational study that enrolled 13 447 stroke patients from 142 clinical sites in 32 countries between Jan 11, 2007, and Aug 8, 2015. We supplemented patient data with a questionnaire about health-care and stroke service facilities at all participating hospitals. Using univariate and multivariate regression analyses to account for patient casemix and service clustering, we estimated the association between services available, treatments given, and patient outcomes (death or dependency) at 1 month. Findings: We obtained full information for 12 342 (92%) of 13 447 INTERSTROKE patients, from 108 hospitals in 28 countries; 2576 from 38 hospitals in ten high-income countries and 9766 from 70 hospitals in 18 low and middle-income countries. Patients in low-income and middle-income countries more often had severe strokes, intracerebral haemorrhage, poorer access to services, and used fewer investigations and treatments (p&lt;0·0001) than those in high-income countries, although only differences in patient characteristics explained the poorer clinical outcomes in low and middle-income countries. However across all countries, irrespective of economic level, access to a stroke unit was associated with improved use of investigations and treatments, access to other rehabilitation services, and improved survival without severe dependency (odds ratio [OR] 1·29; 95% CI 1·14–1·44; all p&lt;0·0001), which was independent of patient casemix characteristics and other measures of care. Use of acute antiplatelet treatment was associated with improved survival (1·39; 1·12–1·72) irrespective of other patient and service characteristics. Interpretation: Evidence-based treatments, diagnostics, and stroke units were less commonly available or used in low and middle-income countries. Access to stroke units and appropriate use of antiplatelet treatment were associated with improved recovery. Improved care and facilities in low-income and middle-income countries are essential to improve outcomes