Spontaneous intake of essential oils after a negative postnatal experience has long-term effects on blood transcriptome in chickens

Chicks subjected to early stressful factors could develop long-lasting effects on their performances, welfare and health. Free access to essential oils (EO) in poultry farming could mitigate these effects and potentially reduce use of antimicrobial drugs. This study on chicken analyzed long-lasting effects of post-hatch adverse conditions (Delayed group), and the impact of EO intake on blood physiological parameters and transcriptome. Half of the Control and Delayed groups had free access to EO, while the other half had only water for the first 13 days post-hatching. Blood analyses of metabolites, inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers, and mRNA expression showed sex differences. Long-lasting effects of postnatal experience and EO intake persisted in blood transcriptome at D34. The early adverse conditions modified 68 genes in males and 83 genes in females. In Delayed males six transcription factors were over-represented (NFE2L2, MEF2A, FOXI1, Foxd3, Sox2 and TEAD1). In females only one factor was over-represented (PLAG1) and four under-represented (NFIL3, Foxd3, ESR2 and TAL

Short- and mid-term effects on performance, health and qualitative behavioural assessment of Romane lambs in different milk feeding conditions

The common practice of artificially rearing lambs from prolific meat breeds of sheep constitutes a welfare issue due to increased mortality rates and negative health issues. In this multidisciplinary study, we investigated the possible short- and mid-term advantages of artificially feeding fresh ewe's milk instead of commercial milk replacer on lambs' growth, health and welfare. Romane lambs were either separated from their mothers on D3 and fed with Lacaune ewes' milk (LAC, n?=?13) or milk replacer (REP, n?=?15), or they were reared by their mothers (MOT, n =?15). On D45, they were weaned, gathered in single-sex groups until the end of the study on D150. Lamb performance and biomarkers of overall health were assessed by measuring: growth, dirtiness of the perianal area, enteric pathogens in the faeces, total antioxidant status and redox status assessed by plasma reduced glutathione/oxidised glutathione ratio, and immune response after vaccination against chlamydiosis. As an exploratory approach, blood cell transcriptomic profiles were also investigated. Last, qualitative behaviour assessment (QBA) was performed as an integrated welfare criterion. Lacaune ewes' milk and REP never differed in their average daily gain but grew less than MOT lambs in the early suckling period and just after weaning. No effect was detected afterwards. On D30, LAC and REP lambs had lower total antioxidant and higher redox status than MOT lambs but did not differ among themselves. Lacaune ewes' milk and MOT had a cleaner perianal area than REP lambs on D21, while faecal pathogen infection did not vary between the treatment groups. After vaccination, LAC also had a stronger immune response on D90 compared to REP lambs. Transcriptome analysis performed on D150 showed differential gene expression, mainly in relation to inflammatory, immune and cell cycle response, between male lambs of the LAC group and those of the MOT and REP groups. Based on QBA, LAC lambs never differed from MOT lambs in their general activity and varied from REP only on D21; REP lambs were always more agitated than MOT lambs. In conclusion, artificial milk feeding impaired early growth rate, health and emotional state mainly during the milk feeding period and at weaning. Feeding artificially reared lambs with fresh ewe's milk partly mitigated some of the negative effects induced by milk replacer but without achieving the full benefit of being reared by the mother

Beneficial effects of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) essential oil application prior a stressful situation in horses

PosterHorses are gregarious and fearful animals that undergo many stressful situations by humans. Simple and soft means are needed to manage their stress. This study was set up to investigate the relaxing effects of some EO on horses. The calming and soothing effects of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) essential oil (LaEO) have been widely demonstrated. The LaEO mode of action is essentially due to two major active molecules: linalool and linalyl acetate. The objective of this study was to develop an experimental protocol to highlight the effects of EO on equine stress response and to validate the effects of LaEO applied ante stress. Twenty-eight Welsh fillies were divided into two groups: one treated with 2 ml of vegetable oil (control), the other treated with 10% LaEO applied with a roll-on around the nostrils. The fillies were subjected to a series of tests of 30 min during which the heart rate (HR) and different behavioral indicators of stress were noted. Salivary cortisol was also measured. Indicators of stress such as HR, alert postures and defecations measured during some tests are significantly lower in the LaEO group than in the control group. These results and salivary cortisol content show that the application of LaEO reduced the level of stress of animals placed in stressful situations. Furthermore, blood samples taken from 6 horses show that the pharmacokinetics of linalool in plasma presented a peak 20 min after LaEO application, agreeing with the effect of LaEO during the tests. In addition, a peak of antioxidant effectiveness appeared in the plasma 50 min after LaEO application. These data should encourage the use of this protocol with LaEO in further studies to optimize the effective dose, and possibly to assess other EO which could help horses to manage stressful situations

Lavender essential oil decreases stress response of horses

Simple and soft means are needed to manage horse stress. For instance, essential oils such as lavender oil contain active principles that may mitigate stress responses in humans and animals. Here we developed a protocol to test the effects of essential oil on equine stress response. We tested the effect of lavender oil on horse stress. Twenty-eight Welsh horse fillies were divided into two groups: horses treated with a roll-on with 2 mL of vegetable oil (control) and horses treated with 2 mL of 10% lavender essential oil in vegetable oil. Horses were then subjected to a series of stress tests. Heart rates and stress behavioral indicators were monitored during the 30 min of the stress tests. Saliva was collected. Blood from six horses was sampled after lavender essential oil application to follow plasma linalool content and antioxidant efficiency. Results show that stress indicators such as heart rate, alert postures and defecations are lower in lavender oil-treated horses. Lavender essential oil also modified salivary cortisol. Pharmacokinetics of linalool in plasma displayed a peak 20 min after lavender essential oil application, thus confirming the effect of lavender oil. Overall, our findings demonstrate that lavender essential oil reduces the response to stress of horses placed in stressful situations

Range use relationship with welfare and performance indicators in four organic broilers strains

International audienceFree range allows chickens to express more behaviours such as foraging and locomotion in a different environment from the poultry house. To understand how range use is related to welfare and performances of chickens, we studied four intermediate- to slow-growing strains with the outdoor access until slaughter at 71 to 106 days of age depending on the strain. Males from JA757, S757N, White Bresse and a dual-purpose crossbreed were classified according to their range use and divided in two extreme groups of 25 high- and low-rangers. We did not observe any significant relationship between range use and welfare indicators collected at the slaughterhouse (hock burn, pododermatitis scores and struggling activity on the slaughter line) in the four studied strains. Leg health of JA757 chickens improved significantly with range use, with tibia being 4% shorter and 2% stronger in high-rangers compared to low-rangers. In both JA757 and S757N strains, range use also reduced the immune and inflammatory responses of birds. However, greater range use was negatively related to performances in all strains, including a 12%, 8% and 7% reduction in carcass weight in JA757, S757N and the White Bresse strains, respectively, and a significant 2% reduction in thigh yield in the dual-purpose strain. Overall, greater range use in slow-growing birds did not affect welfare, health and meat quality indicators, but we confirmed a negative relationship with performance.The project PPILOW has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N°816172

Spontaneous intake of essential oils after a negative postnatal experience in chicks and long-term effects on blood transcriptome

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Consommation spontanée d'huiles essentielles pendant la phase de démarrage du poussin de chair et effets à long terme sur la performance et le transcriptome sanguin

PosterNous avons testé la capacité des poussins de poulets de chair à consommer spontanément des huiles essentielles (HE) en plus de l'eau de boisson pour pallier les effets des facteurs stressants pendant la période post-natale. Des poussins ont été soit immédiatement placés en bâtiment d'élevage (groupe T), soit soumis à une mise en élevage retardée de 24h (groupe S) mimant des conditions stressantes de transport du couvoir en bâtiment d’élevage. Dans l'expérience 1, la moitié des poussins avait accès uniquement à l’eau et l’autre moitié à l’eau et une HE préparée dans l’eau (cardamome ou marjolaine à coquille ou verveine) pendant la phase de démarrage (13j). Dans l’expérience 2, la moitié des poussins avait accès uniquement à l’eau et l’autre moitié à l’eau et simultanément aux trois HE présentées séparément. Dans l'expérience 1, la consommation de chacune des HE était plus élevée dans le groupe S que dans le groupe T de J1 à J6, quelle que soit l'HE. Dans l'expérience 2, l’HE de marjolaine était la plus consommée de J1 à J6 quel que soit le traitement. La consommation d'HE n'a pas permis de pallier la réduction de croissance dans le groupe S mais a corrigé la réduction du pourcentage relatif des muscles Pectoralis major. L'analyse du transcriptome des cellules sanguines a montré des effets à long terme des conditions post-natales stressantes sur l'expression des gènes à l'âge de l'abattage. Dans le groupe S, une surreprésentation de facteurs de transcription impliqués dans le stress oxydant a été observée chez les mâles et dans l’oncogénèse chez les femelles. La consommation des HE a corrigé la surexpression de plusieurs gènes impliqués dans le stress oxydatif et l'inflammation dans le groupe S. En conclusion, les poussins sont capables de faire des choix spontanés de consommation d’HE en fonction de leur expérience post-natale. Ces choix ont eu quelques effets bénéfiques sur leur performance et des effets régulateurs à long terme sur leur transcriptome sanguin qui pourraient participer au maintien du bien-être et de la santé du poulet. Cette étude a été financée par le métaprogramme de gestion intégrée de la santé animale (GISA) de l'INRA pour le projet «WHELP» (www.gisa.inra.fr)

Spontaneous intake of essential oils during the early rearing phase of chicks and long-term effects on performance and transcriptome regulation

PosterSpontaneous intake of essential oils during the early rearing phase of chicks and long-term effects on performance and transcriptome regulation. 65th GA Congress. Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research

Performance, meat quality and blood parameters in four strains of organic broilers differ according to range use

Chicken meat production in organic systems involves free-range access where animals can express foraging and locomotor behaviours. These behaviours may promote outdoor feed intake, but at the same time induce a loss of energy in exploring. More generally, the relationship of range use with metabolism, welfare, health, growth performance and meat quality needs to be better understood. We studied four strains of intermediate (JA757) to slow-growing (S757N, White Bresse and a dual-purpose strain) meat-type chickens with outdoor access. We selected 25 males high- (HR) and low-rangers (LR) per strain. Only in JA757, HR exhibited lower body weight before range access, which may have predisposed them to use the range more. Carcass weight and/or carcass yield were significantly lower in HR compared to LR, showing a negative trade-off between range use and growth performance in all strains. Breast meat yellowness was higher in HR compared to LR in JA757 and the dual-purpose strain, probably due to carotenoids intake from the grass. No relationship between range use and welfare indicators at slaughter was reported whatever the strain. Chicken metabolism differed by range use as HR and LR diverged for blood biomarkers of oxidative and metabolic status, innate and inflammatory system response

Range use relationship with welfare and performances in four strains of organic broilers

International audienceAlternative productions with outdoor access are acclaimed by consumers as animals can better express their natural behaviours. Eating grass and longer locomotion for example can impact animal use of outdoor range. To understand range use relationship with broiler’s welfare and performance, we studied four intermediate to slow-growing strains: JA757 (734 animals, rearing duration (RD): 71 days), S757N (735 animals, RD: 85 days), White Bresse (747 animals, RD: 106 days) and a dual-purpose crossbreed (771 animals, RD: 99 days). One hundred males of each strain were ranked according to their range use and divided in two extreme groups of 25 high- and low-rangers. We compared the means of our indicators regarding welfare (hock burns, pododermatitis, struggling on the slaughter line, tibial bone length and breaking-resistance) and performances (carcass weights and yields) by range use group. We did not observe any significant differences in welfare indicators collected at the slaughterhouse depending on range use in the four studied broiler strains. Only in the JA757, we found better leg health in high-rangers compared to low-rangers with 4% (p=0.006) shorter and 2% (p=0.021) stronger tibial bone which could be thanks to a higher locomotor activity in high-rangers compared to low-rangers. We reported significant reductions of carcass traits with range use in all the studied strains. We observed significantly lower carcass weights by 12% (p=0.006) in JA757 and by 7% (p=0.006) in White Bresse and significantly lower carcass yield by 2% (p=0.006) in S757N and by 1% (p=0.009) in the dual-purpose strains. These results could be due to higher locomotor activity of high-rangers compared to low-rangers. Therefore, later research could focus on how to maximize range use and its health benefices without compromising performances.The project PPILOW has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N°816172