Effects of two different rearing systems (organic and barn) on production performance, animal welfare traits and egg quality characteristics in laying hens

Alternative housing systems for hen eggs production represents clear evidence of the trend in animal housing and husbandry towards extensive rearing methods. Consumer demand is oriented towards healthy foods controlled not only under a safety point of view, but also under a welfare assessment of the animals' living conditions. Among the different alternative systems deep litter and organic production in recent years have been improved in Italy. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether different housing systems (barn B and organic O) for laying hens may influence productive performance, fear responses and egg quality characteristics. A total of 4,745 birds were housed in the B system and 2,016 in the O system, both of which were commercial facilities. In each system the same strain (Hy-Line Brown) was housed and layer performance, external and internal egg characteristics, mortality and feed consumption were recorded weekly. Animal reactivity was recorded monthly with the approaching test. Moreover, the Tonic Immobility test was conducted at 70 weeks of age; feather and foot pad conditions were also investigated at the same time. The peak of laying was reached in both housing systems at 25 weeks of age and was higher in organic hens (94.5%) than in barn hens (93.0%). Feed conversion rate during the overall laying period was 2.36 vs 2.20, respectively, in O and B housing systems. There was a significant difference concerning the eggs classified as very dirty, dirty and cracked between the two systems. The dirty eggs were higher in O system probably due to laying eggs in a free range area, while the higher number of cracked eggs in B system may be due to a significantly less shell thickness in this system. Egg weight increased with layer age in both housing systems. Animals reared in O system showed less fearfulness than in B emphasised by the approaching and Tonic Immobility test results. Feather scoring did not evidence any severe plumage damage; statistical analysis showed some significant differences in comb and back areas between O and B systems. The hens reared on litter showed more aggressive pecking than the organic hens probably due to difference both in light intensity and in density

Update on the genetics of nephrolithiasis

Genetic studies of calcium kidney stones evidenced the possible involvement of calcium-sensing receptor gene, vitamin D receptor gene and bicarbonate-sensitive adenylate cyclase gene, but it is uncertain which specific polymorphisms could be responsible. Thus, further studies are required to better assess the involvement of these or other genes and the interactions between different genes and between genes and environment. In addition to research in humans, the study of different strains of knock-out mice let us include the gene of phosphate reabsorption carrier NPT2, caveolin-1, protein NHERF-1, osteopontin and Tamm-Horsfall protein among the possible determinants. Further steps in the knowledge of calcium stone causes may be done using the instruments that the modern biotechnology and bioinformatics have made available to the researchers

Ruolo del citrato nel metabolismo osseo

Citrate is an organic compound involved in tricarboxylic acid cycle, regulation of acid-base balance, lipid metabolism and bone formation. The 90% of body citrate is deposited in bone tissue and is released with calcium ions during bone resorption; therefore, bone resorption contributes to maintain normal plasma levels of citrate together with kidney excretion. The parallel release of citrate and calcium from bones decreases the possibility of calcium-phosphate precipitation in soft tissues, as citrate can bind calcium ions in organic fluids. Citrate may also take part to the bone formation as it sustains the correct mineralization of bone organic matrix: its molecule binds calcium ions at the surface of hydroxyapatite nanocrystals and maintains the correct spatial disposition of nanocrystals, thus, stabilizing the structure of bone lamellae and sustaining biomechanical characteristics of bone tissue. Multiple studies observed that citrate administration significantly increased areal and volumetric bone mineral density at different locations of 1-2% per year and improved bone resorption markers as well. Therefore, it has been hypothesised a therapeutic role of citrate in osteoporosis; however, this role has to be better clarified to understand its real anti-fracture effect

Calcium-sensing receptor and calcium kidney stones

Calcium nephrolithiasis may be considered as a complex disease having multiple pathogenetic mechanisms and characterized by various clinical manifestations. Both genetic and environmental factors may increase susceptibility to calcium stones; therefore, it is crucial to characterize the patient phenotype to distinguish homogeneous groups of stone formers. Family and twin studies have shown that the stone transmission pattern is not mendelian, but complex and polygenic. In these studies, heritability of calcium stones was calculated around 50

Training Effects on ROS Production Determined by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance in Master Swimmers

Acute exercise induces an increase in Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production dependent on exercise intensity with highest ROS amount generated by strenuous exercise. However, chronic repetition of exercise, that is, exercise training, may reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress. Aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 6-weeks high-intensity discontinuous training (HIDT), characterized by repeated variations of intensity and changes of redox potential, on ROS production and antioxidant capacity in sixteen master swimmers. Time course changes of ROS generation were assessed by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance in capillary blood by a microinvasive approach. An incremental arm-ergometer exercise (IE) until exhaustion was carried out at both before (PRE) and after (POST) training (Trg) period. A significant (P<0.01) increase of ROS production from REST to the END of IE in PRE Trg (2.82±0.66 versus 3.28±0.66 µmol·min−1) was observed. HIDT increased peak oxygen consumption (36.1±4.3 versus 40.6±5.7 mL·kg−1·min−1 PRE and POST Trg, resp.) and the antioxidant capacity (+13%) while it significantly decreased the ROS production both at REST (−20%) and after IE (−25%). The observed link between ROS production, adaptive antioxidant defense mechanisms, and peak oxygen consumption provides new insight into the correlation between ROS response pathways and muscle metabolic function

Coronavirus e ambiente: una sfida per il pianeta e per la salute

In late December 2019, some patients were hospitalized with an initial diagnosis of pneumonia of unknown etiology. These patients were epidemiologically linked to a wholesale market of seafood, wild animals and meat located in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. Acute respiratory disease caused by a new Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, formerly known as 2019-nCoV, afterwards as Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), spread throughout China and received the attention of the entire world. Analysis of the genomic sequence of COVID-19 showed 88% of identity with two bat-derived severe acute respiratory syndrome-like Coronaviruses. Illegal and sustainable wildlife trade is the second largest direct threat to species after habitat destruction. Each year, hundreds of millions of plants and animals are captured or collected in the wild to be sold as food, pets, medicines, ornaments and for a variety of other reasons. Even the climate crisis could offer dangerous scenarios in addition to another fundamental chapter of the environmental pillar which is the one concerning air quality. There is a solid scientific literature which correlates the incidence of viral infection cases with concentrations of atmospheric particulate matter (e.g. PM10 and PM2.5). Despite the current regulations, which limit the levels of certain atmospheric pollutants, there are still numerous negative health effects deriving from exposure to these agents. However, it can be said that chronic air pollution, such as peaks of concentration of fine dust and other pollutants, acts as a pejorative factor in cases of epidemics. (GCND_planet

Dietary habits in women with recurrent idiopathic calcium nephrolithiasis

Nutrition has been widely recognized to influence the risk of kidney stone formation. Therefore the aim of our study was to assess: a) whether usual diet of women with idiopathic calcium nephrolithiasis (ICN) living in Parma (Northern-Italy) is different compared to healthy controls, b) how their diet differs from Italian National guidelines and c) whether it is related to nephrolithiasis clinical course