Characterizing and Evaluating Growth Performance and Poultry Production Efficiencies Using Conventional and Novel Monitoring Methods on Modern Broilers and Japanese Quail

The poultry industry is integral to the global agricultural system as consumption rates continue to rise worldwide. With the global population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, there is an increasing need for efficient and sustainable animal protein sources. Feed efficiency is a significant factor in poultry production costs, as feed accounts for 50 to 70% of total production costs. Given increasing concerns surrounding feed efficiency improvements, there is a focus on the genetic improvement of broiler digestibility to improve nutrient utilization and reduce production costs. Water availability is also of critical concern for the poultry industry, as estimates suggest that freshwater availability needs to increase by ~25 percent to meet the needs of increasing population and production. Although broilers have the lowest water footprint of any meat protein, there is still an opportunity to improve water efficiency in broilers. One study aimed to evaluate the effect of sex on the growth performance and feed efficiency of Japanese quail. Female quails consistently reported higher body weights and feed intake; however, no differences were reported in FCR among male and female quails, suggesting that male quails may have the potential for increased relative feed efficiency. Another study assessed the efficacy of conventional and novel water monitoring systems on commercial broiler strains. The study demonstrates that bell waterers lack accuracy and result in increased water intake. Furthermore, the novel low-flow water monitoring system accurately measures water-related production traits without negatively affecting growth performance. Lastly, a final study examined the influence of conventional and novel water monitoring methods on the processing performance of commercial broiler strains. Research results show that water monitoring methods have minimal impact on processing performance and meat quality. These results are encouraging in that the novel low-flow water monitoring system is an accurate and viable method of measuring water intake in poultry. The poultry industry has made significant strides in improving efficiency and sustainability; however, further research into resource sustainability is critical for ensuring food security and reduced environmental impacts in the face of an increasing global population and resource scarcity

Investigating Growth Performance and Intestinal Barrier Integrity in Heat-stressed Modern Broilers and Their Ancestor Jungle Fowl

Heat stress (HS) has a negative effect on poultry production sustainability due to its adverse consequence on bird welfare, health, growth, and mortality. Although modern broilers have greater gut mass and higher energy use efficiency than unselected birds, they are more vulnerable to HS that induces “leaky gut syndrome,” or increased intestinal permeability. The aim of the current study was to determine the effect of HS on growth performance and gut barrier integrity in three modern broiler lines and their ancestor the Jungle Fowl. Four chicken populations including Giant Jungle Fowl (JF), Athens Canadian Random Bred (ACRB), 1995 Arkansas Random Bred (95RAN), and Modern Random Bred (MRB) were studied. Day-old male broiler chicks from each population were raised under thermoneutral (TN) conditions with feed intake, water intake, and temperature measured daily. On day 28 the birds were subjected to one of two environment conditions: TN (24°C) or acute HS (2 hrs at 36°C). After two hours, samples from each section of the small intestine were harvested from two birds per line per treatment and flash frozen in liquid nitrogen. Following 28, the remaining birds were grown out to 56, during which birds were subjected to chronic cyclic HS (8 hrs a day at 36ºC). Growth performance, metabolite and blood hormone concentrations, and molecular data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA. These data show the significant effect HS had on growth performance and intestinal barrier integrity of the studied modern broilers. Acute HS was shown to decrease performance in the modern broilers and had significant effect on mRNA and protein expression of heat shock, tight junction, gap junction, and other intestinal barrier associated proteins. These data provide evidence for a mechanistic understanding of gut barrier physiology and how it can be influenced by growth-rate and heat stress

Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationThere is a well-documented link between eating disorders and adverse physical health outcomes, infertility in particular. Fertility marks an important transition to adulthood, setting the stage for future opportunities or experiences. Drawing on sociological theories of the life course, this study explores the ways in which eating disorders influence fertility trajectories of women. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and the Utah Population Database, this study offers innovative and substantial contributions to the current literature on eating disorders and fertility by (1) assessing how sampling and eating disorder measurement shapes the inferences we make about the influence of eating disorders on fertility, (2) addressing potential familial and genetic confounding factors by utilizing a sibling-comparison design, (3) assessing the influence of eating disorder disease type on fertility outcomes, and (4) proposing and testing potential social mechanisms through which eating disorders influence fertility outcomes. The results indicate that the influence of eating disorders on the parity and fertility timing of women is complex. Sampling and measurement shapes the inferences we make about the influence of eating disorder on fertility outcomes, and fertility trajectories vary by eating disorder disease type. Theoretical and methodological explanations for these results are discussed as well as future research directions

Traversing barriers to health care among LGBTQ+ Latinx emerging adults: Utilizing patient experiences to model access

Enduring multiple sources of marginalization, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ+) youth of color living at the United States-Mexico border navigate stigma and health challenges surrounding their LGBTQ+ and ethnic identities. This study sought to delineate barriers to health care experienced by marginalized young adult patients. We qualitatively examined the patient experiences of 41 LGBTQ+ Latinx young adults (ages 18-24) in the Rio Grande Valley between 2016 and 2017. Often tied to their experiences of emerging adulthood, most respondents emphasized how financial barriers, including cost of services and disruptions to insurance status, prevented them from seeking care (barriers to care). However, youth also underscored how prior patient experiences tied to their ethnic and LGBTQ+ identities, including apprehension discussing their sexuality with care providers (barriers within care), shaped their health care seeking strategies. This study utilized patient experiences to delineate potential sources of barriers to care experienced by LGBTQ+ Latinx young adults. Practitioners should seek to actively create inclusive and identity-affirming care environments and be sensitive to how prior negative experiences may be deterring young adult patients from seeking care or revealing personal details during the care encounter. If we are to better model access, we need to consider the patient experiences of diverse populations. Experience Framework This article is associated with the Patient, Family & Community Engagement lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework (https://www.theberylinstitute.org/ExperienceFramework). Access other PXJ articles related to this lens. Access other resources related to this lens

Electroporation of Craniofacial Mesenchyme

Electroporation is an efficient method of delivering DNA and other charged macromolecules into tissues at precise time points and in precise locations. For example, electroporation has been used with great success to study neural and retinal development in Xenopus, chicken and mouse 1-10. However, it is important to note that in all of these studies, investigators were not targeting soft tissues. Because we are interested in craniofacial development, we adapted a method to target facial mesenchyme

Minimum Ventilation Requirement and Associated Energy Cost for Aerial Ammonia Control in Broiler Houses

Minimum ventilation rate (MVR) and bird performance of four commercial-scale broiler houses were monitored for 16 consecutive growouts. A complete house clean-out was conducted after the 7th growout and again after the 13th growout. Between the clean-outs, only caked litter was removed, and new bedding was added to the old litter

High throughput genomic sequencing of bioaerosols in broiler chicken production facilities

Chronic inhalation exposure to agricultural dust promotes the development of chronic respiratory diseases among poultry workers. Poultry dust is composed of dander, chicken feed, litter bedding and microbes. However, the microbial composition and abundance has not been fully elucidated. Genomic DNA was extracted from settled dust and personal inhalable dust collected while performing litter sampling or mortality collection tasks. DNA libraries were sequenced using a paired-end sequencing-by-synthesis approach on an Illumina HiSeq 2500. Sequencing data showed that poultry dust is predominantly composed of bacteria (64–67%) with a small quantity of avian, human and feed DNA (\u3c 2% of total reads). Staphylococcus sp. AL1, Salinicoccus carnicancri and Lactobacillus crispatus were the most abundant bacterial species in personal exposure samples of inhalable dust. Settled dust had a moderate relative abundance of these species as well as Staphylococcus lentus and Lactobacillus salivarius. There was a statistical difference between the microbial composition of aerosolized and settled dust. Unlike settled dust composition, aerosolized dust composition had little variance between samples. These data provide an extensive analysis of the microbial composition and relative abundance in personal inhalable poultry dust and settled poultry dust