scholarly journals Warm Perches: A Novel Approach For Reducing Cold Stress Effect on Production, Plasma Hormones, and Immunity in Laying Hens

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiaying Hu ◽  
Heng Wei Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Cold Stress ◽  
Cold Exposure ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Plasma Levels ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Laying Hens ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Stress Effect

Abstract Background: Cold temperature is a common environmental stressor that has a great impact on the poultry industries, inducing pathophysiological stress in birds with profound economic losses. Current methods used for preventing cold stress, such as reducing ventilation and using gas heaters, are facing challenges due to poor indoor air quality and its deleterious effects on bird and caretaker health. The aim of this study was to examine if the novelly designed warmed perch system, as a thermal device, can reduce cold stress-associated adverse effects on laying hens. Methods: Seventy-two 32-week-old DeKalb hens were randomly assigned to 36 cages arranged to 3 banks. The banks were assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: cages with warmed perches (WP; perches with circulating water at 30 oC), air perches (AP, regular perches only) or no perches (NP) for a 21- day trial. The room temperature was set at 10 oC during the entire experimental period. Rectal temperature and body weight were measured from the same bird of each cage at day 1, 8, 15, and 21 during the cold exposure. Egg production was recorded daily. Feed intake, egg and eggshell quality were determined during the 1st and 3rd week of cold stress. Plasma levels of corticosterone, thyroid hormones (3, 3’, 5-triiodothyronine and thyroxine), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10, were determined at day 1 and 21 post initiation of cold exposure. Results: Compared to both AP and NP hens, WP hens were able to maintain their body temperature without increasing feed intake and losing body weight. The eggs laid by WP hens had thicker eggshell during the 3rd week of cold exposure. Warmed perch hens also had a lower thyroxine conversion rate (3, 3’, 5-triiodothyronine/thyroxine) at day 1, while higher plasma concentrations of IL-6 at day 21. Plasma levels of corticosterone, 3, 3’, 5-triiodothyronine, and IL-10 were not different among treatments. Conclusions: Our results indicate that the warmed perch system can be used as a novel thermal device for preventing cold stress-induced negative effects on hen health and welfare through regulating innate immunity and metabolic hormonal homeostasis.

scholarly journals Effects of supplementing various linoleic to α-linolenic acid ratios and vitamin A on production performance and egg characteristics of laying hens during summer months

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Naeem Tahir
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
Linolenic Acid ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Laying Hens ◽  
Body Weight Gain ◽  
Production Performance ◽  
Dietary Treatments

In the present feeding trial, responses of laying hens, kept at high ambient temperature, to various dietary ratios of linoleic acid (LNA) to α-linolenic acid (ALA) and vitamin A levels on performance and egg characteristics were evaluated. A total of 360, 40-wk-old, Leghorn laying hens were fed on diets with various combinations of canola oil and linseed oil to achieve LNA to ALA dietary ratios of 20:1, 10:1, 4:1, 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2, each supplemented with 3000 IU or 10000 IU vitamin A/kg of diet. The diets were fed in a 6×2 factorial Completely Randomized Design that continued for 12 weeks. Feed intake, weight gain, egg production and egg quality traits were recorded during the trial. Decreasing dietary LNA to ALA ratio in the diet affected negatively (P<0.05) on body weight gain and yolk percentage in laying hens. While, feed intake, hen-day and hen-housed egg production, feed conversion ratio (FCR) per dozen of eggs and shell quality remained unaffected (P>0.05) by dietary treatments, with the exception of FCR per kg eggs, egg weight and egg-shell thickness which responded significantly (P<0.05) to various dietary treatments. Although the dietary ratio of LNA to ALA of 4:1 or less could produce eggs by the hens with desirable quantities of n-6 and n-3 poly unsaturated fatty acids – that are characteristics of functional diets – the performance of laying hens in terms of body weight gain and egg-yolk percentage was slightly compromised.

Effects of protamine zinc insulin on chickens

1965 ◽  
Vol 208 (3) ◽  
pp. 589-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Lepkovsky ◽  
R. Len ◽  
T. Koike ◽  
R. Bouthilet
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Laying Hens ◽  
Protamine Zinc Insulin ◽  
The Central Nervous System

The injection of protamine zinc insulin into laying hens caused hypoglycemia as it does in other animals. While it increased feed intake and body weight in other animals, it did the opposite in chickens: it decreased feed intake, body weight, and egg production. Damage to the central nervous system in some of the chickens was indicated by their behavior. It was tentatively concluded that the aphagia in chickens following injection with protamine zinc insulin was due to the apparent damage to the nervous system.

scholarly journals RESPONSE OF WHITE LEGHORNS TO DIETS CONTAINING GROUND OR WHOLE TRITICALE

1987 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 583-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. LEESON ◽  
J. D. SUMMERS
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Laying Hens ◽  
Energy Value ◽  
White Leghorns

Growing leghorn pullets and laying hens were fed diets containing triticale as the sole cereal source. Body weight of pullets was not affected (P > 0.05) by up to 70% dietary inclusion of triticale. When layer diets contained 70% whole or ground triticale in place of corn, egg production was depressed (P < 0.05) while birds consumed more feed (P < 0.05). The feed intake effect is discussed in relation to the energy value of triticale. Key words: Triticale, pullets

THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF FEEDING GROUND AND WHOLE COTTONSEED TO LAYING HENS

1989 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 425-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. C. FITZSIMMONS ◽  
MARK NEWCOMBE ◽  
I. E. MOUL
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Laying Hens ◽  
Egg Yolk ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Commercial Diet ◽  
Voluntary Feed Intake ◽  
Whole Cottonseed

Laying hens were fed diets containing 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 15 and 20% whole or ground cottonseed. Birds fed the 15 and 20% ground cottonseed diets rapidly reduced voluntary feed intake and, as a result, suffered a loss in both body weight and egg production. The severity of the dietary effects of cottonseed on productivity and mottled yolks was positively correlated with the level of cottonseed and gossypol in the diet. Egg yolk discoloration was assessed both visually on fresh yolks and using a time exposure to ammonia fumes. Discoloration was easier to detect using the ammonia test. In all cases, egg yolk discoloration was no longer apparent after a maximum of 42 d of feeding a commercial diet. Key words: Cottonseed, gossypol, laying hen, yolk mottling, egg production, feed intake

scholarly journals Effect Of Supplementation Of Organic Acids On Laying Performance, Body Fatness And Egg Quality Of Hens

1970 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 74-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
MS Rahman ◽  
MAR Howlider ◽  
M Mahiuddin ◽  
MM Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Organic Acids ◽  
Organic Acid ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Laying Hens ◽  
Egg Quality ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Feed Conversion ◽  
Egg Weight

The study was conducted to determine the effect of organic acids supplementation on body weight changes, feed intake, feed efficiency, egg production, egg weight and egg quality in laying hens at age between 67 and 74 weeks. A total of 48 Shaver 579 laying hens of 67 weeks age were allotted into 4 groups, each containing 12 hens. The hens were fed basal diet (17% CP and 2800 kcal ME/kg diet) supplemented with 0 (T1), 260 (T2), 520 (T3) and 780 ppm (T4) of organic acid mixture (fumaric acid and salt of butyric, propionic and lactic acids). The results revealed no effect of organic acids supplementation on body weight change and feed intake but improvement of egg production and feed conversion were observed. Organic acids supplementation significantly increased egg production by about 2.26, 8.0 and 9.84% on 260, 520 and 780 ppm respectively when compared with the untreated group (P<0.05). Feed conversion showed a significant (P<0.05) improvement in laying hen groups which fed on the basal diet supplemented with organic acids at 260, 520 and 780 ppm by about 1.85, 8.48 and 7.74% respectively when compared with the control. On the other hand, dietary organic acid had no effect on the average egg weight, while showed a lower percentage of large (P<0.05) and extra large egg (P<0.01) size compared with control group. Body composition parameters were not affected (P>0.05) by dietary treatments. Inclusion of organic acids improved egg shell thickness (P<0.05) while significantly reduced albumen index (P<0.05). Incorporation of organic acids attributed to significant increase per cent albumen (P<0.01) and significant decrease in yolk per cent (P<0.05). It can be concluded that organic acid supplementation of laying hens diet may improve persistency of lay and feed conversion. From economical point of view, it is concluded that organic acid addition (520 ppm) may result an economic benefit of layer production at older age. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v37i2.9884 BJAS 2008; 37(2): 74-81

scholarly journals Newcastle Disease Virus Induced Pathologies Severely Affect the Exocrine and Endocrine Functions of the Pancreas in Chickens

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 495
Author(s):  
Zaib Ur Rehman ◽  
Shanhui Ren ◽  
Salman Latif Butt ◽  
Zahid Manzoor ◽  
Javid Iqbal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Newcastle Disease Virus ◽  
Disease Virus ◽  
Newcastle Disease ◽  
Plasma Levels ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Histopathological Examination ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
High Morbidity

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) causes a highly contagious and devastating disease in poultry. ND causes heavy economic losses to the global poultry industry by decreasing the growth rate, decrease in egg production high morbidity and mortality. Although significant advances have been made in the vaccine development, outbreaks are reported in vaccinated birds. In this study, we report the damage caused by NDV infection in the pancreatic tissues of vaccinated and specific-pathogen-free chickens. The histopathological examination of the pancreas showed severe damage in the form of partial depletion of zymogen granules, acinar cell vacuolization, necrosis, apoptosis, congestion in the large and small vessels, sloughing of epithelial cells of the pancreatic duct, and mild perivascular edema. Increased plasma levels of corticosterone and somatostatin were observed in NDV-infected chicken at three- and five- days post infection (DPI). A slight decrease in the plasma concentrations of insulin was noticed at 5 DPI. Significant changes were not observed in the plasma levels of glucagon. Furthermore, NDV infection decreased the activity and mRNA expression of amylase, lipase, and trypsin from the pancreas. Taken together, our findings highlight that NDV induces extensive tissue damage in the pancreas, decreases the activity and expression of pancreatic enzymes, and increases plasma corticosterone and somatostatin. These findings provide new insights that a defective pancreas may be one of the reasons for decreased growth performance after NDV infection in chickens.

Beneficial effects of dietary ascorbic acid supplement on hens subjected to ochratoxin A toxicosis under normal and high ambient temperatures

1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. M. Haazele ◽  
W. Guenter ◽  
R. R. Marquardt ◽  
A. A. Frohlich
Keyword(s):  
Ascorbic Acid ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Ochratoxin A ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Laying Hens ◽  
Control Diet ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Negative Effects

Three experiments were conducted to study ochratoxin A (OA) toxicity and the effect of supplemental ascorbic acid (AA) in laying hens housed under two environmental temperatures. In exp. 1, 18 hens were divided into three groups of six hens and fed diets containing either 0, 1.7, or 3.1 ppm OA for 14 d. In exps. 2 and 3, 24 hens were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments in six replications. Treatments consisted of a control and three diets containing either 300 ppm AA, 3 ppm OA, or 300 ppm AA plus 3 ppm OA. Treatment diets were fed for 14 d following the feeding of the basal diet for 14 d. The test-period temperature was 25 °C in exp. 1 and 2 and 33 °C in exp. 3. In exp. 1, feeding OA at 1.7 ppm significantly (P ≤ 0.05) decreased feed intake and increased liver weights and eggshell elasticity. At 3 ppm, OA significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced feed intake, body-weight change and egg production, and increased shell elasticity. Similar trends were also observed in exps. 2 and 3 when laying hens were fed 3 ppm OA compared with those fed the control diet. An analysis of plasma constituents showed that OA also increased Cl− concentration and aspartate transaminase activity and decreased plasma Ca++ concentrations. Exposing hens to 33 °C (compared with 25 °C) appeared to aggravate the negative effects of OA. All the negative effects of OA, apart from body-weight changes, reductions in feed intake, and increases in eggshell elasticity at 33 °C, were either moderated or significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reversed by dietary AA supplementation. The results suggest that some of the detrimental effects of OA in the diet of the laying hen can be counteracted by dietary supplementation of AA. Key words: Ochratoxin A, toxicity, ascorbic acid, hen, temperature

scholarly journals Ileal transposition helps to regulate plasma hepatokine levels in obese Zucker (Crl:ZUC(ORL)-Leprfa) rats

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominika Stygar ◽  
Tomasz Sawczyn ◽  
Agnieszka Dulska ◽  
Elżbieta Chełmecka ◽  
Łukasz Mielańczyk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Plasma Levels ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
The Body ◽  
Retinol Binding Protein ◽  
Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Total Lipids ◽  
Ileal Transposition ◽  
Sham Surgery

AbstractWe studied the long-term effect of ileal transposition (IT) metabolic surgery on the hepatokines: retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP4), α-2-HS-glycoprotein (aHSG/fetuin-A), and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma levels, glucose metabolism, body weight, liver histology, as well as total lipids concentration in muscle, liver, and fat tissue of obese Zucker (Crl:ZUC(ORL)-Leprfa) rats. 14 adult males were randomly submitted either to IT or SHAM (control) surgery. Pre-operative hepatokines plasma levels were not significantly different in rats submitted to IT or SHAM protocol. Three months after the procedures the plasma levels of RBP4, aHSG, FGF21, and CRP were significantly lower in IT-operated animals when compared to SHAM-operated group. Three and 12 weeks after the IT and SHAM surgery, the AUCOGTT were significantly lower than AUCOGTT before the surgery. HOMA-IR was lower in rats after IT surgery in comparison to the SHAM-operated rats. Muscle and liver total lipids concentration was reduced after the IT procedure when compared to pre-IT conditions. IT had a significant reductive impact on the body weight in comparison to SHAM surgery in the 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th week after the surgery. We conclude that IT reduces hepatokines’ plasma concentrations, muscle and liver total lipids concentration but not the inflammatory processes in the liver of Zucker (Crl:ZUC(ORL)-Leprfa) rats.

scholarly journals Metabolizable energy levels for semi-heavy laying hens at the second production cycle

2009 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 857-862
Author(s):  
Fernando Guilherme Perazzo Costa ◽  
Janaine Sena da Costa ◽  
Cláudia de Castro Goulart ◽  
Denise Fontana Figueiredo-Lima ◽  
Raul da Cunha Lima Neto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Level ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Laying Hens ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Production Cycle ◽  
Egg Mass ◽  
Feed Conversion

This study was carried out to evaluate the energy levels in the diet to obtain better performance rates and quality of eggs from laying hens in the second production cycle. One hundred and eighty Bovans Goldline laying hens with 62 weeks of age were used during four 28-day periods. A completely randomized experimental design was used with four metabolizable energy levels (2,650, 2,725, 2,800, 2,875 and 2,950 kcal/kg), each with six replicates of six birds. The energy level of diet did not affect the weight of the egg, yolk, albumen and eggshell, the percentages of yolk, albumen and eggshell, yolk color and egg specific gravity. Feed intake, egg production, egg mass and feed conversion per egg mass and per dozen eggs increased significantly with increasing levels of metabolizable energy. Feed intake decreased linearly as the energy level in the diet increased. The metabolizable energy levels showed a quadratic effect on egg production, egg mass and feed conversion per egg mass and per dozen eggs. The metabolizable energy level of 2,830 kcal/kg was the most appropriate to promote better performance and quality of eggs from laying hens in the second production cycle.

scholarly journals Increased plasma leptin attenuates adaptive metabolism in early lactating dairy cows

2016 ◽  
Vol 229 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A Ehrhardt ◽  
Andreas Foskolos ◽  
Sarah L Giesy ◽  
Stephanie R Wesolowski ◽  
Christopher S Krumm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Plasma Levels ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Body Weight Loss ◽  
Energy Output ◽  
Glucose Disposal ◽  
Hepatic Glycogen ◽  
Metabolic Efficiency ◽  
Plasma Leptin

Mammals meet the increased nutritional demands of lactation through a combination of increased feed intake and a collection of adaptations known as adaptive metabolism (e.g., glucose sparing via insulin resistance, mobilization of endogenous reserves, and increased metabolic efficiency via reduced thyroid hormones). In the modern dairy cow, adaptive metabolism predominates over increased feed intake at the onset of lactation and develops concurrently with a reduction in plasma leptin. To address the role of leptin in the adaptive metabolism of early lactation, we asked which adaptations could be countered by a constant 96-h intravenous infusion of human leptin (hLeptin) starting on day 8 of lactation. Compared to saline infusion (Control), hLeptin did not alter energy intake or milk energy output but caused a modest increase in body weight loss. hLeptin reduced plasma glucose by 9% and hepatic glycogen content by 73%, and these effects were associated with a 17% increase in glucose disposal during an insulin tolerance test. hLeptin attenuated the accumulation of triglyceride in the liver by 28% in the absence of effects on plasma levels of the anti-lipolytic hormone insulin or plasma levels of free fatty acids, a marker of lipid mobilization from adipose tissue. Finally, hLeptin increased the plasma concentrations of T4and T3by nearly 50% without affecting other neurally regulated hormones (i.e., cortisol and luteinizing hormone (LH)). Overall these data implicate the periparturient reduction in plasma leptin as one of the signals promoting conservation of glucose and energy at the onset of lactation in the energy-deficient dairy cow.

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