Effect of an artificial Ascaridia galli infection on egg production, immune response, and liver lipid reserve of free-range laying hens

The poultry sector plays an important role in animal production in terms of maintaining a stable production of healthy food for the population. With regard to the egg industry, sustainability refers to the treatment of laying hens and especially the systems used for hen housing. The conditions of welfare and housing of laying hens in the production of table eggs are currently of interest to most egg sellers as well as consumers as they directly affect the economy of their production and their price. At present, consumers have a choice of four types of eggs on the shelves. They can come from the cage, litter, free-range or organic farming. Each farm has well-defined rules that it must follow. Customers are increasingly interested in where and under what circumstances are produced the eggs which they bring home from the store. In addition to price, customers look for a story behind the package and make their decisions accordingly. Although recognizing that issues such as environmental consequences, food safety, and humane treatment of hens are also important, this article focuses on the relationships between hen housing and economy and market eggs production.

Download Full-text

Free-range laying hens: using technology to show the dynamics and impact of hen movement

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an19256 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 59 (11) ◽

pp. 2046

Author(s):

I. Ruhnke ◽

J. Boshoff ◽

I. V. Cristiani ◽

D. Schneider ◽

M. Welch ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Radio Frequency Identification ◽

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Free Range ◽

Technological Advances ◽

Frequency Identification ◽

Under Performing ◽

Open Floor ◽

And Performance

Free-range laying hens are provided with the opportunity to access various structural areas, including open floor space, feed areas, water lines, next boxes, perches, aviary tiers, winter gardens and ranges. Different individual location preferences can lead to the development of hen subpopulations that are characterised by various health, welfare and performance parameters. Understanding the complexity of hen movement and hen interactions within their environment provides an opportunity to limit the disadvantages that are associated with housing in loose husbandry systems and aids in decision-making. Monitoring hen movement using modern technologies such as radio-frequency identification (RFID), optical flow patterns, image analysis and three-dimensional (3D) cameras allows the accumulation of big data for data mining, clustering and machine learning. Integrating individual-based management systems into modern flock management will not only help improve the care of under-performing hens, but also ensure that elite hens are able to use their full genetic potential, allowing an ethical, sustainable and welfare friendly egg production. This review highlights the dynamics and impact of hen movement in free-range systems, reviews existing knowledge relevant for feeding hens in non-cage systems, and outlines recent technological advances and strategies to improve the management of free-range laying hens.

Download Full-text

Egg production and egg quality in free-range laying hens housed at different outdoor stocking densities

Poultry Science ◽

10.3382/ps/pex107 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 96 (9) ◽

pp. 3128-3137 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

D.L.M. Campbell ◽

C. Lee ◽

G.N. Hinch ◽

J.R. Roberts

Keyword(s):

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Free Range

Download Full-text

The Effects of Different Levels Chlorell Microalgae on Performance and Immune Response of Laying Hens Under Heat Stress Condition

International Journal of Life Sciences ◽

10.3126/ijls.v9i2.12058 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 71-74 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Nasroallah Moradi Kor ◽

Neda Mohamadi

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Heat Stress ◽

Egg Production ◽

Stress Condition ◽

Linear Models ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Egg Mass ◽

Randomized Design ◽

Heat Stress Condition ◽

Different Levels

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different levels microalgae Chlorell sp. on performance of laying hens under heat stress condition. A completely randomized design experiment, with 7 replicates and 6 treatments (9 birds per replicate) was carried out by allotting 378 white Lohman strain laying hens at 65 weeks of age. Six experimental treatments were continual addition of 0, 100, 200, 300,400 ppm microalgae Chlorell and 400 ppm toein to drinking warer were fed to laying hens for 9 weeks. Egg production, egg weight, egg mass output and feed intake were determined. Antibody production against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) also was measured. Data were analyzed by ANOVA using General Linear Models procedure of SAS software and comparison of means were compared using Duncan’s multiple range test. The results of this experiment showed that microalgae Chlorell had no effect on productive performance. Adding microalgae Chlorell to the drinking water improved immune response of laying hens and a more positive effect was observed when 400 ppm added to the water. It is concluded that the addition of microalgae Chlorell to the water drinking of laying hens improved immune response of laying hens.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v9i2.12058 International Journal of Life Sciences 9 (2) : 2015; 71-74

Download Full-text

Selenium yeast modulated ileal transcriptome and microbiota to ameliorate egg production in aged laying hens

10.21203/rs.3.rs-104581/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

zhexi liu ◽

yutao cao ◽

yue ai ◽

linli wang ◽

mengyao wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Fatty Acid ◽

16S Rrna ◽

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Lymphocyte Activation ◽

Microbiota Composition ◽

Positive Regulation ◽

Selenium Yeast ◽

Laying Performance

Abstract Background: The declines in both laying performance and egg shell quality during late production period have adverse effects on long production cycle. Improving nutrition of laying hens is a crucial measure to reverse the declination. Selenium (Se) plays important roles in antioxidant defense, redox balance, immune response, and modulation of gut microbiota. However, the mechanism underlying selenium yeast regulating the interaction between transcriptome and gut microbiota to influence laying performance, is still unclear. Here, we use the transcriptome and 16S rRNA analysis to investigate how selenium yeast alters the gene expression and microbiota composition of ileum in aged laying hens.Results: In this study, selenium yeast ameliorated the depression in aged laying performance with a significant increase of laying rate in 0.30 mg/kg group. Furthermore, functional enrichment and STEM analysis were performed using RNA-Seq, which indicated selenium yeast activated metabolic progresses (e.g. Glycerolipid metabolism, Glycerophospholipid metabolism, and fatty acid metabolism), immune response and oxidative stress response. Four hub genes (TXNRD1, DLD, ILK and LZTS2) were involved in intestinal metabolism which was closely associated with Se deposition/status. Additionally, Se increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria including Veillonella, Turicibacter, and Lactobacillus whiledecreasing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria Stenotrophomonas by 16S rRNA-Seq. The Integrated analysis of omics revealed that several microbiotas (Maritalea, Alteromonas, Geobacter, etc.) were positively associated with both Se content and laying rate, and there was a markable correlation between several specific microbiotas (Aliivibrio, Anaerobacillus, Shewanella, etc.) and the immune response pathways (regulation of acute inflammatory response, positive regulation of lymphocyte activation and IFN gamma response). Meanwhile, the “switched on” gene PSCA had a positive relationship with Veillonella, and a negative relationship with the opportunistic pathogens Stenotrophomonas. CCA analysis indicated that both the Se content and the laying rate were highly positively correlated with Anaerobacillus, Alteromonas, Loktanella and the positive regulation of lymphocyte activation, but were negative correlated with Streptococcus, Devosia, Aerococcus, Intestinibacter and fatty acid metabolic progress. Conclusions: Overall, our study provides unprecedented insights showing that selenium yeast supplementation can affect immune response, metabolic processes, and specific microbiota composition to ameliorate the egg production deterioration in aged laying hens.

Download Full-text

Multi-criteria decision-making model in the strategic planning of table egg production in the Republic of Croatia

Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.5424/sjar/2018162-11913 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. e0105

Author(s):

Ana Crnčan ◽

Zoran Škrtić ◽

Jelena Kristić ◽

Igor Kralik ◽

David Kranjac ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Production System ◽

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

The European Union ◽

Analytic Hierarchy ◽

Free Range ◽

Self Employment ◽

Multi Criteria Analysis ◽

The Republic

Until 2012, egg production in Croatia was mostly in cages, which was not in accordance with the European Union standards on the welfare of laying hens. Therefore, producers of table eggs could not continue their current practice and had to use those systems permitted in the EU member countries, such as organic, free-range, indoor or enriched cages. The aim of this study was to analyse and evaluate various systems of table-egg production using a method of multi-criteria analysis called the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Thus, the aim was to determine scientifically which production system was the favoured option for the Croatian poultry sector. According to the results, production of eggs using an indoor system for housing hens was the best option (priority 0.317). This was followed by a free-range system (priority 0.242). The third-ranked alternative egg production system was in cages (priority 0.237), while the fourth and the least acceptable alternative refers to egg production according to organic principles (priority 0.202). Based on the results of the multi-criteria analysis and respecting the worldwide trends that reflect changes in consumers’ habits and their concerns for food safety and quality, as well as their preference for local markets and local products, it is recommended that eggs be produced in an indoor system of keeping laying hens. In this sense, egg production on small farms provides the possibility of self-employment and creation of additional income to contribute towards overall economic and social development of rural areas.

Download Full-text

The effects of long (C20/22) and short (C18) chain omega-3 fatty acids on keel bone fractures, bone biomechanics, behavior, and egg production in free-range laying hens

Poultry Science ◽

10.3382/ps/pev048 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 94 (5) ◽

pp. 823-835 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

M.J. Toscano ◽

F. Booth ◽

L.J. Wilkins ◽

N.C. Avery ◽

S.B. Brown ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Bone Fractures ◽

Bone Biomechanics ◽

Omega 3 Fatty Acids ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Free Range

Download Full-text

Quantification of IgY to Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae in serum from Swedish laying hens

BMC Veterinary Research ◽

10.1186/s12917-021-02813-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Eva Wattrang ◽

Helena Eriksson ◽

Ann Albihn ◽

Tina Sørensen Dalgaard

Keyword(s):

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Organic Production ◽

Low Doses ◽

Erysipelothrix Rhusiopathiae ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Free Range ◽

Housing Systems ◽

History Of

Abstract Background Erysipelas, caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (ER), is an important emerging disease in free-range and organic egg-production. The aim of the present study was to assess if quantification of ER specific IgY titers may aid the understanding of erysipelas in commercial laying hens. The methodology was validated with sequentially collected sera from experimentally ER infected SPF-chickens and subsequently applied on sera from Swedish commercial laying hens collected during and after outbreaks of erysipelas or collected at slaughter from healthy hens housed in furnished cages, barn production or in organic production (with outdoor access). Results In experimentally infected SPF-chickens, titers to ER were significantly increased approximately one week after infection while IgY to ER in uninfected age-matched controls remained low. Also chickens infected with low doses of ER, not displaying clinical signs of disease and with low recovery of ER in blood samples showed high titers of IgY to ER. For laying hens during and after erysipelas outbreaks the majority of samples were considered positive for antibodies to ER with a large variation in levels of IgY titers to ER between individuals. For healthy laying hens at slaughter all samples were deemed positive for antibodies to ER. An influence of flock on levels of IgY titers to ER was observed for both healthy hens and hens during erysipelas outbreaks. For healthy laying hens at slaughter no influence of the housing systems included in the study, history of erysipelas outbreaks at the farm or vaccination on levels of IgY titers to ER was noticed. Conclusions Taken together, these results show that high numbers of commercial laying hens showed high IgY titers to ER, comparable to those elicited by experimental ER infection, indicating that ER or bacteria that raises antibodies that cross-react with ER are common in this environment.

Download Full-text