Impact of Heat Stress on Poultry Health and Performances, and Potential Mitigation Strategies

Heat stress is one of the major environmental stressors in the poultry industry resulting in substantial economic loss. Heat stress causes several physiological changes, such as oxidative stress, acid-base imbalance, and suppressed immunocompetence, which leads to increased mortality and reduced feed efficiency, body weight, feed intake, and egg production, and also affects meat and egg quality. Several strategies, with a variable degree of effectiveness, have been implemented to attenuate heat stress in poultry. Nutritional strategies, such as restricting the feed, wet or dual feeding, adding fat in diets, supplementing vitamins, minerals, osmolytes, and phytochemicals, have been widely studied and found to reduce the deleterious effects of heat stress. Furthermore, the use of naked neck (Na) and frizzle (F) genes in certain breed lines have also gained massive attention in recent times. However, only a few of these strategies have been widely used in the poultry industry. Therefore, developing heat-tolerant breed lines along with proper management and nutritional approach needs to be considered for solving this problem. Thus, this review highlights the scientific evidence regarding the effects of heat stress on poultry health and performances, and potential mitigation strategies against heat stress in broiler chickens and laying hens.

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Heat stress in poultry production: Mitigation strategies to overcome the future challenges facing the global poultry industry

Journal of Thermal Biology ◽

10.1016/j.jtherbio.2018.08.010 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 78 ◽

pp. 131-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

Aamir Nawab ◽

Fahar Ibtisham ◽

Guanghui Li ◽

Barbara Kieser ◽

Jiang Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

Poultry Production ◽

Poultry Industry ◽

The Future ◽

Future Challenges

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Performance of broilers and layers supplemented with Moringa stenopetala leaf meal under hot humid tropical conditions

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an19671 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 60 (17) ◽

pp. 1987

Author(s):

Metekia Tamiru ◽

Shiferaw Ashagrie ◽

Ashraf Alkhtib ◽

Minyehun Getachew ◽

Solomon Demeke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Egg Production ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Conversion Ratio ◽

Feed Conversion Ratio ◽

Feed Conversion ◽

Moringa Stenopetala ◽

Meat Weight ◽

Leaf Meal ◽

Tropical Conditions

Context Heat stress poses a major limit to poultry production. Moringa stenopetala leaf meal (MSL) could be a promising feed additive for poultry raised under heat stress, as it is rich in antioxidants. Aims To determine the effect of (MSL) supplementation on the production and quality of broilers under heat-stress conditions. Methods In the broiler performance trial, 156 1-day old Cobb 500 broilers were assigned to four groups, with each containing three replicates of 13 chicks. For the egg production trial, 108 Bovan Brown layers aged 20 weeks were allocated to four groups, with each containing three replicates of nine hens. The four groups of broiler and layer chicken were supplemented with MSL at a level of 0% (control), 1% (MSL1), 1.5% (MSL1.5) and 2% (MSL2). Relative humidity, and minimum and maximum temperatures were 82%, 13°C and 23°C respectively. The effects of MSL supplementation on growth performance, characteristics of digestive organs, carcass traits, egg production and egg quality were analysed with one-way ANOVA. Key results Moringa stenopetala-leaf supplementation at a level up to 2% (MSL2) did not significantly affect feed intake, weight gain or feed conversion ratio of the birds. Supplemented broilers had a significantly longer large intestine (24% for MSL1, 37% for MSL1.5 and 49% for MSL2) and a heavier pancreas (82% for MSL1, 67% for MSL1.5, and 57% for MSL2) than did the control broilers. Hot and cold carcass weights, dressing yield, dressing percentage, breast-meat weight, drumstick and thigh-meat weights, wing-meat weight, back weight and meat pH were not significantly affected by MSL supplementation. Ash content of meat of the MSL2-fed birds was significantly higher than that of the control birds (3.51% vs 2.74% respectively). Egg production, feed conversion ratio and interior and exterior egg-quality parameters were not significantly affected by MSL supplementation. Intensity of yolk colour was significantly and linearly enhanced due to MSL supplementation (by ~5–8 times compared with the control). Conclusions Supplementation with MSL at a level up to 2% improved yolk colour of Bovan Brown layer eggs, with no effect on meat and egg production. Implications Yolk colour of eggs of layers raised under heat stress can be improved by MSL supplementation at 1%, with there being a minimum increase in the diet cost.

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Vitamin E supplementation can alleviate negative effects of heat stress on egg production, egg quality, digestibility of nutrients and egg yolk mineral concentrations of Japanese quails

Research in Veterinary Science ◽

10.1016/s0034-5288(02)00126-1 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 73 (3) ◽

pp. 307-312 ◽

Cited By ~ 39

Author(s):

K Sahin ◽

N Sahin ◽

M Onderci

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Vitamin E ◽

Egg Production ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Egg Yolk ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Japanese Quails ◽

Mineral Concentrations ◽

Vitamin E Supplementation

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Chromium Supplementation Can Alleviate Negative Effects of Heat Stress on Egg Production, Egg Quality and Some Serum Metabolites of Laying Japanese Quail

Journal of Nutrition ◽

10.1093/jn/132.6.1265 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 132 (6) ◽

pp. 1265-1268 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

K. Sahin ◽

O. Ozbey ◽

M. Onderci ◽

G. Cikim ◽

M. H. Aysondu

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Japanese Quail ◽

Egg Production ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Serum Metabolites

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Pathogenesis and Diagnostic Approaches of Avian Infectious Bronchitis

Advances in Virology ◽

10.1155/2016/4621659 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Faruku Bande ◽

Siti Suri Arshad ◽

Abdul Rahman Omar ◽

Mohd Hair Bejo ◽

Muhammad Salisu Abubakar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Broiler Chickens ◽

Egg Production ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Diagnostic Methods ◽

Stunted Growth ◽

Infectious Bronchitis ◽

Highly Sensitive ◽

Wide Range ◽

Diagnostic Approaches ◽

Polymerase Chain

Infectious bronchitis (IB) is one of the major economically important poultry diseases distributed worldwide. It is caused by infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and affects both galliform and nongalliform birds. Its economic impact includes decreased egg production and poor egg quality in layers, stunted growth, poor carcass weight, and mortality in broiler chickens. Although primarily affecting the respiratory tract, IBV demonstrates a wide range of tissues tropism, including the renal and reproductive systems. Thus, disease outcome may be influenced by the organ or tissue involved as well as pathotypes or strain of the infecting virus. Knowledge on the epidemiology of the prevalent IBV strains in a particular region is therefore important to guide control and preventions. Meanwhile previous diagnostic methods such as serology and virus isolations are less sensitive and time consuming, respectively; current methods, such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP), and sequencing, offer highly sensitive, rapid, and accurate diagnostic results, thus enabling the genotyping of new viral strains within the shortest possible time. This review discusses aspects on pathogenesis and diagnostic methods for IBV infection.

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Performance, Body Temperature and Egg Quality of Laying Hens Fed Vitamins D and C Under Three Environmental Temperatures

Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science ◽

10.1590/s1516-635x2001000100005 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 49-56 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

DE Faria ◽

OM Junqueira ◽

PA Souza ◽

EAL Titto

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Body Temperature ◽

Vitamin C ◽

Vitamin D3 ◽

Egg Production ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Egg Mass ◽

Randomized Design ◽

Cyclic Heat ◽

Environmental Temperatures

Three experiments were conducted in a climatic chamber to determine the effects of vitamins D3 and C supplementation on performance, body temperature, and egg quality under thermoneutral temperature (24.8º to 27.0º C), a cyclic heat stress (26.2º C for 16 h and 32.1º C for 8 h) and a constant heat stress (30.0º to 32.0º C) for three weeks in each temperature. One hundred forty-four White Leghorn hens aged 31 weeks were used in a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement of 3 x 3: vitamin D3 (2,500, 3,000, and 3,500 IU/kg) and vitamin C (0, 200, and 400 ppm), with a total of nine treatments with four replicates of four hens each. Parameters measured included feed intake (FI), feed:gain (FG), egg production (EP), egg weight (EW), egg mass (EM), rectal (RT) and dorsal temperatures (DT), percentages of albumen (AP) and yolk (YP), Haugh units (HU), yolk index (YI), shell percent (SP), shell thickness (ST) and egg specific gravity (ESG). Vitamin D3 influenced the parameters SP, ST, ESG and DT; vitamin C influenced YI, SP and ESG. There was no influence of environmental temperature only on HU. It was concluded that higher levels of vitamin D3 and 200 or 400 ppm of vitamin C can be improve eggshell quality and that heat stress impaired the main characteristics evaluated.

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Physiological dynamics in broiler chickens under heat stress and possible mitigation strategies

Animal Biotechnology ◽

10.1080/10495398.2021.1972005 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Rifat Ullah Khan ◽

Shabana Naz ◽

Hammad Ullah ◽

Qudrat Ullah ◽

Vito Laudadio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Mitigation Strategies

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Effect of a Diet Supplemented with the Moringa oleifera Seed Powder on the Performance, Egg Quality, and Gene Expression in Japanese Laying Quail under Heat-Stress

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10050809 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 809 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Reham Abou-Elkhair ◽

Heba Abdo Basha ◽

Walaa Slouma Hamouda Abd El Naby ◽

Jamaan S. Ajarem ◽

Saleh N. Maodaa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heat Stress ◽

Japanese Quail ◽

Egg Production ◽

Moringa Oleifera ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Regulatory Protein ◽

Basal Diet ◽

Laying Quail ◽

Moringa Oleifera Seed

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of three concentrations of the Moringa oleifera seed powder as a feed supplement on the productive performance and egg quality traits of laying Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) exposed to heat stress. The expression patterns of the genes estrogen receptors (ESR2), follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), prolactin receptor (PRLR), and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) were estimated in ovaries, using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. A total of 200 laying quail aged seven weeks were randomly allocated to the following four experimental groups—the control (CNT), T1, T2, and T3 groups; each group comprised 50 quail females with 5 replicates (10 per group). The CNT group was fed a basal diet, whereas the T1, T2, and T3 groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.1%, 0.2%, and 0.3% M. oleifera seed powder, respectively. The results revealed that the T3 group showed the highest hen-day egg production (%) as well as the highest egg yolk index. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio improved significantly (p < 0.05) with increased concentrations of the M. oleifera seed powder supplementation. Furthermore, the mRNA expressions of ESR2, FSHR, and STAR increased significantly in the T3 group, compared to those in the CNT group. Alterations in ovarian gene expressions corresponded to the reproductive patterns of the treated Japanese quail. Thus, it was concluded that the supplementation of the Japanese quail feed with 0.3% M. oleifera seed powder during the laying period might enhance resistance to heat stress and consequently improve egg productivity.

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Significance of single β-mannanase supplementation on performance and energy utilization in broiler chickens, laying hens, turkeys, sows, and nursery-finish pigs: A meta-analysis and systematic review

Translational Animal Science ◽

10.1093/tas/txab160 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Elijah G Kiarie ◽

Samantha Steelman ◽

Marco Martinez

Keyword(s):

Broiler Chickens ◽

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Average Daily Gain ◽

Nutrient Utilization ◽

Energy Utilization ◽

Linear Polymers ◽

The Impact

Abstract This review will give a brief description of β-mannans, abundance in feedstuffs, utility of supplemental feed β-mannanase and subsequent animal responses. Soybean products and co-products of processing palm, coconut and guar seeds are the major sources of β-mannans in poultry and livestock feed. β-mannans are linear polymers of mannose residues linked by β-1,4 glycosidic bonds and their ingestion elicit undesirable and metabolically costly responses. Web of Science was searched to retrieve published studies for meta-analyses of the impact of supplemental β-mannanase on performance and digestibility in pigs and poultry. The mean difference (MD) between ß-mannanase and control on average daily gain (ADG, g/d) was +0.23 (P=0.013; 95% CI 0.05; 0.41), +10.8 g/d (P=0.0005; 95% CI of 6.6; 15.0 g/day) and +20.68 (P<0.000; 95% CI of 17.15; 24.20 g/day) for broiler chickens, nursery pigs and grow-finish pigs, respectively. The MD on β-mannanase improvement on FCR was -0.02 (P<0.0001) with 95% CI (-0.03; -0.02) suggesting a 2-to-3-point FCR improvement in broiler chickens. ß-mannanase improvement on gain to feed (G:F) was +13.8 g/kg (P=0.027; 2.1; 25.4 g/kg) and +8.77 g/kg (6.32; 11.23 g/kg) in nursery and grow-finish pigs, respectively. β-mannanase improved AMEn by 47 kcal/kg (P=0.0004) with 95% CI (28.8; 65.7 kcal/kg) in broiler chickens. The improvement of gross energy digestibility in pigs was 1.08 percentage unit with 95% CI (0.90; 1.26) translating to the release of between 30.6 and 42.8 kcal/kg of digestible energy. Although data was limited, β-mannanase improved egg production but had no impact on egg quality in laying hens. Turkeys may be more adversely affected by ß-mannans because of the high protein/ amino acids requirements necessitating higher dietary inclusion of soybean meal. However, growth performance and feed efficiency responses of turkeys fed diets supplemented with β-mannanase was variable. In summary, ß-mannanase supplementation improved performance linked to energy and nutrient utilization. However, the magnitude of response was variable within and between species indicating further application refinement is warranted to achieve consistent efficacy, including an improved understanding of the functional contribution of β-mannans hydrolysis products.

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