Poultry, Volume 5, Issue 1 (February 2026) – 12 articles

This study aimed to evaluate the performance, nutrient digestibility, intestinal health, and duodenum gene expression of broilers challenged with Eimeria spp. supplemented with or without monensin sodium. A total of 144 male chicks were used, distributed in a completely randomized design with three treatments: unchallenged control (UN), challenged control (CC), and CC + 100 mg/kg of monensin sodium (MON). Six replicates of eight birds each were used. At 14 days of age, the challenged groups were inoculated with a mixture of Eimeria oocysts, 12,500 E. maxima, 62,500 E. acervulina, and 12,500 E. tenella oocysts/chick. Coccidial challenge impaired growth performance and nutrient digestibility and induced intestinal damage, as evidenced by reduced body weight gain and feed intake (p < 0.001), lower apparent digestibility coefficients (p < 0.001), and altered intestinal morphometry and ISI score in the jejunum and cecum (p < 0.001). Monensin supplementation partially alleviated these negative effects, improving performance and nutrient digestibility (p < 0.001) and delaying oocyst excretion (p = 0.006) when compared with the CC group. However, the duodenal expression of tight junction-related genes, as well as intestinal integrity and health parameters, remained impaired despite monensin supplementation. It is concluded that monensin preserves nutrient digestibility and attenuates performance loss in broilers challenged with Eimeria spp. but not reduced intestinal damage. Full article

In most countries, male siblings of laying hybrids are culled immediately after hatching because their rearing is economically unfeasible due to low growth performance, poor feed efficiency, and a body composition unacceptable to consumers. In Germany, however, culling male day-old chicks has been prohibited for animal welfare reasons since 2022, making their rearing mandatory. Currently, no recommendations exist for protein and amino acid supply for these birds. This study aimed to determine the requirements for standardized ileal digestible (SID) methionine + cysteine (Met + Cys) and SID lysine (Lys) during the starter period (days 1–21) in male LSL Classic chicks by a dose–response approach. Two trials were conducted with 120 male chicks each, fed six diets containing SID Met + Cys concentrations ranging from 0.36% to 0.71% (Trial 1) or SID Lys concentrations ranging from 0.50% to 0.89% (Trial 2). Optimal concentrations were estimated using broken-line and exponential models based on body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio. Considering all criteria, the optimal SID Met + Cys concentration was 0.58% (0.42 g/MJ AME_N), and the optimal SID Lys concentration was 0.74% (0.56 g/MJ AME_N). The calculated optimum SID Met + Cys:SID Lys ratio when standardized to an identical energy level was 74:100. These findings provide a basis for adjusting SID Met + Cys and SID Lys levels in starter diets for male chicks of a layer breed, supporting more efficient and sustainable rearing practices under current animal welfare regulations. Full article

This study evaluated the effect of rearing conditions with outdoor access on carcass traits, technological meat quality, and muscle fibre morphology in broiler chickens. Hubbard JA757 broilers were reared until 81 days of age under either control or experimental conditions. Both groups were housed indoors under identical management until day 35; thereafter, the experimental group had access to an outdoor paddock, while the control group remained indoors. At 81 days of age, birds were slaughtered, carcass composition was recorded, and breast (pectoralis major) and thigh (biceps femoris) muscles were analyzed for pH, colour, cooking loss, and shear force. Muscle fibre characteristics were assessed histochemically. Control birds showed higher slaughter and chilled carcass weights, whereas experimentally reared birds exhibited higher carcass yield, lower breast proportion, higher thigh proportion, and reduced abdominal fat. Experimental rearing was associated with higher L* values, higher shear force, and lower cooking loss in both muscles. In the pectoralis major, fibre density was higher in controls, while fibre diameter was higher in the experimental group. In the biceps femoris, the experimental group showed a higher proportion of oxidative βR fibres and larger fibre cross-sectional areas. These results demonstrate that the rearing system influences carcass composition, technological meat properties, and muscle fibre characteristics, leading to distinct phenotypic and technological differences between the groups. Full article

The experimental study was performed to determine the efficacy of a mycotoxin detoxification agent (MS) at a concentration of 0.2% in reducing the toxicity of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and ochratoxin A (OTA), alone or in combination, and to examine its effect on performance, pathohistological (PH) changes, and residues of these toxins in the tissues of broiler chicks. A total of 88 broilers were divided into eight equal groups: group C, the control group (fed a commercial diet without any additives); group MS, which received the mycotoxin detoxification agent (MS) (supplemented with 0.2%); group E I (0.2 mg AFB1/kg of diet); group E II (0.2 mg AFB1/kg of diet + MS 0.2%); group E III (1.5 mg OTA/kg of diet); group E IV (1.5 mg OTA/kg of diet + 0.2% MS); group E V (combination of 0.2 mg AFB1/kg, 1.5 mg OTA/kg of diet); and group E VI (combination of 0.2 mg AFB1/kg, 1.5 mg OTA toxin + 0.2% MS). Results show that feed containing AFB1 and OTA, individually or in combination, negatively affects health, production results, and PH changes in tissues, as well as the presence of mycotoxin residues in the liver and breast muscles of poultry. The addition of a new multicomponent preparation for the detoxification of MS mycotoxins in feed with AFB1 and OTA individually and in combination had a positive effect on TM (BW), growth (BWG), consumption and FCR conversion coefficient, and microscopic lesions in organs. The concentration of OTA residues in the liver and chest muscles was significantly lower in chickens fed a diet with the addition of 0.2% MS of the mycotoxin detoxification preparation. Full article

The maximum protein or nitrogen deposition is commonly used as the basis for modeling the amino acid intake in growing birds. In previous studies, the exponential functions of the nitrogen balance data were used to estimate the theoretical maximum for nitrogen deposition (ND_maxT) as a reference model for the amino acid intake. However, this amino acid intake value is only valid for the period in which the ND_maxT was estimated. Additionally, physiological changes, such as the rapid development of reproductive organs and associated increases in protein deposition that occur in the period before the first egg is laid, should be considered in the models. Thus, this study was conducted to model the daily ND_maxT of pullets and integrate this value into the factorial model to estimate the daily methionine + cysteine (Met+Cys) intake. Our results showed that, up to 63 days of age, the values of ND_maxT obtained via the modeling procedure were 11% higher than the values predicted using the Gompertz function. At 105 days, there was a protein deposition peak from the growth of the reproductive organs, which contributed 14% of the variation in the model in this age. Alongside these factors, the integration of the models enabled daily Met+Cys estimates consistent with the literature; however, the recommendations varied according to the targeted daily protein deposition (50% or 60% of ND_maxT), daily feed intake, and amino acid utilization efficiency. The modeling approach demonstrated here for Met+Cys can be used to model other amino acid requirements and can be extended to other species. Full article

Campylobacter jejuni (CJ) is a major foodborne pathogen with chickens serving as the reservoir host. This study investigated the efficacy of linalool, a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) phytochemical, as an in-feed intervention to reduce CJ colonization in broiler chickens. Three independent trials were conducted using 212-day-old Cornish Cross chicks per trial. Of these, 192 birds were randomly allocated to eight treatment groups (n = 24/group): negative control, linalool-only controls (1.0%, 1.5%, and 1.8%), positive control (CJ only), and CJ-challenged birds supplemented with linalool at 1.0%, 1.5%, or 1.8%. Linalool supplementation commenced on day 0, and birds were orally challenged with approximately 9 log₁₀ CFU of CJ on day 7. Cecal CJ populations were enumerated on days 14, 24, and 34. Positive control birds harbored approximately 6–7 log CFU/g of CJ in the ceca, whereas linalool supplementation significantly reduced CJ colonization (p < 0.05) by 2–3 log on day 14 and by 3–5 log on days 24 and 34. No adverse effects of linalool were observed on body weight, feed intake, or feed conversion ratio. Additionally, RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated downregulation (p < 0.0001) of key CJ virulence and colonization-associated genes. These findings suggest that dietary linalool is a potential strategy to reduce CJ colonization in broiler chickens; however, large-scale studies under field conditions are warranted. Full article

With growing emphasis on antibiotic-free poultry production, functional probiotics represent a promising strategy to improve gut health and reduce pathogen transmission. This study characterized three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus NRRL-B-548 (LD), Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DUP-13076 (LP), and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus NRRL-B-442 (LR) for their probiotic potential and evaluated their efficacy against Salmonella enterica in poultry. The LAB strains were assessed for acid and bile tolerance, lysozyme resistance, cholesterol assimilation, antimicrobial activity, surface hydrophobicity, epithelial adherence, hemolysis, and antibiotic susceptibility. Genomic analysis was performed to identify genes associated with probiotic functionality. The protective potential of LR and LP was further validated in hatchlings using a hatchery spray model challenged with Salmonella Enteritidis. All strains survived simulated gastric and intestinal conditions, exhibited strong adhesion to epithelial cells, and demonstrated high hydrophobicity, indicating robust colonization capacity. The LAB significantly inhibited Salmonella Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, and S. Heidelberg growth in vitro and remained sensitive to clinically relevant antibiotics. In vivo application of LR and LP to hatching eggs markedly reduced S. Enteritidis colonization in the liver, spleen, and ceca of hatchlings. Further, genomic profiling of the LAB strains revealed genes for bacteriocin production, exopolysaccharide synthesis, and carbohydrate metabolism supporting probiotic function. In summary, the evaluated LAB strains exhibit multiple probiotic attributes and strong anti-Salmonella activity, confirming their potential as safe, hatchery-applied probiotics for improving gut health and biosecurity in poultry production systems. Full article

Heat shock protein (HSP) gene families are known to be expressed preferentially over normal cellular proteins when poultry cells are exposed to environmental stressors. Bordetella avium infection leads to bordetellosis, which is characterized by severe inflammation of the tracheal epithelium, representing a severe stressor for the infected turkey poult. The purpose of this experiment was to examine the expression of HSP60 and HSP70 in the tracheae of B. avium-challenged poults. Tracheae were dissected from five poults per treatment at 7, 11, 14, and 21 days of age, and snap-frozen rings were examined immunohistochemically for the presence of HSP60 and HSP70 using HSP60 and HSP70 monoclonal antibodies (MABs). Infected poults expressed HSP60 predominantly on the apical surface of ciliated epithelial cells and weakly near the nucleus, and HSP70 was expressed only in the cytoplasm. Early in the development of bordetellosis, infected poults expressed more HSP60 and HSP70 than control poults of the same age, but at 14 days after infection, infected birds showed significantly decreased HSP60 proteins, which was associated with loss of tracheal epithelium. With loss of tracheal epithelium, the expression of HSP70 decreased at 11 days in the infected poults, and by day 21, very low levels of the proteins were observed in the infected poults compared to control poults with intact tracheal epithelium. It was concluded that decreased expression of HSP60 was indicative of HSP60 proteins becoming antigenic targets for the host’s immune system since immunologically targeted B. avium cells express GroEL (highly conserved HSP60 family equivalent) and DnaK (highly conserved HSP70 equivalent). The potential targeting of host and pathogen HSP60 by the innate immune system could feasibly facilitate loss of tracheal epithelium during the development of bordetellosis. Full article

This review explores strategies to enhance meat quality in poultry, focusing on both management and genetic methods. Poultry meat quality is influenced by many factors, including rearing conditions, nutrition, animal welfare, and post-slaughter processing. Key management factors such as stocking density, ventilation, temperature, and humidity are emphasized for their significant impact on bird welfare and the resulting meat texture, color, and microbial stability. Welfare-enhancing practices like gentle handling, environmental enrichment, and thermal comfort are highlighted for their direct effects on stress levels and meat properties such as water-holding capacity and pH. Innovations in slaughtering and chilling techniques, including electrical and gas stunning and rapid chilling, are shown to preserve meat quality and prevent common defects like pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) or dark, firm, and dry (DFD) meat. The review also underscores the importance of hygiene protocols, hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) systems, and traceability technologies to ensure food safety and foster consumer trust. On the genetic front, it discusses conventional selection, marker-assisted selection (MAS), and genomic selection (GS) as tools for breeding birds with better meat quality traits, including tenderness, intramuscular fat, and resistance to conditions like woody breast. Functional genomics and gene editing are identified as the leading edge of future advances. Ultimately, the review advocates for an integrated approach that balances productivity, quality, animal welfare, and sustainability. As consumer expectations increase, the poultry industry must adopt precise, science-based strategies across the entire production process to reliably deliver high-quality meat products. Full article

Numerous commercial products are used in poultry farms to maintain water quality and prevent pathogen dispersion, but their actual impact on broiler chicks’ performance and gut health remains underreported. This study aimed to investigate the effects of three commercial poultry water disinfectants on broiler chicks’ performance and the physicochemical characteristics of gastrointestinal content when continuously added to drinking water. A total of 144 one-day-old Ross^® 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated into four treatment groups: Group A (negative control), Group B (0.01–0.025% v/v Product A [H₂O₂ + silver complex]), Group C (0.01–0.04% v/v Product B [H₂O₂ + peracetic acid]), and Group D (0.05–0.1% w/v Product C [peroxides]). Body weight (BW) was measured weekly, while average daily weight gain (ADWG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated for different time periods. Additionally, on days 15 and 40, the pH of the crop, gizzard, duodenum, jejunum, and cecum contents was assessed, while the viscosity of jejunal and ileal contents were also measured. Statistical analysis revealed that all water disinfectants significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced BW, ADWG, and ADFI during the early growth phase, followed by either recovery or stabilization in the later stages. Drinking water disinfectants induced significant changes in intestinal physicochemical parameters, including reductions in pH of the content in the jejunum (p ≤ 0.05) during early growth and increased gizzard pH (p ≤ 0.05) and digesta viscosity (p ≤ 0.05) at later ages. These findings suggest that continuous water disinfection can suppress broiler chicks’ performance during the early stages of growth while significantly altering the physicochemical characteristics of gastrointestinal content. Further research is needed to investigate the mechanism that underlaying these results and optimize dosage schemes that balance pathogen control with the health, welfare, and performance of broilers. Full article

Male turkeys are raised mainly for meat production due to their high carcass yields and good capacity to convert food into meat. However, their carcass characteristics remain poorly understood. The objective of the study was to describe the carcass traits of 45 male native Mexican turkeys raised in the municipality of Champoton, Mexico, using principal component analysis (PCA). Fourteen carcass traits, namely, slaughter weight (SW), hot carcass weight (HCW), cold carcass weight (CCW), dressing percentage (DP), neck weight (NEW), foot weight (FEW), breast weight (BRW), thigh weight (THW), drumstick weight (DRW), wing weight (WIW), back weight (BAW), gizzard weight (GIW), heart weight (HEW), and liver weight (LIW), were collected. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed strong positive relationships among carcass variables, with the highest correlations observed between CCW and HCW (r = 0.99; p < 0.001), SW and HCW (r = 0.98; p < 0.001), and SW and CCW (r = 0.98; p < 0.001). Hierarchical clustering identified four main groups of variables with similar correlation patterns. Three principal components (PCs) with eigenvalues greater than 1.0 were extracted, explaining 85.48% of the total variance in carcass traits. The first principal component (PC1) contributed 72.81% of the total variation (eigenvalue = 10.19), with high loadings (>0.70) for CCW (0.98), HCW (0.98), SW (0.98), DRW (0.95), BRW (0.91), WIW (0.90), THW (0.89), HEW (0.87), BAW (0.81), and FEW (0.82), representing a general size factor. PC2 explained 6.86% of the variance (eigenvalue = 0.96), characterized by a negative loading for DP (−0.64) and positive loadings for GIW (0.35) and LIW (0.34). PC3 accounted for 5.81% of the variance (eigenvalue = 0.81), with a negative loading for LIW (−0.63) and positive loadings for NEW (0.51) and FEW (0.46). Communality values exceeded 0.85 for all variables, indicating adequate representation in the reduced dimensional space. It was concluded that PCA effectively reduced dimensionality while retaining 85.48% of original information and can be used for the improvement of the carcass traits of male native Mexican turkey breeding programs. Full article

The egg industry continues to search for alternative feed ingredients that support production efficiency, enhance egg quality, and add nutritional value. Microalgae are rich in protein, pigments, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, making them promising candidates for poultry diets. This study evaluated the effects of dietary inclusion (1 and 2%) of four microalgae species, Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina), Hydrodictyon sp., Uronema sp., and Vaucheria sp., on laying hen performance, egg quality, yolk fatty acid composition, and bone strength. Seventy-six Lohmann LSL-Lite hens (92 weeks of age) were randomly assigned to nine treatments (control diet or one of eight microalgae diets). Feed intake, egg production, egg mass, feed conversion ratio, eggshell traits, yolk color, yolk fatty acids, and tibial breaking strength were measured. Inclusion of microalgae did not negatively affect hen performance, egg quality, nor bone strength. Spirulina significantly improved egg production and egg mass (p < 0.05). Increasing levels of Spirulina, Hydrodictyon sp., and Uronema sp. enhanced yolk color (all p < 0.05), while Vaucheria sp. showed no effect (p > 0.05). Yolk fatty acid profiles were only modestly altered, with increased docosahexaenoic acid observed in hens fed Hydrodictyon and Uronema (p < 0.05). In conclusion, low-level dietary inclusion of these microalgae species appears safe for laying hens and may provide added value through improved yolk pigmentation and modest omega-3 enrichment. Full article