A Paradigm Shift—Advances in Poultry Nutrition and Management, and Alternative Poultry Feed Ingredients Using Novel Feed Processing Methods: Second Edition

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 December 2025 | Viewed by 541

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Food and Animal Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA
Interests: nutrition management; feed ingredient nutrient utilization; flock performance and health

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food and Animal Sciences, Tennessee State University, Nashville, TN 37209, USA
Interests: unconventional feed ingredient; enzyme; emulsifier; rearing system effect on animal

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Feed thermo-mechanical processing mechanisms have routinely been utilized within the poultry meat and egg production industry to optimize the nutrient utilization of feed components, ultimately enhancing poultry production performance. Consequently, a plethora of studies have been conducted to better define optimal feed processing methods that alter the nutritive value and quality of animal feed components. Moreover, other studies have discussed the economic value of feed processing with increased nutrient digestibility and production performance within poultry meat and egg production to offset the additional cost of feed processing.

Feed costs account for approximately 65–75% of poultry meat and egg production. Hence, numerous studies have examined the use of more affordable alternative feed ingredients that are plentiful in supply to support sustainable poultry meat and egg production. Hence, in this Special Issue, we will examine various possible alternative poultry feed ingredients and the processing methodologies utilized to enhance their nutritive value as a feedstock ration. We also invite colleagues and subject matter experts to share their research, expertise, and opinions to help discover novel feed processing methods and further discuss poultry feed technology and poultry nutrient utilization.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Pramir Maharjan
Dr. Md Raihanul Hoque
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • alternative feed ingredients
  • agricultural processing by-products
  • value-added feed ingredients
  • feed additives
  • feed ingredients
  • plant proteins
  • functional feed additives

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 3855 KiB  
Article
Tartary Buckwheat Flavonoids and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 Mitigate Fatty Liver Syndrome in Laying Hens: Association with Cecal Microbiota Remodeling and Lipid Metabolic Homeostasis
by Dongdong Li, Binlong Chen, Yi Zhang, Zengwen Huang, Zhiqiu Huang, Xi Chen, Caiyun Sun, Yunxia Qi, Yaodong Hu, Ting Chen and Silu Wang
Animals 2025, 15(15), 2210; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15152210 - 27 Jul 2025
Abstract
The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of tartary buckwheat flavonoids (TBF) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OHD) on fatty liver syndrome (FLS) in laying hens. A total of 450 35-wk-old Lohmann laying hens were selected and randomly divided into five [...] Read more.
The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of tartary buckwheat flavonoids (TBF) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OHD) on fatty liver syndrome (FLS) in laying hens. A total of 450 35-wk-old Lohmann laying hens were selected and randomly divided into five groups, with six replicates per treatment and 15 laying hens in each replicate. The control group was fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet. The FLS group was fed a high- energy–low-protein (HELP) diet, and the other three experimental groups were fed HELP diets supplemented with 60 mg/kg TBF, 69 μg/kg 25-OHD, and 60 mg/kg TBF plus 69 μg/kg 25-OHD, respectively. The experiment lasted 8 weeks. The results demonstrated that feeding laying hens with a HELP diet led to a significant accumulation of fat in their livers, liver enlargement and yellowing, as well as a decline in liver antioxidant capacity and an aggravation of inflammation. TBF alone, 25-OHD alone, and their combination had no effect on the laying performance of laying hens fed with a HELP diet. However, 25-OHD significantly enhanced the albumin content, eggshell strength, and eggshell thickness of eggs (p < 0.05). Compared with the HELP group, TBF, 25-OHD, or their combination reduced serum LDL-C and TG (p < 0.05). The combined treatment further lowered serum NEFA and MDA, enhanced liver SOD activity (p < 0.05), and unlike TBF alone (which reduced hepatic TG) or 25-OHD alone (which decreased liver index), reduced both liver index and hepatic TG (p < 0.05). Liver gene expression analysis showed that combined TBF and 25-OHD significantly inhibited the expression of fat synthesis-related genes (ACC, FAS, GPAT1, ChREBP1, LXRα, SREBP-1C, SREBP-2, FABP) as well as inflammation-related genes (IL-6, TNF-α, NF-κB, TLR4) (p < 0.05). At the phylum level of the cecal microbiota, TBF increased the abundance of Bacteroidota (p < 0.05), and combined TBF and 25-OHD tended to increase the abundance of Firmicutes_D. At the genus level, TBF increased the abundance of Phocaeicola_A (p < 0.05). Furthermore, TBF, 25-OHD, or their combination reduced the abundance of Faecalibacterium (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that combined TBF and 25-OHD mitigates FLS in laying hens potentially through remodeling gut microbiota and maintaining lipid metabolic homeostasis. Full article
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11 pages, 512 KiB  
Article
Validation with the Dynamic Prediction Model of Protein and Amino Acid Requirements for Growth Performance and Health in Layer Chicks
by Zhi-Yuan Xia, Alainaa Refaie, Miao Liu, You-Yang Wei, Lv-Hui Sun and Zhang-Chao Deng
Animals 2025, 15(13), 1968; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15131968 - 4 Jul 2025
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Abstract
This study evaluated an established dynamic prediction model for protein and amino acid nutritional requirements on growth performance and health in layer chicks. A total of 288 one-day-old healthy Jing Tint 6 chicks were randomly divided into four treatment groups with 6 replicates [...] Read more.
This study evaluated an established dynamic prediction model for protein and amino acid nutritional requirements on growth performance and health in layer chicks. A total of 288 one-day-old healthy Jing Tint 6 chicks were randomly divided into four treatment groups with 6 replicates of 12 chicks each. The chicks in the four groups were fed a basal diet (BD) according to the feeding standards and a model diet (MD) based on the dynamic prediction model for protein and amino acid values at 90%, 100%, or 110% for 6 weeks. The results showed that, compared to the BD, the 110% MD increased (p < 0.05) the FI and the 100% MD had no effect (p > 0.05) on FI, BWG, and FCR of chicks throughout the entire feeding phase. The 90% MD, however, significantly reduced (p < 0.05) FI and BWG, while also increasing (p < 0.05) FCR during the 3–6- and 0–6-week periods. Additionally, compared to the BD, the 100% MD had a lower (p < 0.05) intake of crude protein, methionine, lysine, and threonine than that of the BD. Both the 100% and 110% MDs increased (p < 0.05) bursa weight and its index at the 2nd week, while the 90% MD reduced (p < 0.05) the weights of the liver, spleen, and pancreas at the 6th week when compared to the BD. Moreover, the 100% MD increased (p < 0.05) the weights of the duodenum and jejunum, while the 90% MD decreased (p < 0.05) jejunum and ileum length at the 2nd or 6th week. Furthermore, no differences (p > 0.05) were found in serum ALT, AST, BUN, and UA between the 100% MD and BD groups. In conclusion, the dynamic prediction model can minimize protein waste while supporting healthy growth and development in layer chicks. Full article
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