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Animals
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Impact of Environmental Stresses on Animal Health and Production
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Impact of Environmental Stresses on Animal Health and Production

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 14842

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Majid Shakeri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA-ARS, Athens, GA 30605, USA
Interests: stress condition; environment; welfare; behavior; livestock; laboratory animals; production; natural bio-active com-pounds; immune system
Dr. Mahdi Ebrahimi

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang, Malaysia
Interests: physiology; natural products; medicinal plants; gene expression; biological potential of bioactive compounds

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Stress is a reflex reaction following the inability of an animal to cope with its environment. Stress can lead to a range of unfavorable consequences, from mild discomfort to death. It covers the behavioral and biological responses to many different abiotic stressors. These environmental forces disrupt homeostasis, resulting in new adaptations that can be either detrimental or advantageous. However, when the stressful conditions become too demanding for the animal to adapt, or when the animal is unable to withstand environmental stress, they struggle and suffer from abnormal biological functions, causing the development of pathologies followed by impaired productivity, welfare and health. This Special Issue aims to identify a variety of environmental stressors that affect the productivity, welfare and health of animals in order to increase our understanding of an animal’s response to stressors and introduce practical strategies, nutritional or management, for alleviating stress in animals.

We invite all researchers with expertise in animal science to submit original research papers, articles and reviews which address the influence of any aspect of the environment and any stressors on both short- and long-term animal growth, productivity, health and welfare, and propose novel nutritional or management strategies to ameliorate the negative impacts of these stressors.

Dr. Majid Shakeri
Dr. Mahdi Ebrahimi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • stress condition
  • environment
  • welfare
  • behavior
  • livestock
  • laboratory animals
  • production
  • natural bio-active compounds
  • immune system

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

8 pages, 23548 KiB  
Communication
Potential Role of Ribonucleotide Reductase Enzyme in Mitochondria Function and Woody Breast Condition in Broiler Chickens
by Majid Shakeri, Byungwhi Kong, Hong Zhuang and Brian Bowker
Animals 2023, 13(12), 2038; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13122038 - 20 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1244
Abstract
The cellular events leading to the development of the woody breast myopathy in broiler breast muscle are unclear. Affected woody breast muscle exhibits muscle fiber degeneration/regeneration, connective tissue accumulation, and adverse morphological changes in mitochondria. Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) is an enzyme for the [...] Read more.
The cellular events leading to the development of the woody breast myopathy in broiler breast muscle are unclear. Affected woody breast muscle exhibits muscle fiber degeneration/regeneration, connective tissue accumulation, and adverse morphological changes in mitochondria. Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) is an enzyme for the synthesis of dNTP, which is important for mitochondria DNA content (mtDNA). RNR consists of two subunits: RRM1/RRM2. A decrease in RRM2 is associated with a decrease in mtDNA and mitochondria proteins, leading to impaired ATP production. The objective of this study was to investigate potential RNR differences between woody breast (WB) and normal (N) breast muscle by examining RRM2 expression and associated pathways. Gene expression and enzyme activities were examined by qPCR and commercial kits. Results showed that RRM2 expression reduced for WB (p = 0.01) and genes related to mitochondria, including ATP6 (p = 0.03), COX1 (p = 0.001), CYTB (p = 0.07), ND2 (p = 0.001) and ND4L (p = 0.03). Furthermore, NDUFB7 and COX 14, which are related to mitochondria and ATP synthesis, tended to be reduced in WB. Compared to N, GLUT1 reduced for WB (p = 0.05), which is responsible for glucose transport in cells. Consequently, PDK4 (p = 0.0001) and PPARG (p = 0.008) increased in WB, suggesting increased fatty acid oxidation. Citric synthase activity and the NAD/NADH ratio (p = 0.02) both reduced for WB, while WB increased CHRND expression (p = 0.001), which is a possible indicator of high reactive oxygen species levels. In conclusion, a reduction in RRM2 impaired mitochondria function, potentially ATP synthesis in WB, by increasing fibrosis and the down-regulation of several genes related to mitochondria function. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Environmental Stresses on Animal Health and Production)
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10 pages, 250 KiB  
Article
Impact of Cold Stress on Physiological, Endocrinological, Immunological, Metabolic, and Behavioral Changes of Beef Cattle at Different Stages of Growth
by Won-Seob Kim, Jalil Ghassemi Nejad and Hong-Gu Lee
Animals 2023, 13(6), 1073; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13061073 - 16 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1664
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cold stress (CS) on the physiological, blood, and behavioral parameters of beef cattle according to their growth stage. Twelve calves in the growing stages (220.4 ± 12.33 kg, male and non-castrated) and [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of cold stress (CS) on the physiological, blood, and behavioral parameters of beef cattle according to their growth stage. Twelve calves in the growing stages (220.4 ± 12.33 kg, male and non-castrated) and twelve steers in the early fattening stages (314.2 ± 18.44 kg) were used in this experiment. The animals were randomly distributed into three homogenized groups (four animals each) for 14 days, namely threshold, mild–moderate cold stress (MCS), and extreme cold stress (ECS), according to the outside ambient temperature. The feed and water intakes were recorded daily. The physiological parameters, blood parameters, and behavioral patterns were measured weekly. All data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis. The calves exposed to the ECS decreased (p < 0.064, tendency) their dry matter intake compared to the threshold and MCS groups. The HR and RT increased (p < 0.001) in the ECS compared to the threshold in calves and steers. Moreover, increased (p < 0.05) blood cortisol, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and time spent standing were observed after exposure to ECS in calves and steers. However, the calves exposed to the ECS had decreased (p = 0.018) blood glucose levels compared to the threshold. In conclusion, ECS affects the dry matter intake, HR, RT, blood cortisol, NEFA, and behavioral patterns in beef calves and steers. This phenomenon indicated that beef cattle exposed to CS modulated their behavior and blood parameters as well as their physiological response to maintain homeostasis regardless of the growth stage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Environmental Stresses on Animal Health and Production)
14 pages, 1545 KiB  
Article
A Comparative Study on Changes in Protein, Lipid and Meat-Quality Attributes of Camel Meat, Beef and Sheep Meat (Mutton) during Refrigerated Storage
by Kusaimah Manheem, Oladipupo Adiamo, Ume Roobab, Khaja Mohteshamuddin, Hassan. M. Hassan, Nilesh. P. Nirmal and Sajid Maqsood
Animals 2023, 13(5), 904; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13050904 - 02 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3703
Abstract
An in-depth characterisation of protein and lipid fractions and changes in the physicochemical and meat-quality attributes of camel meat, beef and mutton over 9 days of refrigerated storage was investigated. The lipids of all the meat samples, especially those in camel meat, underwent [...] Read more.
An in-depth characterisation of protein and lipid fractions and changes in the physicochemical and meat-quality attributes of camel meat, beef and mutton over 9 days of refrigerated storage was investigated. The lipids of all the meat samples, especially those in camel meat, underwent significant oxidation in the first 3 days of storage. A decrease in pigment and redness (a* value) with an increase in the storage time was noticed in all the meat samples, suggesting the oxidation of the haem protein. The mutton samples displayed greater protein extractability, while the protein solubility values in all the meat samples were similar, and these varied as storage progressed. The drip loss percentage in camel meat and mutton were two times higher than in beef, and it increased during storage period. The textural properties of fresh camel meat were higher than mutton and beef, and these decreased during day 3 and 9, respectively, indicating the proteolysis and the degradation of the structural proteins, which were also evident from the SDS-PAGE pattern. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Environmental Stresses on Animal Health and Production)
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12 pages, 1220 KiB  
Article
Nanoliposome-Loaded Phenolics from Nasturtium officinale Improves Health Parameters in a Colorectal Cancer Mouse Model
by Fatemeh Taghavinia, Fatemeh Teymouri, Fatemeh Farokhrouz, Elahe Hashemi Bagherabad, Sarasadat Farjami, Ehsan Karimi, Ehsan Oskoueian, Hieu Huu Le and Majid Shakeri
Animals 2022, 12(24), 3492; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12243492 - 10 Dec 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1514
Abstract
Nasturtium officinale contains high amounts of phytochemical compounds that work against oxidative damages leading to improved health conditions in animals as well as humans. The study was performed to investigate the health benefits of nonencapsulated and nanoliposome-encapsulated phenolic rich fractions obtained from Nasturtium [...] Read more.
Nasturtium officinale contains high amounts of phytochemical compounds that work against oxidative damages leading to improved health conditions in animals as well as humans. The study was performed to investigate the health benefits of nonencapsulated and nanoliposome-encapsulated phenolic rich fractions obtained from Nasturtium officinale on mice induced colorectal cancer. The experiment focused on encapsulation efficiency in improving the effectiveness of plant bioactive compounds. Phenolic rich fractions (PRF) were successfully loaded in the nanoliposome structure, a nanometer in size, of spherical shape and with homogeneous dispersion. Induction of colorectal cancer in mice impaired weight gain and feed intake, liver function and structural characteristics of ileum, while the dietary administration of nanoliposome-encapsulated PRF regulated the expression of Caspase 3, Bax, Bcl2, iNOS and SOD genes in the tumor tissue. The addition of nonencapsulated PRF and nanoliposome encapsulated PRF at the concentration of 100 mg TPC/kg BW/day improved the genes expression, although the nanoliposome-encapsulated PRF revealed better health outcomes compared to nonencapsulated PRF. Furthermore, both PRF improved intestinal morphology when the mice were challenged with colorectal cancer. The higher health promoting activity of nanoliposome-encapsulated PRF could be associated with its enhanced intestinal absorption, bioavailability, bioaccessibility and bioactivity. Consequently, the nanoliposome-encapsulated PRF could be considered as a promising anticancer agent against colorectal cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Environmental Stresses on Animal Health and Production)
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Review

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28 pages, 987 KiB  
Review
Heat Shock Protein Response to Stress in Poultry: A Review
by Krishnan Nair Balakrishnan, Suriya Kumari Ramiah and Idrus Zulkifli
Animals 2023, 13(2), 317; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13020317 - 16 Jan 2023
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3788
Abstract
Compared to other animal species, production has dramatically increased in the poultry sector. However, in intensive production systems, poultry are subjected to stress conditions that may compromise their well-being. Much like other living organisms, poultry respond to various stressors by synthesising a group [...] Read more.
Compared to other animal species, production has dramatically increased in the poultry sector. However, in intensive production systems, poultry are subjected to stress conditions that may compromise their well-being. Much like other living organisms, poultry respond to various stressors by synthesising a group of evolutionarily conserved polypeptides named heat shock proteins (HSPs) to maintain homeostasis. These proteins, as chaperones, play a pivotal role in protecting animals against stress by re-establishing normal protein conformation and, thus, cellular homeostasis. In the last few decades, many advances have been made in ascertaining the HSP response to thermal and non-thermal stressors in poultry. The present review focuses on what is currently known about the HSP response to thermal and non-thermal stressors in poultry and discusses the factors that modulate its induction and regulatory mechanisms. The development of practical strategies to alleviate the detrimental effects of environmental stresses on poultry will benefit from detailed studies that describe the mechanisms of stress resilience and enhance our understanding of the nature of heat shock signalling proteins and gene expression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Environmental Stresses on Animal Health and Production)
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13 pages, 311 KiB  
Review
Effects of Thermal Manipulation on mRNA Regulation of Response Genes Regarding Improvement of Thermotolerance Adaptation in Chickens during Embryogenesis
by Suriya Kumari Ramiah, Krishnan Nair Balakrishnan, Yashini Subramaniam, Oluwaseun Serah Iyasere and Zulkifli Idrus
Animals 2022, 12(23), 3354; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233354 - 29 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1444
Abstract
The phenomenon of increasing heat stress (HS) among animals is of particular significance when it is seen in economically significant industries, such as poultry. Due to the identification of the physiological, molecular, and genetic roots of HS responses in chickens, a substantial number [...] Read more.
The phenomenon of increasing heat stress (HS) among animals is of particular significance when it is seen in economically significant industries, such as poultry. Due to the identification of the physiological, molecular, and genetic roots of HS responses in chickens, a substantial number of studies have focused on reducing the effects of HS in poultry through environmental management, dietary manipulation, and genetic alterations. Temperature manipulation (TM) during embryogenesis has been claimed to increase the thermal tolerance and well-being of chickens without affecting their capacity for future growth. There has been little investigation into the vulnerability of the epigenome involving TM during embryogenesis, although the cellular pathways activated by HS have been explored in chickens. Epigenetic changes caused by prenatal TM enhance postnatal temperature adaption and produce physiological memory. This work offers a thorough analysis that explains the cumulative impact of HS response genes, such as genes related to heat shock proteins, antioxidants, and immunological genes, which may aid in the enhanced adaptability of chickens that have undergone thermal manipulation during their embryonic stages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Environmental Stresses on Animal Health and Production)
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