Search Results (1,781)

Lutein is a dietary xanthophyll carotenoid with recognized antioxidant and immunomodulatory potential, yet the molecular basis underlying its nutritional effects in laying hens remains insufficiently understood. Here, liver transcriptomic profiling and 16S rRNA sequencing were combined to investigate the response of laying hens to dietary lutein supplementation. A total of 951 differentially expressed genes were identified in the liver, indicating marked transcriptional remodeling after lutein supplementation. Functional enrichment, gene set enrichment, and weighted gene co-expression network analyses consistently showed that these changes were mainly associated with metabolic regulation, redox/stress adaptation, and immune-related communication. In parallel, lutein supplementation changed cecal microbial community structure and shifted specific microbial biomarkers. Integrated correlation analyses further identified candidate host–microbiota association patterns, including a KLF2/FOXO3/Faecalibacterium axis and a KLF2/IL8L2/Prevotellaceae_Ga6A1_group axis. Overall, dietary lutein was associated with coordinated changes in the hepatic transcriptional profile and cecal microbial community structure, which converged on these two functional directions. These findings provide new insight into the nutritional effects of lutein in laying hens and identify candidate pathways and microbial nodes for future functional validation in poultry feeding systems. Full article

Heat stress is a major constraint to productivity and physiological homeostasis in laying hens. This study investigated integrated responses to acute heat stress using a multi-omics approach, including performance traits, serum biochemical parameters, histology, hepatic transcriptomics, cecal metagenomics, and metabolomics. Acute heat stress impaired productive performance, as reflected by changes in egg production and reduced eggshell strength, and induced systemic physiological disturbances, including increased stress- and injury-related blood indicators and disrupted metabolic and electrolyte balance. Histological analysis confirmed liver and intestinal tissue damage. Hepatic transcriptomics revealed inflammatory activation and suppression of metabolic pathways, particularly those involved in lipid metabolism, energy production, and redox homeostasis. Cecal metagenomic and metabolomic analyses showed altered microbial composition and functional potential, along with disruptions in amino acid, lipid, and energy metabolism. Collectively, these findings suggest that acute heat stress is associated with coordinated inflammatory responses and metabolic reprogramming, together with liver and intestinal injury and gut microbiota–metabolite alterations. The study provides a framework for understanding early heat stress responses and highlights potential targets for nutritional and microbiota-based interventions in poultry production. Importantly, serum biochemical indicators such as D-lactic acid and aspartate aminotransferase may serve as potential early biomarkers for monitoring heat-stress-induced physiological disturbances. Full article

To sustain egg production and gut health in aging flocks, the poultry industry seeks alternative synbiotic feed supplements. This study aimed to optimize Pediococcus acidilactici V202-fermented rice bran (PFR) and evaluate its effects on nutrient digestibility and cecal microbial populations in aged laying hens. In experiment 1, solid-state fermentation conditions (substrate particle size, moisture, and temperature) were optimized for viable lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts. In experiment 2, in vitro assays were used to assess cecal fermentation kinetics. Subsequently, an in vivo trial involving twenty 80-week-old Hy-Line Brown hens evaluated the impact of PFR supplementation on nutrient digestibility and microbial profiles compared to a control diet. For experiment 1, the optimized fermentation conditions consisted of 40-mesh rice bran, a 30:70 bran-to-water ratio, incubation at 39 °C for 12 h, and drying at 40 °C, which produced the highest viable LAB counts. For experiment 2, PFR enhanced in vitro cumulative cecal gas production. In vivo, compared to the control, PFR supplementation significantly increased the apparent digestibility of dry matter (82.69% vs. 77.03%; p = 0.014), crude protein (82.75% vs. 75.38%; p = 0.016), crude fiber (36.30% vs. 23.10%; p = 0.015), ether extract (86.70% vs. 82.91%; p = 0.016), and gross energy (78.31% vs. 74.99%; p = 0.026). Furthermore, PFR beneficially modulated cecal microbial populations, increasing LAB while reducing Salmonella spp. In conclusion, these findings suggest that optimized PFR could be a promising synbiotic supplement to improve digestive efficiency and support beneficial cecal microbial populations in aged laying hens. Full article

This research evaluated levels of peanut meal inclusion in diets for laying hens. A total of 200 Hisex White hens, 72 weeks of age, were used in a completely randomized design with five treatments and ten replicates of four hens each. Treatments consisted of replacing soybean meal with peanut meal at 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%. Over a 70-day period, feed intake, egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion, and internal and external egg quality were evaluated. Economic analyses of diets and estimates of the carbon footprint were also conducted based on life cycle assessment data of the ingredients. Total replacement of soybean meal with peanut meal did not significantly affect productive performance or egg quality (p > 0.05). Increasing levels of peanut meal inclusion linearly reduced feed cost, providing savings of up to US$ 41.81 per ton. In addition, a progressive reduction in the carbon footprint of the diets was observed, reaching a decrease of 26.37% in CO₂ equivalent emissions. Peanut meal can fully replace soybean meal in laying hen diets without compromising productive performance or egg quality while reducing feed costs and environmental impact. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of dietary crude glycerol supplementation on laying performance, egg quality traits, and egg yolk fatty acid composition in laying hens. A systematic search of peer-reviewed literature from major scientific databases identified thirteen eligible studies. Effect sizes were calculated as mean differences using random-effects models, and subgroup and meta-regression analyses were conducted to assess the influence of inclusion level, hen age, strain, and dose–response relationships. Moderate inclusion of crude glycerol (≤4%) significantly increased egg production (MD = +0.71 percentage points; p = 0.019) and egg mass (MD = +1.08 g; p = 0.007). External egg quality traits, including shell thickness, shell breaking strength, and shell percentage, were not significantly affected, while albumen height decreased slightly (MD = −0.14 mm; p = 0.004) and Haugh unit remained unchanged. Crude glycerol supplementation also increased linoleic acid, total unsaturated fatty acids, and total polyunsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.001). Responses varied with inclusion level, hen age, and strain, and a positive dose–response relationship between crude glycerol level and yolk linoleic acid was observed in white-egg strains. Overall, moderate crude glycerol inclusion can partially replace conventional dietary energy sources with minimal adverse effects on egg quality. Full article

Avibacterium paragallinarum (A. paragallinarum) is the primary causative agent of infectious coryza in chickens. Infection often leads to growth retardation in broilers and a 10% reduction in egg production, reaching over 40% in laying hens. The problem is particularly severe under intensive farming conditions, significantly jeopardizing global poultry health and farming profitability. From a ‘One Health’ perspective, this not only disrupts the stability of the food supply chain, but also increases antibiotic usage due to disease prevention and control needs, thereby aggravating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and posing a global public health challenge. This review systematically summarizes advances in the pathogenesis of A. paragallinarum and the protective immunity induced by subunit vaccines. It focuses on the infection mechanisms of A. paragallinarum, emphasizing its colonization strategies in the infraorbital sinus and nasal epithelium of chickens, and analyzes the roles of key virulence factors such as hemagglutinin and capsule in adhesion, colonization, and immune evasion. We integrate the tissue-specific pathogenesis of A. paragallinarum with the role of respiratory commensal microbiota in facilitating infection, providing an in-depth analysis of the bacterium’s key immune evasion strategies, thus offering novel insights into host–pathogen-microbiome interactions. Concurrently, to the best of our knowledge, this review provides the first comprehensive overview of current developments in subunit vaccines and their immunoprotective properties, with special attention to limitations in eliciting mucosal immune responses. By delving into the pathogen-host interaction mechanisms, this review aims to inform the optimization of subunit vaccine design and immunization strategies. Ultimately, it seeks to establish a theoretical basis and practical framework for precise control of A. paragallinarum. Full article

Clutch persistence, defined as the ability to sustain consecutive egg-laying cycles, is a pivotal determinant of profitability in the poultry industry, particularly for aging laying hens (≥65 weeks). However, the molecular mechanisms governing this trait remain elusive, largely due to the traditional “ovary-centric” paradigm that overlooks systemic regulation by the gut microbiota. To address this knowledge gap, the present study aimed to dissect the comprehensive regulatory network governing clutch persistence using integrated multi-omics analyses. A total of 20 sixty-five-week-old Rhode Island Red (RIR) laying hens with cumulative egg production exceeding 300 eggs but distinct clutch persistence were stratified into a high-clutch persistence group (HCP, ≥25 clutches, n = 10) and a low-clutch persistence group (LCPLCP, ≤15 clutches, n = 10). Multi-omics profiling, including ovarian transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics; serum metabolomics; and cecal microbiota 16S rRNA sequencing was performed. Data integration and association mining were conducted via Spearman correlation analysis with stringent thresholds (r > 0.6, p < 0.01). Integrated analyses revealed a “gut–ovary axis” regulatory model mediated by a lipid mediator network, operating through a three-tiered mechanism: (1) Gut Initiation: The HCP group exhibited enriched cecal γ-Proteobacteria, which promoted biosynthesis of lipid precursors. (2) Serum Transport: Key serum lipid mediators, most notably LysoPC (22:6) (VIP = 4.5) and cholesterol ester CE (20:4), served as critical carriers transducing gut-derived signals to the ovary. (3) Ovarian Execution: These lipid signals activated a core ovarian metabolic pathway centered on the PLA2G6-ALOX15B-AGPAT3 axis, which coordinated follicular development and ovulation by supplying steroid hormone synthesis substrates, exerting anti-inflammatory effects, and stabilizing membrane structures. Collectively, this study demonstrates that gut microbiota modulates clutch persistence in aging laying hens via lipid mediators, orchestrating a systemic “gut–serum–ovary” regulatory cascade. These findings provide a novel molecular framework for extending the economic egg-laying cycle through the targeted manipulation of intestinal microbiota or serum lipid metabolism. Full article

Heat stress (HS) has emerged as a major environmental stressor, inducing oxidative stress and hepatic steatosis and impairing production performance and health in laying hens, with limited evidence-based nutritional interventions available. This study investigated the hepatoprotective effects of dietary silibinin (SIL) against chronic HS. In a 10-week trial, 252 43-week-old Hy-Line Brown hens were exposed to daily HS (32 ± 1 °C, temperature–humidity index [THI] > 73) and fed either a basal diet or one supplemented with 100 mg/kg SIL. SIL significantly increased laying rate (p < 0.05) and improved albumen height, Haugh units, and shell strength by week 8 (p < 0.05). Histological analysis showed a 48% reduction in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) activity score, with significantly decreased hepatic triglyceride content (p < 0.05); Oil Red O staining confirmed reduced lipid droplet accumulation. SIL restored redox balance by increasing plasma, hepatic total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (p < 0.05), increasing hepatic catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) levels while decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) (p < 0.05). Untargeted plasma metabolomics identified 11 key metabolites related to 2-oxoglutarate and purine metabolism, while hepatic transcriptomics revealed 835 differentially expressed genes primarily in the PPAR signaling and fatty acid biosynthesis pathways. SIL suppressed de novo lipogenesis via downregulation of ACACA and FASN, and enhanced β-oxidation through upregulation of CPT1A and ACSL1 (p < 0.05). Molecular docking indicated favorable binding affinities between SIL and these targets, which was further supported by corresponding changes in protein expression via Western blotting. Correlation analysis revealed a consistent alignment between the upregulation of ACSL1/CPT1A and improvement in performance and antioxidant status, suggesting a coordinated metabolic shift. These findings emphasize the potential of SIL as a sustainable animal nutrition antioxidant additive, which can alleviate HS-induced lipid disorders in the liver of laying hens. Importantly, these hepatoprotective effects were demonstrated exclusively under chronic heat stress conditions; further studies incorporating a normothermic baseline are required to distinguish stress-specific mitigation from general metabolic stimulation. Full article

Native chicken production in the Philippines is increasing, accounting for nearly half of the total population of raised chickens. Health-conscious consumers prefer native chicken due to its lower fat content. To support this growth, the government established a breeding facility featuring 10 pens, each housing 2 to 6 laying hens and a rooster, which began operation in November 2023. In recent months, staff observed a decline in laying performance in some pens. Because chicken behavior is a key indicator of growth and production performance, this study aims to implement a real-time laying hen activity recognition system using You Only Look Once Version 11 (YOLOv11) to classify hen behaviors into multiple categories. These include active behaviors (walking, eating, drinking, pecking, dust bathing, and preening), inactive behaviors (resting or inactivity), and environmental objects (feeders and water cans). A dataset of 464 images was collected from the breeding facility in Zamboanga City, Philippines. To capture hen behavior, a TP-Link Tapo C510W outdoor WiFi camera was mounted on the ceiling at a height of 80 cm above the ground. The model demonstrated excellent performance in detecting static objects such as feeders and water cans. Among behaviors, pecking and walking were identified as the most common, while drinking and dust bathing were relatively rare. The YOLOv11-based activity recognition system successfully achieved real-time classification of hen behaviors with strong performance across most activity classes. The system reached 95% mAP50, with particularly high accuracy in detecting static objects and distinctive behaviors, thereby providing a solid foundation for future improvements in recognizing more complex or challenging behaviors. Full article

Stevia residue (SR), a typical by-product of the stevia industry, is rich in organic matter and has great potential as a feed resource. However, its high fiber content and low utilization efficiency limit its practical application in poultry production. To improve the nutritional value and application potential of SR, this study first optimized the fermentation conditions of SR using response surface methodology (RSM) with chlorogenic acid as the key optimization index and then investigated the effects of different doses of SR and fermented SR (FSR) on laying performance, egg quality, antioxidant capacity, and immunity in laying hens. Six fermentation parameters, including pH, solid-to-liquid ratio, temperature, inoculation quantity, brown sugar addition, and soybean meal addition, were first screened using single-factor experiments and then optimized with RSM. Subsequently, 560 laying hens were randomly divided into seven groups and fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% of either SR or FSR for 28 days. The results showed that the optimal fermentation conditions were a solid-to-liquid ratio of 75.6%, brown sugar addition of 2.7%, temperature of 25 °C, inoculation quantity of 3%, and fermentation time of 9 days. In the animal study, dietary 0.5% SR and FSR reduced average daily feed intake and eggshell strength, whereas the plasma total antioxidant capacity was enhanced in all (SR or FSR) supplemented groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, plasma immunoglobulin (Ig) A level was increased in the 1.0–1.5% SR and 1.5% FSR groups, and plasma IgY was elevated in the 1.0% SR group (p < 0.05). Our results suggested that SR fermentation was effectively optimized through RSM, and dietary FSR supplementation at 1.0% improved the health of laying hens, representing the optimal inclusion level. Full article

Early detection of malignancy is imperative, yet existing diagnostic approaches struggle to identify small peripheral lesions. This study evaluated a novel imaging modality, heat diffusion analysis, to assess its ability to differentiate between malignant and normal lung tissue. Considering that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, lung tumors were induced in mice in a preclinical ex vivo model to evaluate the proposed technology. The HTOScan System was used to analyze the thermal characteristics of 60 sites from excised lungs, including normal and abnormal regions. The algorithm classified pixels as high- or low-risk for malignancy. The HTOScan System demonstrated a high accuracy of 97%, with 94% sensitivity and 98% specificity compared to the gold standard of histopathology. The technology successfully differentiated abnormal from normal tissue ex vivo based on differences in thermal diffusivity. This proof-of-concept study suggests that combining heat diffusion imaging techniques with machine learning algorithms could enable the HTOScan System to identify malignant lesions accurately with high confidence. The technique shows promise as a real-time decision support tool for cancer detection, pending further in vivo validation. This novel functional-imaging approach could improve the identification of peripheral lesions and the guidance of biopsies during bronchoscopy. Full article

Wuhua Yellow Chicken (WYC) is a Guangdong heritage breed known for its characteristic “three yellow” phenotype and distinctive meat flavour. Despite its commercial importance, data on muscle flavour chemistry remain scarce. In this study, 180 one-day-old chicks (90 cocks, 90 hens, 18 replicates of 5 chickens per sex) were raised to 20 weeks under cage conditions, after which slaughter traits, meat physicochemical indices, proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and volatile compounds were measured. Cocks were heavier and had higher eviscerated yields and leg muscle percentages, whereas hens accumulated more abdominal fat (6.47–0.46%, p < 0.01). Shear force was greater in cock breast muscle (2.86–2.13 kg·f, p < 0.01), indicating firmer texture. Cock breast muscle contained more crude protein (26.89%) and less crude fat. Amino acid totals were identical between sexes (21.10 g/100 g), with all six essential amino acids surpassing FAO/WHO reference values; lysine scored highest (168%). Unsaturated fatty acid proportions were 63.33% (cocks) and 66.64% (hens), with PUFA/SFA ratios of 61.95% and 53.60%, respectively. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identified 10 volatile compounds in cocks and 14 in hens; aldehydes dominated in both, with hexanal alone accounting for over 50%. Hen muscle contained a richer volatile profile, including additional ketone and ester compounds. These data collectively confirm that WYC is nutritionally dense, organoleptically appealing, and well-suited for further breed promotion. Full article

Predicting garlic prices is difficult because the crop behaves as both an agricultural commodity and a speculative asset. Unlike staple grains, which follow more predictable seasonal supply cycles, garlic can be stored for over a year, its production is geographically concentrated, and its demand remains inelastic. This industry structure makes it susceptible to speculative hoarding, where even minor harvest deficits may trigger sharp price spikes. A typical example is the “Suan Ni Hen” (crazy garlic) phenomenon in the Chinese market: during the 2009–2010 and 2016 periods, speculative capital repeatedly exploited expectations of harvest reduction to engage in large-scale hoarding. According to data released by China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) at the end of October 2016, national wholesale garlic prices surged by 90% year-on-year, with purchase prices in some major producing areas doubling or multiplying within a short period. Such short-term price bubbles, together with severe volatility and abrupt regime shifts, can make standard forecasting models unreliable in this uncertain environment. Existing methods, ranging from traditional seasonal algorithms to deep learning networks, often overlook the need to decouple the local trend-weekly-seasonal baseline from the dynamic effects of multi-source external signals. This paper proposes GPF-EVMoLE, a compositional multi-step forecasting framework built on an explicit division of labor. The framework first extracts an interpretable local trend and weekly-seasonal baseline through an ETS decomposition module. Two specialized components then process the residual signal: a temporal fusion Transformer-style variable selection network (VSN) uses multi-source external features to identify informative macroeconomic and environmental signals at each forecasting step, while a Mixture of Linear Experts (MoLE) models phase-wise regime shifts within the residual series. Together, these modules adaptively integrate heterogeneous information. This study evaluates the framework on a custom daily evaluation dataset containing 17,685 records across six major producing regions in three provinces. At 7-day and 14-day forecasting horizons, GPF-EVMoLE consistently outperforms eight representative statistical, machine learning, and deep learning baselines across MAE, RMSE, and MAPE metrics. Ablation studies verify the necessity of each component, showing that structural separation of the forecasting tasks helps overcome the limitations of monolithic models and provides an accurate and interpretable solution for complex agricultural markets. Full article

Echeveria spp. (Mexican hens and chicks) are among the most popular genera of succulents sold because they are compact and form attractive, symmetrical rosettes with brightly colored, fleshy, broad, iridescent leaves, as well as large, showy inflorescences. However, they are slow-growing, and flower induction protocols are not widely available. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to determine if photoperiod and the photosynthetic daily light integral (DLI) can be manipulated to promote rapid growth and leaf expansion without excessive extension growth of several cultivars of Echeveria and (2) to establish the critical photoperiod for flower induction. Cuttings of E. spp. and hybrids ‘Apus’, ‘Canadian’, ‘Elegans Blue’, ‘Jade Point’, and ‘Topsy Turvy’ were received from a commercial breeder and grown in a greenhouse at 20 °C for 5 weeks. Photoperiods were created using a truncated 9 h short day (SD) or a SD extended to 10, 11, 13, 15, 16 h or a 4 h night-interruption (NI), using light-emitting diode (LED) lamps providing a total photon flux density of ≈2 μmol·m⁻²·s⁻¹ of red (R) + white (W) + far-red (FR) radiation. DLIs of 4.8 and 12.8 mol·m⁻²·d⁻¹ were maintained with and without shade cloth and supplemental lighting. Photoperiod and DLI interacted to influence the final height of E. ‘Canadian’, ‘Elegans Blue’, and ‘Jade Point’; plants were tallest under photoperiods > 13 h and low DLI. Similar trends were observed for growth index and average plant diameter. No clear trend was observed for leaf unfolding or leaf length across DLI or photoperiod treatments. Flower initiation of E. ‘Apus’ and ‘Jade Point’ was highest under a DLI of 12.8 mol·m⁻²·d⁻¹. Additionally, E. ‘Jade Point’ only developed inflorescences under day lengths ≤ 11 h, indicating an obligate SD response. Our results suggest that growers should maintain DLIs > 10 mol·m⁻²·d⁻¹ and SD conditions to promote flower initiation of the Echeveria cultivars tested. Such conditions would prevent excessive stem elongation and encourage flowering, increasing crop quality and marketability. Full article

Local chicken breeds are increasingly being reconsidered as a means to produce distinctive meat in non-conventional systems while also supporting the conservation of endangered genetic resources. This study compared Banat Naked Neck (BNN) and Svrljig hen (SH), two Serbian indigenous breeds, reared under identical pasture-based conditions and slaughtered at 12 or 14 weeks. Carcass traits, including linear measurements and carcass composition, were evaluated in 40 males (10 per breed per age), while breast and thigh-with-drumstick meat quality (proximate composition and fatty acid profile) was analysed in 80 samples (10 per tissue per group). Data were analysed using two-way ANOVA, and multivariate patterns were explored using PCA and residual Spearman correlation analysis. BNN and SH showed similar slaughter weights, whereas slaughter at 14 weeks increased carcass conformation measures and conformation indices (p < 0.05). Breed differences were most evident in carcass part distribution and tissue partitioning within cuts: BNN had a higher breast proportion and breast meat yield, whereas SH meat was leaner and thigh with drumstick meat showed higher Σn − 3 and a more favourable Σn − 6/Σn − 3 ratio. PCA indicated clearer breed separation in thigh meat than in breast meat, consistent with the univariate lipid results, and residual correlations highlighted expected allocation trade-offs among carcass and cut components. Overall, slaughter at 14 weeks improved carcass value, and both breeds offer complementary traits for market-oriented conservation through use. Full article