Recent advances in essential oils and their nanoformulations for poultry feed

Antibiotics in poultry feed to boost growth performance are becoming increasingly contentious due to concerns over antimicrobial resistance development.Essential oils(EOs),as natural,plant-derived compounds,have demonstrated antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.EOs may potentially improve poultry health and growth performance when included in poultry feed.Nevertheless,the incorporation of EOs as nutritional additives is hindered by their high volatility,low water solubility,poor intestinal absorption,and sensitivity to environmental conditions.Recently,nanoencapsulation strategies using nanoformulations have emerged as a potential solution to these challenges,improving the stability and bioavailability of EOs,and enabling targeted delivery in poultry feed.This review provides an overview of the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of EOs,the current limitations of their applications in poultry feed,and the recent advancements in nano-engineering to overcome these limitations.Furthermore,we outline the potential future research direction on EO nanoformulations,emphasizing their promising role in advancing sustainable poultry nutrition.

DNA methylation in poultry:a review

As an important epigenetic modification,DNA methylation is involved in many biological processes such as animal cell differentiation,embryonic development,genomic imprinting and sex chromosome inactivation.As DNA methylation sequencing becomes more sophisticated,it becomes possible to use it to solve more zoological problems.This paper reviews the characteristics of DNA methylation,with emphasis on the research and application of DNA methylation in poultry.

The Transport and Persistence of Escherichia coli in Leachate from Poultry Litter Amended Soils

Fecal coliform bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) are one of the main sources of groundwater pollution. An assessment of the transport and Persistence of E. coli in poultry litter amended Decatur silty Clay soil and Hartsells Sandy soil was conducted using soil columns and simulated groundwater leaching. Enumeration of initial E. coli was determined to range from 2.851 × 103 to 3.044 × 103 CFU per gram of soil. These results have been used in a batch study to determine the persistence rate of E. coli in Decatur silty Clay soil and Hartsells Sandy soil. Results prove that E. coli survival growth rate increases for clay soil later than and at a higher rate than sandy soil. The column study has determined that E. coli was transported at a rate of 3.7 × 106 CFU for Decatur silty loam and 6.3 × 106 CFU for Hartsells sandy per gram of soil. Further, linear regression analysis predictions show higher porosity and soil moisture content affect transport, and Hartsells sandy soil has higher transport of E. coli due to its higher porosity and lower volumetric water content.

Identification of Microorganisms in Poultry Farms in N’djamena and the Border Areas of Hadjer-Lamis and Chari-Baguirmi Chad

Introduction: On the outskirts of Ndjamena, semi-industrial poultry farming and traditional poultry farming are practised informally on almost all poultry farms in Chad. This type of poultry farming is faced with real health problems attributable to a lack of monitoring of the vaccination schedule, inadequate compliance with biosecurity measures and poor application of the Ichikawa rule based on the 5 M’s. Objective: The aim of this article is to identify the microorganisms responsible for contamination of poultry farms in the study area. Method: The study was carried out from 28/04/2022 to 31/01/2023 on the basis of 300 samples taken from feed, drinking water, droppings and scrapings from poultry housing surfaces in the 30 farms that served as a framework for our research. Sampling was of the simple random type, and farms were selected on the basis of the farmers’ consent. The data were recorded on pre-established survey forms. Our study was cross-sectional, descriptive and prospective. Bacteria were isolated using the reference method NF EN ISO 6579 for Salmonella spp. and cultured on the specific medium eosin methylene blue (EMB) for Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas and Citrobacter freundii. Results: The following results emerged from this study: Escherichia coli (5.33%), Pseudomonas (1.33%), Citrobacter freundii (12%) and Salmonella paratyphi (21.68%). Conclusion: Of the 300 samples analysed, 121 (40.33%) were contaminated with pathogens. This high level of contamination is a health problem. The study shows that biosecurity is less satisfactory on the farms visited. Nevertheless, farms with a very satisfactory level of biosafety ensure food safety and variety for the population.

Research Progress on Resource Utilization of Livestock and Poultry Manure

Although mass livestock and poultry breeding brought magnificent econom-ic benefits to the society, it made great harm to the environment. By reviewing the current status of environmental pol ution caused by livestock and poultry manure in China, harm-free treatment technology for livestock and poultry manure including fer-tilization technology, feed processing technology and energy technology were elabo-rated so as to address the existing issues in this regard and provide references for resource utilization and eliminating environmental pol ution through modified technical system and environment laws.

Three kinds of new pathogenies of gout in poultry

This paper reported three kinds of new pathogenies of gout： stress condition, inconsistent sexual maturity and relatively high protein feed.

Designing Socially Sound Poultry FarmingmMatching Hen Ethology, Farm Management and Landscape Quality

In order to receive a licence to produce, poultry farmers have to take into account societal demands, among others： animal welfare, healthy working conditions for the workers and landscape quality. A way to reach a combination of these goals is to create a design for the poultry house and outdoor run. We propose a methodology based on five steps, which enables us to create a design that takes into consideration societal demands and that can be tested on its effects. These five steps are： 1. Giving a theoretical background on the societal demands （hen ethology, farm management and landscape quality） and based on this; 2. Giving a set of design criteria. 3. Describing the cttrrent state of the farm, in order to know its current qualities, 4. Making a design of the farm using the sets of criteria as guiding principle. 5. Reflecting on the design, to show whether the different criteria can be combined and where compromises are needed. A case study on an organic farm in the centre of the Netherlands showed that hen welfare, farm management and landscape quality can be improved together, although some measures do not add to all design criteria. Especially the effect on landscape quality and farm management is variable： the latter is also depending on the personal motivation of the farmer.

Study of the Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Methacompost from a Poultry Company in Ivory Coast: Test for Growing Big Sun Chilli

The objective of this work was to determine the suitability of poultry methacompost from the 2nd methanizer of the BRIN FOUNDATION in Yaokokoroko (Bondoukou, Côte d’Ivoire), to be used in the improvement of soil fertility. The methacompost studied has a C/N ratio = 17.26, which could characterize a stable methacompost with high amending power. It also contains mineral elements Nitrogen (N) = 0.68% DM;Phosphorus (P) = 0.084% DM;Potassium (K) = 0.67% DM;Calcium (Ca) = 0.65% DM;Magnesium (Mg) = 0.15% DM. red in the standard relating to the organic amendments (NFU 44-051). The methacompost has fertilizing and amending properties and could not present any risk for vegetation and soils.

Awareness,Attitude and Behavioural Intention of Medium and Large Scale Poultry Producers to Poultry Waste Management Practices in Lagos State:A Principal Component Analysis

The study analyzed awareness,attitude and behavioural intentions of medium and large scale poultry producers to poultry waste management practices in Lagos State with reference to problems of poor on-farm harness of excessive poultry waste,retrogression/unmet global environmental and economic waste management standards,exorbitant waste management charges imposed by LAWMA.Purposive and simple random sampling(using the lottery draw approach)was used in the selection of sixty(60)medium scale poultry farmers and forty(40)large scale poultry farmers,making a grand total of one hundred(100)medium and large scale poultry farmers interviewed in the study.A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the selected medium and large scale poultry farmers with the aid of a list provided by the Poultry Association of Nigeria(PAN),Lagos chapter.Principal Component Analysis(PCA)was used to analyse the data.In the principal component analysis for medium scale poultry farmers,the key component named was that LAWMA should offer special service for isolated dead bird collection(V75);and for large scale poultry farmers,the key component was that the disposal of poultry waste in an environmentally friendly way is LAWMA’s duty(V76).The study recommended that the government makes provisions to offer awareness campaigns in order to improve environmental knowledge and encourage environmental enthusiasm amongst society.

Strategies to modulate the intestinal microbiota and their effects on nutrient utilization, performance, and health of poultry

Poultry is widely produced and consumed meat globally.Its demand is expected to continue increasing to meet the animal protein requirement for ever-increasing human population.Thus,the challenge that poultry scientists and industry face are to produce sufficient amount of poultry meat in the most efficient way.In the past,using antibiotics to promote the growth of poultry and manage gut microbiota was a norm.However,due to concerns over potential fatalistic impacts on food animals and indirectly to humans,their use as feed additives are banned or regulated in several jurisdictions.In this changed context,several alternative strategies have been proposed with some success that mimics the functions of antibiotics as growth promoters and modulate gut microbiota for their beneficial roles.These include the use of probiotics,prebiotics,organic acids,and exogenous enzyme,among others.Gut microbiota and their metabolic products improve nutrient digestion,absorption,metabolism,and overall health and growth performance of poultry.This paper reviews the available information on the effect of feed additives used to modulate intestinal microbiota of poultry and their effects on overall health and growth performance.Understanding these functions and interactions will help to develop new dietary and managerial strategies that will ultimately lead to enhanced feed utilization and improved growth performance of poultry.This review will help future researchers and industry to identify alternative feed ingredients having properties like prebiotics,probiotics,organic acids,and exogenous enzymes.

Alginate oligosaccharides preparation, biological activities and their application in livestock and poultry

Alginate oligosaccharides(AOS), belonging to the class of functional marine oligosaccharides, are low-molecular polymers linked by β-1,4-mannuronic acid(M) and α-1,4-guluronic acid(G), which could be classically obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of alginate. With low viscosity and good water solubility, as well as anti-oxidant, immune regulation, anti-bacterial and antiinflammatory activities, AOS have been widely used in medical science and functional food, green agriculture and other fields. As new bio-feed additives, AOS have broad potential applications in animal husbandry. In this review, the sources of alginate, chemical structure and preparation methods of AOS, and their biological activities and application in livestock and poultry are summarized. We expect this review could contribute to lay a foundation of application and further research for AOS in livestock and poultry.

The effect of extracts of Selaginella involvens and Selaginella inaequalifolia leaves on poultry pathogens

Objective:To investigate the antimicrobial activity of some commonly available herbs against poultry pathogens such as Escherichia coli(E.coli) and Pseudomonas species isolated from poultry litter.Methods:The extracts of Selaginella involvens and Selaginella inaequalifolia were tested against E.coli and Pseudomonas isolated from poultry litter by the agar diffusion method.Results:Results indicated that different plant extracts showed inhibitory effects against E.coli(8-13 mm ) and Pseudomonas(6.5-13 mm).The four different extracts of Selaginella involvens and Selaginella inaequalifolia showed similar levels of antimicrobial activity on E.coli. Conclusions:The antimicrobial activities of all the four plant extracts are comparable and their potential as alternatives in the treatment of infections by these microorganisms were present in the poultry litter.Susceptibility testing is conduced on isolates using drugs selected on the basis of their importance to human medicine and use in poultry production.

Prevalence and antibiogram study of Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus in poultry meat

Objective:To evaluate the presence and antibiogram pattern of Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus(S.aureus)in retail poultry meat products.Methods:Foodborne pathogens(Salmonella and S.aureus)were isolated from poultry meat and confirmed with the help of biochemical and immunological test.Antibiogram of the isolates were examined by following CLS1 methods.Results:A total number of 209 poultry meat samples were collected and studied in this study.Out of which,5.26%were found contaminated with Salmonella while 18.18%were found contaminated with S.aureus.All the Salmonella and S.aureus isolates were found resistant to at least one antibiotic.About 72.72%of the Salmonella isolates showed resistance to tetracycline,while S.aureus isolates were also found highly resistant to tetracycline equal to 44.73%.One of the Salmonella isolates showed multi-drug resistance to almost six antibiotics out of nine antibiotics used in the study.Multidrug resistant S.aureus isolates were also found in the study.Conclusions:The study confirmed the presence of Salmonella and S.aureus in retail poultry meat.It is a potential threat to consumer health.To reduce the risk of contamination,good hygiene practices are necessary from processing to storage.

Phenolic compounds as natural feed additives in poultry and swine diets:a review

Due to ban on using antibiotics in feed industry,awareness of using natural feed additives have led to a great demand.The interest of plants phenolic compounds as a potential natural antioxidant source has been considered in research community due to their predictable potential role as feed additives in poultry and swine production.However,the mode of action for their functional role and dosage recommendation in animal diets are still remain indistinct.Taking into account,the present review study highlights an outline about the mode of action of phenolic compound and their experimental uses in poultry and swine focusing on the growth performance,antioxidant function,immune function,antimicrobial role and overall health status,justified with the past findings till to date.Finally,the present review study concluded that supplementation of phenolic compounds as natural feed additives may have a role on the antioxidant,immunity,antimicrobial and overall production performance in poultry and swine.

Growth and Feed Efficiency of Juvenile Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei Fed Formulated Diets Containing Different Levels of Poultry by-Product Meal

This feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the potential of poultry by-product meal (PBM) as a protein source in the culture of Litopenaeus vannamei. Seven isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated to near to commercial diet with about 40% protein and 7.5% lipid. Fish meal was replaced by 0, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70% and 100% of PBM (diets 1-7). The diet with 100% fish meal was used as a control (diet 1). Post-larvae were reared in an indoor semi-closed re-circulating system. Each dietary treatment was tested in 4 replicate tanks (260 L) of 40 shrimp, arranged in a completely randomized design. The shrimps were hand-fed for three times a day to near-satiation (0700, 1200 and 1800) for 60 d. Percentage weight gain, survival, feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and body composition of shrimps were measured. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in growth performance among shrimps fed diets 1-5 (0-60% fish meal replacement). However, shrimps fed diet 7 (100% fish meal replacement) had significantly lower (P<0.05) growth than those fed diets 1-5 (0-60% fish meal replacement). Shrimp fed diets 2-4 (30%-50% fish meal replacement) showed significantly higher growth than those fed diets 6 and 7 (70% and 100% fish meal replacement, respectively). Survival ranged from 94.7% to 100.0% and did not differ significantly (P>0.05) among different experimental diets. No differences in body composition were found among shrimps fed different diets. These results showed that up to 70% of fish meal protein can be replaced by PBM without adversely affecting the growth, survival, FCR, PER and body composition of Litopenaeus vannamei.

A Study on the Meat and Bone Meal or Poultry By-product Meal as Protein Substitutes of Fishmeal in Concentrated Diets for Paralichthys olivaceus

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of meat and bone meal （MBM） and poultry by-product meal （PBM） as the replacement of fishmeal in the diets on the growth performance, survival and apparent digestibility coefficient （ADC） of Japanese flounder （Paralichthys olivaceus）. The experimental diets included 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% MBM or PBM replacement of total fishmeal respectively. All diets were iso-nitrogenous and isocaloric. The results showed that there are no significant differences （P 〉0.05） in growth performance among the treatments fed with 0% -60% MBM replacement of fishmeal, while the percent weight gain （WG, % ）, body length gain （BLG, % ） and ADC significantly decrease when fishmeal is replaced by 80% MBM. The result showed also that there are no significant differences （P 〉0.05） in growth performance and ADC among all treatments fed with the diets with 0% -80% replacements of fishmeal with PBM.

Dried fruit pomace inclusion in poultry diet:growth performance, intestinal morphology and physiology

Background: Fruit pomaces are by-products rich in polyphenol compounds and dietary fiber. They seem to play an important role in regulating the gut microbiota, morphology and physiology. The aim of this study was to assess whether apple(A), blackurrant(B) or strawberry(S) pomaces could be suitable ingredients in broiler diets and their effect on gut health. A total of 480 male broilers were randomly allotted to 8 dietary treatments with lower(3%-L) or higher(6%-H) dietary fiber content: two control groups(CL/CH), two A diets(AL/AH), two B diets(BL/BH), two S diets(SL/SH). Diet and fruit pomaces were chemically analyzed to assess polyphenol concentration and fibre fraction content. After the evaluation of growth performance, 6 birds/group were slaughtered at 35 days of age. Morphometric and histopathological investigations were performed on duodenum, jejunum and ileum.Excreta were collected to perform microbiota evaluation by 16 S DNA sequencing. Weight, viscosity, enzymatic activity, short chain fatty acid(SCFAs) and ammonia concentration were determined in ileum and/or ceca content.Results: A pomace and A diets showed the lowest polyphenol content and the highest content of soluble fibre fraction. No significant differences were observed for growth performance, gut morphometry and histopathology(P > 0.05). Dietary fruit pomace inclusion increased the weight of ileum and ceca and the ileum digesta viscosity(P < 0.05). In the ileum, A and S groups showed lower bacterial α-glucosidase activity than C groups. Moreover,small intestine SCFAs concentration was higher in fruit pomaces diets(P < 0.05). In ceca, B and S groups showed lower ammonia concentration and higher SCFAs than C. Dietary treatments also influenced the activity of α-glucosidase, α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase β-glucuronidase and xylase. Regarding microbiota, at phylum level,Firmicutes were differentially abundant across treatment(maximum for C and minimum in S, FDR > 0.05). At genus level, an increase of Weissella in AH and Erwinia in S/B diets, as well as a decrease of Lactobacillus in all fruit pomace groups were recorded(P < 0.05).Conclusions: Fruit pomaces could be suitable ingredients in poultry nutrition even if further studies are needed to better understand which doses is more recommended to avoid negative effects on gut microbiota.

Progress in ileal endogenous amino acid flow research in poultry

The progress in our understanding of the endogenous protein concept over the past century is reviewed.Nondietary proteins found in the digesta at the terminal ileum of poultry,known as endogenous protein loss,are comprised of digestive secretions,mucus and sloughed gut epithelial cells.The measurement of this loss is of fundamental importance because it is an indicator of gut metabolism and is essential to adjust apparent estimates of ileal amino acid digestibility.The ileal endogenous amino acid losses comprise of two components,namely basal and specific losses.The basal losses are fixed and associated with feed dry matter intake,whereas the specific losses are variable and induced by the presence of dietary components such as fibre and anti-nutrients.Currently there is no methodology available to directly measure the specific endogenous losses and these losses are calculated by determining the basal and total(basal plus specific)losses and,then subtracting the basal losses from total losses.The seminal features,specific applications and shortcomings of available methodologies are briefly outlined as well as the practical challenges faced in using the published endogenous amino acid loss values for true digestibility corrections.The relevance of taurine as a component of endogenous protein flow in poultry is identified for the first time.

Functional roles of taurine,L-theanine,Lcitrulline,and betaine during heat stress in poultry

Heat stress(HS)is an important environmental stress factor affecting poultry production on a global scale.With the rise in ambient temperature and increasing effects of global warming,it becomes pertinent to understand the effects of HS on poultry production and the strategies that can be adopted to mitigate its detrimental impacts on the performance,health,welfare,immunity,and survival of birds.Amino acids(AAs)have been increasingly adopted as nutritional modifiers in animals to ameliorate the adverse effects of HS.They are essential for protein synthesis,growth,maintenance,reproduction,immunity,stress response,and whole-body homeostasis.However,HS tends to adversely affect the availability,transport,absorption,and utilization of these AAs.Studies have investigated the provision of these AAs to poultry during HS conditions,and variable findings have been reported.Taurine,L-theanine,and L-citrulline are non-essential amino acids that are increasingly gaining attention as nutritional supplements in HS animals.Similarly,betaine is an amino acid derivative that possesses favorable biological properties which contributes to its role as a functional additive during HS.Of particular note,taurine is negligible in plants,while betaine,L-theanine,and L-citrulline can be found in selected plants.These nutrients are barely found in feed ingredients,but their supply has been shown to elicit important physiological roles including anti-stress effects,anti-oxidative,anti-inflammatory,gut promoting,and immunomodulatory functions.The present review provides information on the use of these nutritionally and physiologically beneficial nutrients as functional additives to poultry diets during HS conditions.Presently,although several studies have reported on the positive effects of these additives in human and murine studies,however,there is limited information regarding their utilization during heat stress in poultry nutrition.Therefore,this review aims to expound on the functional properties of these nutrients,their potentials for HS alleviation,and to stimulate further researches on their biological roles in poultry nutrition.

Genetic and Antibiotic Resistance Characteristics ofCampylobacterjejuni Isolated from Diarrheal Patients,Poultry and Cattle in Shenzhen

Objective To investigate genetic and antibiotic resistance characteristics of Campylobacter jejuni(C. jejuni) isolated from Shenzhen. Methods Multilocs sequence typing and agar dilution methods were used to define the genotype and antibiotic resistance of C. jejuni, respectively. Results In total, 126 C. jejuni strains were isolated. The prevalence of C. jejuni was 5.3% in diarrheal patients. The prevalence in poultry meat(36.5%) was higher than that in cattle meat(1.1%). However, the prevalence in poultry cloacal swabs(27.0%) was lower than that in cattle stool(57.3%). Sixty-two sequence types were obtained, among which 27 of the STs and 10 alleles were previously unreported. The most frequently observed clonal complexes were ST-21(11.9%), ST-22(10.3%), and ST-403(7.1%). ST-21, ST-45, ST-354, ST-403, and ST-443 complexes overlapped between isolates from patients and cattle, whereas ST-45 and ST-574 complexes overlapped between isolates from patients and poultry. All C. jejuni were resistant to at least one antibiotic. The highest resistance rate was toward ciprofloxacin(89.7%), followed by tetracycline(74.6%), and nalidixic acid(69.0%). Conclusion This is the first report of the genotypes and antibiotic resistance of C. jejuni in Shenzhen. Overlapping clonal complexes were found between isolates from patients and cattle, and between patients and poultry.