Detecting Infectious Bursal Disease Using a VP1 Gene-Based RT-qPCR Assay Compared to Standard Methods of Virus Isolation, ELISA, and Histopathology.

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is an immunosuppressive viral disease of chickens, associated with severe economic losses and major threats to poultry production worldwide. Disease prevention programs rely on unequivocal identification of the pathogen, as well as vaccination programs. This study developed a sensitive, one-step, real-time, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay using a hydrolysis probe system for infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV, VP1 gene) detection and quantification, which was compared to other routinely used diagnostic methods.

Proximal femoral head transcriptome reveals novel candidate genes related to epiphysiolysis in broiler chickens.

Background: The proximal femoral head separation (FHS) or epiphysiolysis is a prevalent disorder affecting the chicken femur epiphysis, being considered a risk factor to infection which can cause bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis in broilers. To identify the genetic mechanisms involved in epiphysiolysis, differentially expressed (DE) genes in the femur of normal and FHS-affected broilers were identified using RNA-Seq technology. Femoral growth plate (GP) samples from 35-day-old commercial male broilers were collected from 4 healthy and 4 FHS-affected broilers.

Impact of treatments for recycled broiler litter on the viability and infectivity of microorganisms.

The microbiological risk of recycled litter depends on the efficacy of the management system applied to inactivate residual microorganisms and preserve the health of the successive broiler flock. This study aimed to assess the viability and infectivity of the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV) and Salmonella Heidelberg in recycled litter exposed to different treatments. The litter was contaminated with microorganisms and submitted to the treatments (T): T1: shallow fermentation; T2: quicklime (calcium oxide); T3: shallow fermentation followed by addition of quicklime; T4: no treatment.

Quantitative trait loci with sex-specific effects for internal organs weights and hematocrit value in a broiler-layer cross.

Rapid growth in broilers is associated with susceptibility to metabolic disorders such as pulmonary hypertension syndrome (ascites) and sudden death. This study describes a genome search for QTL associated with relative weight of cardio respiratory and metabolically important organs (heart, lungs, liver and gizzard), and hematocrit value in a Brazilian broiler-layer cross. QTL with similar or different effects across sexes were investigated.

Comparison of the effect of different methods of molt: production and welfare evaluation.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate alternative molting protocols assessing hen welfare and performance during and after molt. Hyline W-36 pullets were housed at 15 wk of age, and their egg production was obtained during this first cycle. When birds were 80 wk, the following molting treatments were applied: a conventional molt consisting of 10 d of fasting followed by cracked corn for 8 d and a pullet developer diet for 10 d; and 4 alternative molting programs: a soy hulls-based diet (12% CP, 1,455 kcal/kg of ME, and 1.