Cooled Multifunctional Platforms to Alleviate Heat Stress in Broiler Chickens: Effects on Performance, Carcass and Meat Quality Traits.

Platforms have been shown to be a suitable environmental enrichment for broiler chickens, accommodating their motivation to roost and rest at an elevated position. In order to increase the animal welfare benefits, we designed prototype elevated platforms with additional functionalities: a local cooling system, a sheltered area underneath the platform and collection trays underneath the platform that prevent manure from falling on the litter. This study assessed the effects of these multifunctional platforms during thermoneutral and heat stress conditions on two key determinants of their commercial uptake potential, namely production performance, carcass and meat quality.

Awareness of Poultry Farmers of Interconnected Health Risks: A Cross-Sectional Study on Mycotoxins, Biosecurity, and Salmonellosis in Jimma, Ethiopia.

Poultry farming in Ethiopia is crucial for food security and income, but it faces significant challenges due to gaps in farmer awareness. A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Biocheck.UGent™ biosecurity scoring system and a questionnaire to evaluate poultry farmers' basic and practical knowledge concerning salmonellosis and mycotoxins.

Survey of Flemish Poultry Farmers on How Birds Fit for Transport to the Slaughterhouse Are Selected, Caught, and Crated and Their Opinions Regarding the Pre-Transport Process.

The pre-transport phase induces stress, fear, and injury in poultry, but management choices greatly influence this. Pre-transport practices for spent hens and broilers in Flanders (Belgium) were studied. Poultry farmers (31 of 156 layers and 48 of 203 broiler farmers completed the survey) were surveyed on the selection of unfit chickens, catching and crating, and farmer opinion.

Aflatoxins and fumonisins co-contamination effects on laying hens and use of mycotoxin detoxifiers as a mitigation strategy.

This study examined the effects of fumonisins (FBs) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), alone or in combination, on the productivity and health of laying hens, as well as the transfer of aflatoxins (AFs) to chicken food products. The efficacy and safety of mycotoxin detoxifiers (bentonite and fumonisin esterase) to mitigate these effects were also assessed. Laying hens (400) were divided into 20 groups and fed a control, moderate (54.

Upright versus inverted catching and crating end-of-lay hens: a trade-off between animal welfare, ergonomic and financial concerns.

This study explores upright versus inverted catching and crating of spent laying hens. Both catching methods were compared using a cost-benefit analysis that focused on animal welfare, ergonomic, and financial considerations. Data were collected on seven commercial farms (one floor system and six aviary systems) during depopulation of approximately 3,000 hens per method per flock.

Betaine and feed restriction as potential mitigation strategies against heat stress in two strains of laying hens.

Climate change is increasingly manifesting in temperate regions. Laying hens are highly sensitive to heat stress and mitigation strategies should be implemented to reduce the negative effects. The goal of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of betaine in drinking water (0.

The Genetic Landscape of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Broiler Isolates.

is associated with bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) in broilers. Prophylactic treatment with antimicrobials is common in the poultry industry, and, in the case of outbreaks, antimicrobial treatment is needed. In this study, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and epidemiological cutoff (ECOFF) values (CO) for ten antimicrobials were determined in a collection of strains.

Prevalence, Molecular Detection, and Antimicrobial Resistance of Isolates from Poultry Farms across Central Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence, molecular detection, and antimicrobial resistance of isolates within 162 poultry farms in selected urban and peri-urban areas of central Ethiopia. A total of 1515 samples, including cloacal swabs (n = 763), fresh fecal droppings (n = 188), litter (n = 188), feed (n = 188), and water (n = 188), were bacteriologically tested. The molecular detection of some culture-positive isolates was performed via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by targeting spy and sdfl genes for Typhimurium and Enteritidis, respectively.

Endotoxin Translocation Is Increased in Broiler Chickens Fed a Mycotoxin-Contaminated Diet.

Broiler chickens in livestock production face numerous challenges that can impact their health and welfare, including mycotoxin contamination and heat stress. In this study, we aimed to investigate the combined effects of two mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisins (FBs), along with short-term heat stress conditions, on broiler gut health and endotoxin translocation. An experiment was conducted to assess the impacts of mycotoxin exposure on broilers, focusing on intestinal endotoxin activity, gene expression related to gut barrier function and inflammation, and the plasma concentration of the endotoxin marker 3-OH C14:0 either at thermoneutral conditions or short-term heat stress conditions.

Prevalence and serotype of poultry salmonellosis in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Salmonellosis represents a significant economic and public health concern for the poultry industry in Africa, leading to substantial economic losses due to mortality, reduced productivity, and food safety problems. However, comprehensive information on the burden of poultry salmonellosis at the continental level is scarce. To address this gap, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to consolidate information on the prevalence and circulating serotypes of poultry salmonellosis in African countries.

Exploration of Cytochrome P450-Related Interactions between Aflatoxin B1 and Tiamulin in Broiler Chickens.

Poultry may face simultaneous exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and tiamulin (TIA), given mycotoxin contamination and antibiotic use. As both mycotoxins and antibiotics can affect cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP450), our study aimed to explore their interaction. We developed UHPLC-MS/MS methods for the first-time determination of the interaction between TIA and AFB1 in vitro and in vivo in broiler chickens.

Chestnut Wood Tannins in Broiler Diets: Pharmacokinetics, Serum Levels during Rearing, and Intestinal Absorption Pattern of Gallic Acid.

Studies on the bioavailability, serum levels, and absorption of hydrolyzable tannin compounds are lacking. In this study, we performed a pharmacokinetic trial, measured the serum levels of compounds in broilers that were reared with different feed added or not with tannins, and tested the digestibility of tannins throughout the intestinal tract. Only gallic acid and 4--methyl gallic acid were found in the serum.

Influence of traditional dehulling on mycotoxin reduction and GC-HRTOF-MS metabolites profile of fermented maize products.

Contamination with mycotoxins has been a worldwide food safety concern for several decades, and food processing has been suggested as a potential method to mitigate their presence. In this study, the influence of traditional dehulling (TD) on the mycotoxin reduction and metabolites profile of fermented white maize products obtained via natural and three controlled fermentation methods (involving Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus plantarum, and their mixed cultures) was examined. Gas chromatography coupled with high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-HRTOF-MS) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) were employed.

Quantitative Assessment of Major Biosecurity Challenges of Poultry Production in Central Ethiopia.

The present study aims to assess the level of implementation of biosecurity practices of small-, medium- and large-scale poultry farms in central Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study design was implemented involving 226 poultry farms (153 small-, 53 medium- and 20 large-scale farms) in three selected areas of central Ethiopia, including Addis Ababa, Bishoftu and West of Shaggar. The results revealed a very low overall biosecurity score of 43.

Risks for animal health related to the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in feed.

In 2004, the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) adopted a Scientific Opinion on the risks to animal health and transfer from feed to food of animal origin related to the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) in feed. The European Commission requested EFSA to assess newly available scientific information and to update the 2004 Scientific Opinion. OTA is produced by several fungi of the genera and .

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis related Enterococcus cecorum isolates are genetically distinct from the commensal population and are more virulent in an embryo mortality model.

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is a common cause of broiler lameness. Bacteria that are found in BCO lesions are intestinal bacteria that are proposed to have translocated through the intestinal epithelium and have spread systemically. One of the specific bacterial species frequently isolated in BCO cases is Enterococcus cecorum.

Development of High-Throughput Sample Preparation Procedures for the Quantitative Determination of Aflatoxins in Biological Matrices of Chickens and Cattle Using UHPLC-MS/MS.

Aflatoxins (AFs) frequently contaminate food and animal feeds, especially in (sub) tropical countries. If animals consume contaminated feeds, AFs (mainly aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), B2 (AFB2), G1 (AFG1), G2 (AFG2) and their major metabolites aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) and M2 (AFM2)) can be transferred to edible tissues and products, such as eggs, liver and muscle tissue and milk, which ultimately can reach the human food chain. Currently, the European Union has established a maximum level for AFM1 in milk (0.

Efficacy of Bentonite and Fumonisin Esterase in Mitigating the Effects of Aflatoxins and Fumonisins in Two Kenyan Cattle Breeds.

The objective of the study was to investigate the efficacy of bentonite and fumonisin esterase, separately or combined, in mitigating the effects of aflatoxins (AF) and fumonisins (FUM) in Boran and Friesian-Boran crossbreed cattle. These effects were studied by measuring mycotoxins, their metabolites, and biomarkers that relate to animal health, productivity, and food safety. The study was divided into three experiments each lasting for 2 weeks.

Maximizing Laboratory Production of Aflatoxins and Fumonisins for Use in Experimental Animal Feeds.

Warm and humid climatic conditions coupled with poor agricultural practices in sub-Saharan Africa favor the contamination of food and feed by and fungi, which subsequently may produce aflatoxins (AFs) and fumonisins (FBs), respectively. The growth of fungi and the production of mycotoxins are influenced by physical (temperature, pH, water activity, light and aeration), nutritional, and biological factors. This study aimed at optimizing the conditions for the laboratory production of large quantities of AFs and FBs for use in the animal experiments.

Dose-dependent impact of enrofloxacin on broiler chicken gut resistome is mitigated by synbiotic application.

Fluoroquinolone agents are considered critical for human medicine by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, they are often used for the treatment of avian colibacillosis in poultry production, creating considerable concern regarding the potential spread of fluoroquinolone resistance genes from commensals to pathogens. Therefore, there is a need to understand the impact of fluoroquinolone application on the reservoir of ARGs in poultry gut and devise means to circumvent potential resistome expansion.

Efficacy of Fumonisin Esterase in Piglets as Animal Model for Fumonisin Detoxification in Humans: Pilot Study Comparing Intraoral to Intragastric Administration.

Fumonisins, a group of highly prevalent and toxic mycotoxins, are suspected to be causal agents of several diseases in animals and humans. In the animal feed industry, fumonisin esterase is used as feed additive to prevent mycotoxicosis caused by fumonisins. In humans, a popular dosage form for dietary supplements, with high patient acceptance for oral intake, is capsule ingestion.

Effects of Deoxynivalenol and Fumonisins on Broiler Gut Cytoprotective Capacity.

Mycotoxins are a crucial problem for poultry production worldwide. Two of the most frequently found mycotoxins in feedstuffs are deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisins (FUM) which adversely affect gut health and poultry performance. The current knowledge on DON and FUM effects on broiler responses relevant for gut detoxification, antioxidant capacity, and health is still unclear.

Mycotoxins in Poultry Feed and Feed Ingredients from Sub-Saharan Africa and Their Impact on the Production of Broiler and Layer Chickens: A Review.

The poultry industry in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is faced with feed insecurity, associated with high cost of feeds, and feed safety, associated with locally produced feeds often contaminated with mycotoxins. Mycotoxins, including aflatoxins (AFs), fumonisins (FBs), trichothecenes, and zearalenone (ZEN), are common contaminants of poultry feeds and feed ingredients from SSA. These mycotoxins cause deleterious effects on the health and productivity of chickens and can also be present in poultry food products, thereby posing a health hazard to human consumers of these products.

The efficacy and effect on gut microbiota of an aflatoxin binder and a fumonisin esterase using an in vitro simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem (SHIME®).

Mycotoxin intoxication is in general an acknowledged and tackled issue in animals. However, in several parts of the world, mycotoxicoses in humans still remain a relevant issue. The efficacy of two mycotoxin detoxifying animal feed additives, an aflatoxin bentonite clay binder and a fumonisin esterase, was investigated in a human child gut model, i.