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SUMMARY: Hematologic parameters and the levels of certain plasma metabolites offer an objective measure, and real-time insight into the physiological status of an animal. We hypothesized that blood chemistry analysis in brooding poults varies with even minor differences of temperature and can affect poult performance. A total of 2,240 one-day-old turkey hens were assigned randomly to 1 of 4 treatments [Control (C) = 32C and 60%RH; cold stress (CS) = 29C and 60%RH; heat stress (HS) = 35C and 60%RH; and heat stress plus humidity (HHS) = 35C and 75%RH]. In all the treatments, the temperatures were lowered 2°C the first week, and 1.5°C each week thereafter. The relative humidity was maintained constant, as much as possible, throughout the 35 d duration of the experiment. Brooding treatment affected pH, partial carbon dioxide (pCO2), potassium (K), and sodium (Na). The treatments HS and HHS had higher pH and K, and lower pCO2 and K in the blood. These changes suggest an attempt by the poults to cool down by increased water intake and panting. Furthermore, by the end of the experiment more birds in these 2 treatment groups had distended crops, possible to increased water intake also. The increase of ketone in the plasma, at 3 d of age, of poults from the 2 warmest brooding conditions (HS and HHS) suggests that these birds were consuming less feed and using more fat as its main fuel source. Furthermore, at 28 d of age significantly more poults from HS and HHS had reduced ventricular contractility of their hearts. However, no significant differences in the concentration of creatinine kinase (CK) or cardiac troponin I (cTnI) were found between treatments. In conclusion, this research revealed that blood parameters were influenced by minor temperature and humidity changes. Warmer brooding temperatures resulted in a higher incidence of pendulous crop. Overall, there were no significant differences in the estimated BW between the treatments. Further research is needed to optimize the number of samples needed and the time of sampling to optimize brooding conditions. We also need to investigate blood parameters that can reveal reduced contractility of the heart and if the reduced myocardial contractility from birds kept at a higher temperature and relative humidity predisposes them to dilated cardiomyopathy or other metabolic diseases.

Salmonella and Campylobacter are considered major public health burdens worldwide, and poultry are known to be one of the main reservoirs for these zoonotic pathogens. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a commercial probiotic or direct-fed microbial (DFM) Calsporin (CSP), and prebiotic or mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) (IMW50) on ultrastructural changes and the villous integrity of intestinal mucosa in turkey poults challenged with Salmonella and Campylobacter. A 21-day battery cage study was conducted using 4 dietary treatments including a basal diet (corn and soybean–based) nonsupplemented and uninfected as a negative control (NC); basal diet supplemented with 0.05% DFM (CSP); basal diet supplemented with 0.05% MOS (IMW50); and basal diet supplemented with 0.05% mixture of DFM and MOS at equal proportions. Female large white turkey poults aged 336 days were obtained from a local commercial hatchery and randomly distributed in electrically heated battery cages with 12 treatments of 4 replicates per treatment containing 7 poults per pen. The first 16 pens were not infected with bacteria, poults in pens 17-32 were orally challenged at day 7 with 105 cfu Salmonella Heidelberg, and the poults in pens 33-48 were orally challenged at day 7 with 105 cfu Campylobacter jejuni. Feed and water were provided ad libitum throughout the study. At day 21, ileal tissue samples from 1 bird per cage were collected for intestinal integrity and ultrastructural examination by scanning and electron microscopy. DFM and MOS supplementation was effective in both challenged and nonchallenged (not infected with Salmonella and Campylobacter) birds. Goblet cells and mucus were increased, with the presence of large numbers of segmented filamentous bacteria in DFM- and MOS-supplemented groups compared with birds in control treatments. The number and size of villi were reduced in poults exposed to Salmonella and Campylobacter. Results show that CSP and IMW50 provide protection of ileal mucosal integrity in poults exposed to Salmonella or Campylobacter.

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to determine the effects of infrared beak treatment on the behavior and welfare of male and female turkeys reared to 12 wk of age. To do this, poults (236 males and 324 females) were assigned to one of 2 beak treatments: infrared beak treated on day of hatch (IR) or sham untreated control (C). Data collected included heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, pecking force, feather cover, behavioral expression, and beak histology. Data were analyzed as a 2 × 2 factorial of beak treatment and gender, in a completely randomized design and analyzed using PROC MIXED (SAS 9.4). H/L ratio (indicative of a stress response) did not differ between treated and control poults during early life, except at 20 d of age when H/L ratio was higher for C poults than IR poults. Pecking force, measured as a method of monitoring pain, was different only at 1 wk of age, when IR poults pecked with more force than C poults. Feather cover was better in IR poults at 12 wk of age. Differences in behavior between treatments were minor over the 12-wk period. Overall, infrared beak treatment of commercial turkeys had minimal negative impacts on behavior and welfare. The results suggest that stress may be reduced in flocks that are beak treated and that the procedure itself does not cause a pain response.

Hematologic parameters and the levels of certain plasma metabolites offer an objective measure, and real-time insight into the physiological status of an animal. We hypothesized that blood chemistry analysis in brooding poults varies with even minor differences of temperature and can affect poult performance. A total of 2,240 one-day-old turkey hens were assigned randomly to 1 of 4 treatments [Control (C) = 32C and 60%RH; cold stress (CS) = 29C and 60%RH; heat stress (HS) = 35C and 60%RH; and heat stress plus humidity (HHS) = 35C and 75%RH]. In all the treatments, the temperatures were lowered 2°C the first week, and 1.5°C each week thereafter. The relative humidity was maintained constant, as much as possible, throughout the 35 d duration of the experiment. Brooding treatment affected pH, partial carbon dioxide (pCO 2), potassium (K), and sodium (Na). The treatments HS and HHS had higher pH and K, and lower pCO 2 and K in the blood. These changes suggest an attempt by the poults to cool down by increased water intake and panting. Furthermore, by the end of the experiment more birds in these 2 treatment groups had distended crops, possible to increased water intake also. The increase of ketone in the plasma, at 3 d of age, of poults from the 2 warmest brooding conditions (HS and HHS) suggests that these birds were consuming less feed and using more fat as its main fuel source. Furthermore, at 28 d of age significantly more poults from HS and HHS had reduced ventricular contractility of their hearts. However, no significant differences in the concentration of creatinine kinase (CK) or cardiac troponin I (cTnI) were found between treatments. In conclusion, this research revealed that blood parameters were influenced by minor temperature and humidity changes. Warmer brooding temperatures resulted in a higher incidence of pendulous crop. Overall, there were no significant differences in the estimated BW between the treatments. Further research is needed to optimize the number of samples needed and the time of sampling to optimize brooding conditions. We also need to investigate blood parameters that can reveal reduced contractility of the heart and if the reduced myocardial contractility from birds kept at a higher temperature and relative humidity predisposes them to dilated cardiomyopathy or other metabolic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella and Campylobacter are considered major public health burdens worldwide, and poultry are known to be one of the main reservoirs for these zoonotic pathogens. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a commercial probiotic or direct-fed microbial (DFM) Calsporin (CSP), and prebiotic or mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) (IMW50) on ultrastructural changes and the villous integrity of intestinal mucosa in turkey poults challenged with Salmonella and Campylobacter. A 21-day battery cage study was conducted using 4 dietary treatments including a basal diet (corn and soybean–based) nonsupplemented and uninfected as a negative control (NC); basal diet supplemented with 0.05% DFM (CSP); basal diet supplemented with 0.05% MOS (IMW50); and basal diet supplemented with 0.05% mixture of DFM and MOS at equal proportions. Female large white turkey poults aged 336 days were obtained from a local commercial hatchery and randomly distributed in electrically heated battery cages with 12 treatments of 4 replicates per treatment containing 7 poults per pen. The first 16 pens were not infected with bacteria, poults in pens 17-32 were orally challenged at day 7 with 105 cfu Salmonella Heidelberg, and the poults in pens 33-48 were orally challenged at day 7 with 105 cfu Campylobacter jejuni. Feed and water were provided ad libitum throughout the study. At day 21, ileal tissue samples from 1 bird per cage were collected for intestinal integrity and ultrastructural examination by scanning and electron microscopy. DFM and MOS supplementation was effective in both challenged and nonchallenged (not infected with Salmonella and Campylobacter) birds. Goblet cells and mucus were increased, with the presence of large numbers of segmented filamentous bacteria in DFM- and MOS-supplemented groups compared with birds in control treatments. The number and size of villi were reduced in poults exposed to Salmonella and Campylobacter. Results show that CSP and IMW50 provide protection of ileal mucosal integrity in poults exposed to Salmonella or Campylobacter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunoglobulins, which are passed vertically from hens to their progeny, are first present in the eggs but with time also in the developing embryos and eventually in the serum of hatching chicks, and have protective function during embryogenesis and in the first few weeks of birds' life, before the immune system becomes fully efficient. Considering the above fact, the aim of this study was to determine total levels of IgM and IgY as well as specific IgY antibody titers against selected pathogens in the serum of breeder turkeys and their progeny, as well as in egg yolks and egg whites. Study results demonstrated that the level of IgY antibodies in the serum of turkey breeder hens reached 22.04 mg/mL on average in the whole egg laying cycle. In addition, the mean transfer percentage of IgY antibodies from turkey layers to their progeny reached approximately 31.4%, but the level of this transfer differed depending on pathogen character and accounted for 33.2%, 51.9%, 45.1%, and 44.3% in the case of antibodies against avian metapneumoviruses, Newcastle disease virus, Ornithobacterium rhinortacheale , and Pasteurella multocida , respectively. Antibody percentage transfer differed also as affected by the stage of the egg production cycle. Study results confirmed the earlier observed dependency concerning the class of antibodies transferred to eggs from laying hens, and while the IgY were mainly detected in the egg yolk extracts, the IgM were found only in egg white extracts; in comparison to IgY, the IgM antibodies were not transferred to the serum of turkey poults. To our best knowledge, this is the first study that describes in detail the phenomenon of maternal antibody transfer in turkeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate ventilation of poultry facilities is critical for achieving optimum performance. Ventilation promotes good air exchange to remove harmful gases, excessive heat, moisture, and particulate matter. In a turkey brooder barn, carbon dioxide (CO2) may be present at higher levels during the winter due to reduced ventilation rates to maintain high temperatures. This higher CO2 may negatively affect turkey poult performance. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of subjecting tom turkey poults (commercial Large White Hybrid Converters) to different constant levels of atmospheric CO2 on their growth performance and behavior. In three consecutive replicate trials, a total of 552 poults were weighed post-hatch and randomly placed in 3 environmental control chambers, with 60 (Trial 1) and 62 (Trials 2 and 3) poults housed per chamber. They were reared with standard temperature and humidity levels for 3 wks. The poults were exposed to 3 different fixed CO2 concentrations of 2,000, 4,000, and 6,000 ppm throughout each trial. Following each trial (replicate), the CO2 treatments were switched and assigned to a different chamber in order to expose each treatment to each chamber. At the end of each trial, all poults were sent to a local turkey producer to finish growout. For each trial, individual body weight and group feed intake were measured, and mortality and behavioral movement were recorded. Wk 3 and cumulative body weight gain of poults housed at 2,000 ppm CO2 was greater (P < 0.05) than those exposed to 4,000 and 6,000 ppm CO2. Feed intake and feed conversion were unaffected by the different CO2 concentrations. No significant difference in poult mortality was found between treatments. In addition, no effect of CO2 treatments was evident in the incidence of spontaneous turkey cardiomyopathy for turkeys processed at 19 wk of age. Poults housed at the lower CO2 level (2,000 ppm) demonstrated reduced movement compared with those exposed to the 2 higher CO2 concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial colonization of the intestinal tract of commercial poultry is highly variable, likely due to the fact that poults and chicks are hatched and raised without exposure to adult birds and their microbiota. In industrial poultry production, it is hypothesized that most of the microbiota is obtained through horizontal transmission from the environment and very little by maternal transmission. The initial gut microbiota will therefore differ between flocks and companies based on environmental conditions at the hatchery. Day-old poults were collected from the hatchery of 2 companies at 3 different time points to monitor the initial colonizing microbiota by sequencing amplicons of marker genes for bacteria, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), fungi, and archaea. Bacterial colonizers were distinct by company (pseudo-F 38.7, P ≤ 0.05) with the predominant bacteria at Company A being clostridia, specifically Clostridium celatum group, C. paraputrificum, and C. tertium. Predominant bacteria at Company B were Enterobacteriaceae, belonging to 2 different groups, one that included Escherichia; Shigella and Salmonella and the other Klebsiella; Enterobacter; and others. The predominant LAB at both companies were Enterococcus faecalis and E. gallinarum, confirmed by sequencing the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene of colonies picked from lactobacilli agar plate counts. The predominant fungi were Aspergillus niger and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with Candida sake or Alterneria sp. in some samples of Company A. Archaeal sequences were detected only in a single poult from Company B. The initial gastrointestinal colonizers of poults vary across company and time, signifying a strong environmental effect on microbiota acquisition. There was an indication of maternal effects in certain breeder flocks from Company B. Further work is necessary to determine how this variability affects microbiota succession and impacts growth and production of the birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Lactobacillus spp.-based probiotic candidates on Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) colonization was evaluated in two separate experiments. In each experiment, sixty-one day-of-hatch female turkey poults were obtained from a local hatchery. In both experiments, poults were challenged via oral gavage with 104 cfu/poult of SE and randomly allocated to one of two groups (n = 30 poults): (1) the positive control group and (2) the probiotic treated group. Heated brooder batteries were used for housing each group separately and poults were allowed ad libitum access to water and unmedicated turkey starter feed. 1 h following the SE challenge, poults were treated with 106 cfu/poult of probiotic culture via oral gavage or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) to control groups. A total of 24 h post-treatment, poults were euthanized and the ceca and cecal tonsils from twenty poults were collected aseptically for SE recovery. In both trials, a significant reduction in the incidence and log10 cfu/g of SE were observed in poults treated with the probiotic when compared with control poults (p ≤ 0.05). The results of the present study suggest that the administration of this lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB)-based probiotic 1 h after an SE challenge can be useful in reducing the cecal colonization of this pathogen in neonatal poults.

This study was conducted to test the effects of dietary supplementation of feed grade L-Met on growth performance and redox status of turkey poults compared with the use of conventional DL-Met. Three hundred and eighty five newly hatched turkey poults were weighed and allotted to 5 treatments in a completely randomized design and the birds were fed dietary treatments for 28 d, including a basal diet (BD), the BD + 0.17 or 0.33% DL-Met or L-Met (representing 60, 75, and 90% of the requirement by National Research Council (NRC) for S containing AA, respectively). Increasing Met supplementation from 0 to 0.33% increased (P < 0.05) weight gain (690 to 746 g) and feed intake (1,123 to 1,248 g) of turkey poults. Supplementing L-Met tended (P = 0.053) to reduce feed to gain ratio (1.70 to 1.63) compared with DL-Met. The relative bioavailability of L-Met to DLMet was 160% based on a multilinear regression analysis of weight gain. Supplementing Met regardless of its sources decreased (P < 0.05) malondialdehyde (3.29 to 2.47 nmol/mg protein) in duodenal mucosa compared with birds in the BD. Supplementing L-Met tended (P = 0.094) to decrease malondialdehyde (1.27 to 1.16 nmol/mg protein) and increase glutathione (3.21 to 3.45 nmol/mg protein) in the liver compared with DL-Met. Total antioxidant capacity, protein carbonyl, and morphology of duodenum and jejunum were not affected by Met sources. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 0.33% Met to a diet with S containing AA meeting 60% of the NRC requirement enhanced weight gain, feed intake, and redox status by reducing oxidative stress in the gut and liver of turkey poults during the first 28 d of age. Use of L-Met tended to enhance feed efficiency and was more effective in reducing oxidative stress and increasing glutathione in the liver compared with the use of DL-Met. The use of L-Met as a source of Met replacing DL-Met seems to be beneficial to turkey poults during the first 28 d of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The macrolide gamithromycin (GAM) has the ability to accumulate in tissues of the respiratory tract. Consequently, GAM might be a suitable antibiotic to treat bacterial respiratory infections in poultry, such as Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale. As O. rhinotracheale infections are common in turkey flocks, the aim of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of GAM in plasma, lung tissue, and pulmonary epithelial lining fluid (PELF) of turkeys and to correlate them with pharmacodynamic (PD) characteristics (PK/PD). The animal experiment was performed with 64 turkeys, which received either a subcutaneous (SC, n = 32) or an oral (PO, n = 32) bolus of 6 mg GAM/kg body weight (BW). GAM concentrations in plasma, lung tissue, and PELF were measured at different time points post administration (p.a.), and PK characteristics were determined using non-compartmental modeling. The maximum plasma concentration after PO administration was ten-fold lower than after SC injection (0.087 and 0.89 µg/mL, respectively), whereas there was no difference in lung concentrations between both routes of administration. However, lung concentrations at day 1 p.a. were significantly higher than plasma levels for both routes of administration (2.22 and 3.66 µg/g for PO and SC, respectively). Consequently, lung/plasma ratios were high, up to 50 and 80 after PO and SC administration, respectively. GAM could not be detected in PELF, although this might be attributed to the collection method of PELF in birds. The GAM minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined for 38 O. rhinotracheale strains; MIC50 and MIC90 were 2 and >32 µg/mL, respectively. PK/PD correlation for lung tissue demonstrated that the time above the MIC90 of the susceptible population (2 µg/mL) was 1 day after PO bolus and 3.5 days after SC administration. The area under the curve (AUClast)/MIC ratios for lung tissue after SC and PO administration were 233 and 90, respectively. To conclude, GAM is highly distributed to lung tissue in turkey poults, suggesting that it has the potential to be used to treat respiratory infections such as O. rhinotracheale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of present study was to investigate effect of in ovo administration of butyric acid on hatchability, performance, and small intestinal morphology of turkey poults. Fertilized eggs were subjected to injections with butyric acid (10 mg, 20 mg and 30mg dissolved in 0.5 mL of deionized water) on the d 7 of incubation. Hatching traits, Body weight gain (BWG), feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were determined during experiment.Small intestinal morphology included villus height (VH), crypt depth (CD), and villus width (VW) were measured at hatch and the end of each rearing periods. Finally, the results of the present study indicate that the weight of newly-hatched poults was significantly greater when butyric acid were administrated, in comparison with control groups.But, in ovo feeding (IOF) caused lower hatchability than in control group (not-injection eggs) (P<0.01). Poults from IOF showed better weight gain and FCR (0-42 day of age), when compared to poults hatched from control (PcO.OI ).The IOFB significantly increased VH for duodenum, jejunum and ileum at both hatch and starter period. It was concluded that IOFB may affect VH of intestine at hatch and starter (posthatch) period in turkeys. Also, IOFB can improve performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the effect of dietary glutamine (Gln) on growth performance, small intestinal morphology and carcass traits of turkey poults under heat stress. Topics discussed include the use of 256 Nicholas turkey poults with the same weight randomly divided into 4 experimental groups and findings that increasing dietary Gln stimulated development of villus height in small intestinal thus improving body weight gain of carcass and breast in turkey poults under heat stress.

In the previously performed field study from 2007 to 2009, it became evident that foot pad alterations were already commonly found in turkeys at the age of 6 wk. At this early age, 45% of the clinically examined birds were diagnosed with epithelial necrosis. Therefore, it became important to specifically analyze the situation during the early rearing phase. The pres-ent study reflects the prevalence and severity of foot pad alterations of turkey poults up to the age of 35 d (5 wk), starting as early as the age of 3 d. From 24 turkey farms throughout Germany, in general 5,531 turkeys [3,131 male and 2,400 female] of the British United Turkeys 6 strain from 46 flocks, were examined to that effect. Prevalence and severity increased within the du-ration of stay in the stable, and the prevalence was higher (P < 0.001) during the second visit between d 22 to 35 (factor: 0.94). Therefore, 27.3% (d 3 to 5; male/ female: 39.1/25.0%) and 63.3% (d 22 to 35: 61.3/65.7%) of the examined poults had alterations of the foot pads, such as hyperkeratosis (d 3 to 5: 20.4/14.2%; d 22 to 35: 17.6/17.1%), high-grade hyperkeratosis with adhe-sive dirt (d 3 to 5: 8.7/10.7%; d 22 to 35: 29.2/39.3%), and epithelial necrosis (d 3 to 5: 0.1/0.1%; d 22 to 35: 14.6/9.3%). Female poults showed a higher risk (P < 0.001) of developing food pad alterations (factor: 0.76) than male poults. Male poults developed a higher per-centage of epithelial necrosis than hens shortly before relocation. A higher stocking density during the very early rearing phase (d 3 to 5) led to a worse foot pad health status (P < 0.001). Because even mild altera-tions in the foot pad condition can be indicators for suboptimal design of the rearing environment and are to be seen as a pre-state for severe cases of foot pad dermatitis, it is important to set the main focus on the early rearing phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the effects of infrared beak treatment on the behavior and welfare of male and female turkeys reared to 12 wk of age. To do this, poults (236 males and 324 females) were assigned to one of 2 beak treatments: infrared beak treated on day of hatch (IR) or sham untreated control (C). Data collected included heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, pecking force, feather cover, behavioral expression, and beak histology. Data were analyzed as a 2 × 2 factorial of beak treatment and gender, in a completely randomized design and analyzed using PROC MIXED (SAS 9.4). H/L ratio (indicative of a stress response) did not differ between treated and control poults during early life, except at 20 d of age when H/L ratio was higher for C poults than IR poults. Pecking force, measured as a method of monitoring pain, was different only at 1 wk of age, when IR poults pecked with more force than C poults. Feather cover was better in IR poults at 12 wk of age. Differences in behavior between treatments were minor over the 12-wk period. Overall, infrared beak treatment of commercial turkeys had minimal negative impacts on behavior and welfare. The results suggest that stress may be reduced in flocks that are beak treated and that the procedure itself does not cause a pain response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The standardized ileal amino acid digestibility (SIAAD) of 5 plant-based ingredients was determined in 5- and 21-d-old broiler chicks and turkey poults. Two diets (N-free diet, NFD, and a highly digestible protein diet 10% casein, HDP) were fed to determine ileal endogenous amino acid flow, and each was used for endogenous amino acid correction for the plant-based ingredients. The plant-based ingredients evaluated were 2 samples of corn distillers dried grains with solubles (light and dark DDGS), canola meal, corn, and soybean meal. Each diet was fed for 5 d to 6 replicate cages containing 30 or 8 birds, which were sampled on d 5 or 21, respectively. For chicks, apparent ileal amino acid digestibility increased with age for all the feed ingredients. After standardization, SIAAD increased with age when chicks were fed DDGS and corn, but not soybean meal or canola meal. For all the feed ingredients evaluated, SIAAD values for both methods of standardization were not different at d 5. However, the HDP method resulted in greater SIAAD values for most of the amino acids in light DDGS, canola meal, and corn (d 21). In poults, the apparent ileal amino acid digestibility values increased with age for all the feed ingredients except the dark DDGS and canola meal. After standardization, there was no effect of age on amino acid digestibility in all the feed ingredients evaluated, with the exception of corn. Within a particular age (d 5 or 21), both methods of standardization resulted in similar amino acid digestibility values except for corn, for which the SIAAD values were greater (NFD method) in 11 amino acids. Results from this study showed that age-appropriate endogenous amino acid standardization is necessary and, in some cases, results in no age-associated differences in amino acid digestibility. With the exception of corn, standardization of amino acid digestibility with ileal endogenous amino acid flow from birds fed an NFD or HDP did not differ for most plant feedstuffs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ileal endogenous amino acid (IEAA) flow in turkey poults was determined at 2 experimental locations on d 5, 15, and 21 posthatcl-i using 3 methods, namely a N-free diet (NFD), a highly digestible protein (casein), and the regression method, obtained by regressing IEAA flow against dietary casein levels. The diets were semipurified and contained 0, 50, 100, or 150 g of casein/kg of diet as the sole source of dietary protein. Each diet was fed for 5 d to 6 replicate cages of 30 (d 5), 10 (d 15), or 8 (d 21) birds per cage. There was no interaction between locations and age or locations and diet, so the data from both locations were pooled. heal endogenous amino acid flow on d 5 (NFD method) was higher (P < 0.05) than on d 15 or 21. Ileal endogenous amino acid flow estimated from the NFD and the regression methods was different on d 5 (P < 0.05), but there were no differences in JEAA flow for most of the amino acids on d 15 and 21. increasing the level of casein resulted in a linear (P < 0.05) increase in IEAA flow. The amino acids with the lowest flow were Trp and Met, whereas Glu had the greatest flow. The results obtained from this study indicate that data generated across laboratories were repeatable. The results also suggest that about twice as much amino acids of endogenous origin are found in the digesta of poults on d 5 relative to d 21. Also, as poults age, there is a decrease in IEAA flow from d 5 to 15, but flows from d 15 to 21 are not different. These observations suggest that apparent digestibility coefficients for poults on d 5 and d 15 or 21 could be significantly influenced by the level of end ogenous amino acids, more so on d 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ileal endogenous amino acid (IEAA) and total amino acid (TAA) flow (mg/kg of DM intake) in turkey poults and broiler chicks at 3 ages (5, 15, and 21 d) were compared by feeding a N-free diet (NFD) or graded levels of casein (highly digestible protein, HDP). The semipurified diets contained 0 (NFD), 50, 100, or 150 g of casein/kg of diet as the only source of amino acids. Each diet was fed to 6 replicate cages containing 30 (5 d), 10 (15 d), or 8 (21 d) birds per cage for 5 d prior to the collection of ileal digesta. At d 5, IEAA and TAA flow in poults fed the NFD, 50, and 100 g of casein/kg of diet was higher (P < 0.05) than in chicks. The IEAA flows within and between both species on d 15 and 21 were not different. Similar trends were observed for the HDP diets (50, 100, or 150 g of casein/kg of diet). An interaction (P < 0.05) between species and age was observed for most of the amino acids for all treatments. The results from this study suggest that at d 5, poults have significantly higher concentration of IEAA and TAA output relative to chicks. However, by d 15 and 21, there were no species differences in IEAA or TAA flow. These results also showed that IEAA flow is species and age dependent. The increased IEAA flow observed at d 5 should be taken into consideration when formulating starter diets on a digestible amino acid basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three experiments were conducted to compare the effects of feeding blends of grains naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins on brain regional neurochemistry of laying hens, turkey poults, and broiler breeder hens. In Experiment 1, thirty-six 45-wk-old laying hens were fed diets including the following for 4 wk: 1) control, 2) contaminated grains, and 3) contaminated grains + 0.2% polymeric glucomannan mycotoxin adsorbent (GMA). Concentrations of brain neurotransmitters and metabolites were analyzed in pons, hypothalamus, and cortex by HPLC with electrochemical detection. Neurotransmitters and the metabolites measured included dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxylphenyacetic acid, homovanillic acid, serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)], 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. The feeding of contaminated grains significantly increased concentrations of 5-HT and decreased the 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid:5-HT in the pons region in the brain stem. Dietary supplementation with GMA prevented these effects. There was no effect of diet on concentrations of other neurotransmitters or metabolites in the pons, hypothalamus, or cortex. In Experiment 2, thirty-six 1-d-old turkey poults were fed diets including the following for 4 wk: 1) control, 2) contaminated grains, and 3) contaminated grains + 0.2% GMA. Hypothalamic, pons, and cortex neurotransmitter concentrations were not affected by diet. In Experiment 3, forty-two 26-wk-old broiler breeder hens were fed diets including the following for 15 wk: 1) control, 2) contaminated grains, and 3) contaminated grains + 0.2% GMA. There was no effect of diet on neurotransmitter concentrations in the pons, hypothalamus, or cortex. It was concluded that differences in intraspecies effects of these mycotoxins on brain neurotransmitter concentrations might explain the intraspecies differences in the severity of Fusarium mycotoxin-induced reductions in feed intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lectins are capable of altering intestinal morphology by binding to and disrupting the intestinal brush border membrane. They are also known to alter the weight of lymphoid organs. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of soybean lectin (SBL) on intestinal morphology and lymphoid organ weights of poults fed diets containing SBL. Dietary treatments evaluated in this study included a cornstarch and casein-based control (lectin-free) semipurified diet (PD) and semipurified diets containing 0.024 or 0.048% SBL (PDL and PDH, respectively). Experimental diets were fed from hatch to 14 d. Morphological evaluation of the intestine involved measurement of the villi height and perimeter, crypt depth, villus:crypt, and thickness of the muscle layer in the jejunum. Intestinal physical characteristics were also determined by measuring intestinal weight, length, and volume. Results indicated that 0.048% SBL in PDH increased villus:crypt and reduced total intestinal length in turkey poults. In addition, both the 0.024 and 0.048% dietary SBL levels reduced thymus weights. It was concluded that dietary SBL up to 0.048% enhanced intestinal development by increasing villus:crypt, but might alter the structural integrity of lymphoid organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lectins are known to bind to the intestinal brush border membrane and induce antinutritional ef- fects such as disruption of the brush border membrane (BBM) and reduced nutrient digestibility in laboratory rodents. Because soybean lectin (SBL) is usually present in poult starter diets, 2 similar experiments with starting turkey poults were conducted to investigate the effects of purified SBL on growth performance and nutrient digestibility. Experimental diets were a corn starch-casein based control (lectin-free) semipurified diet (PD), semi-purified diets containing 0.024 or 0.048% soybean lectin (PDL, PDH), and a corn-soybean meal diet (SBD). Experimental diets were fed from hatch to 14 d. Antibodies specific for soybean lectin were detected in the serum of poults fed the PDL and PDH diets, implying that the SBL in these diets remained active in the digestive tract. Poults fed the control PD or SBD grew equally well. The 0.024% SBL level in PDL had no significant detrimental effect on any parameters assessed in the 2 experiments. In contrast, the 0.048% SBL level in the PDH gave inconsistent results for feed efficiency (FE) and brush border enzyme levels. For instance, on d 6 in experiment 2, poults fed the PDH had poorer FE (P < 0.05) compared with the control PD treatment, but had similar FE to poults fed the PD in experiment 1. In conclusion, SBL present at levels up to 0.024% of the diet would not cause antinutritional effect in turkey poults up to 2 wk of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Salmonella spp. continues to be one of the most important foodborne bacterial pathogens. S. enterica serotype Enteritidis (SE) that emerged as an important human illness during the 1980s is currently one of the most common non-typhoidal Salmonella serotypes worldwide. Poultry and their products (eggs and meat) are considered as one of the most important source of SE infection in humans. Due to restrictions in the addition of antibiotics in the feed of animals intended for human consumption, alternatives to these antibiotics have been sought. Probiotics have shown to reduce infection in turkey poults. However, studies are lacking to show how these probiotics influence the intestinal microbiome as well as how this microbiome is related to a lower infection by Salmonella. In the present study the effect of a Lactobacillus spp.-based probiotic on SE colonization was evaluated in two separate experiments. In both trials, a significant reduction in the incidence and log10 cfu/g of SE were observed in poults treated with the probiotic when compared with control poults (p ≤ 0.05). Results showed that the application of this probiotic culture could reduce SE cecal colonization in day-of-hatch turkey poults, although further research is needed to elucidate the mechanism of this response. The effect of Lactobacillus spp.-based probiotic candidates on Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) colonization was evaluated in two separate experiments. In each experiment, sixty-one day-of-hatch female turkey poults were obtained from a local hatchery. In both experiments, poults were challenged via oral gavage with 104 cfu/poult of SE and randomly allocated to one of two groups (n = 30 poults): (1) the positive control group and (2) the probiotic treated group. Heated brooder batteries were used for housing each group separately and poults were allowed ad libitum access to water and unmedicated turkey starter feed. 1 h following the SE challenge, poults were treated with 106 cfu/poult of probiotic culture via oral gavage or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) to control groups. A total of 24 h post-treatment, poults were euthanized and the ceca and cecal tonsils from twenty poults were collected aseptically for SE recovery. In both trials, a significant reduction in the incidence and log10 cfu/g of SE were observed in poults treated with the probiotic when compared with control poults (p ≤ 0.05). The results of the present study suggest that the administration of this lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB)-based probiotic 1 h after an SE challenge can be useful in reducing the cecal colonization of this pathogen in neonatal poults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]