The poultry industry aims to improve productivity while maintaining the health and welfare of flocks. Pathogen control has been achieved through biosecurity, vaccinations and the use of antibiotics. However, the emergence of antibiotic resistance, in animal and human pathogens, has prompted researchers and chicken growers alike to seek alternative approaches. The use of new and emerging approaches to combat pathogen activity including nanotechnology, in particular, silver nanoparticles (NPs), has been found to not only eradicate pathogenic bacteria but also include issues of toxicity and bioaccumulation effects. Other novel metal nanoparticles could provide this pathogen reducing property with a more tailored and biocompatible nanomaterial for the model used, something our study represents. This study investigated the benefits of nanomaterial delivery mechanisms coupled with important health constituents using selenium as a biocompatible metal to minimise toxicity properties. Selenium NPs were compared to two common forms of bulk selenium macronutrients already used in the poultry industry. An intermediate concentration of selenium nanoparticles (0.9 mg/kg) demonstrated the best performance, improving the gut health by increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Lactobacillus and Faecalibacterium, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), in particular butyric acid. SCFAs are metabolites produced by the intestinal tract and are used as an energy source for colonic cells and other important bodily functions. Selenium nanoparticles had no significant effect on live weight gain or abundance of potentially pathogenic bacteria.

1. The aim was to determine the prevalence of femoral head necrosis (FHN) as a cause of lameness in broilers, and to increase knowledge of its morphological features and aetiology. The studies were carried out in two farms (A and B) in Bulgaria, on 650,000 chickens from 38 flocks. 2. Lameness in broilers varied from 3-4% up to 15% for both farms. In affected flocks, mortality due to lameness ranged between 5-6% and 10%. 3. We documented lesions in 520 broilers with signs of lameness. Samples for histopathological examination were obtained from the femur--135 from farm A and 120 from farm B. The samples originated from different batches of broilers, during different seasons of the year, and from chickens originating from parent flocks of different ages. 4. E. coli was isolated in more than 90% of the bacteriologically tested samples with FHN associated with osteomyelitis. Our large-scale field tests showed that FHN was the commonest cause of lameness in broilers.

Background High-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) field technology has been reported to increase muscle thickness and hypertrophy. However, this process has not yet been confirmed on a histologic level. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate in-vivo structural changes in striated porcine muscle tissue following HIFEM treatment. Methods Three Yorkshire pigs received four 30-minute HIFEM treatments applied to the biceps femoris muscle on 1 side only. The fourth pig served as a control subject. At baseline and 2 weeks after the last treatment, biopsy specimens of the muscle tissue were collected from the treatment site. The control pig underwent muscle biopsy from a similar but untreated site. Twenty-five histology slides were evaluated from each pig. A certified histopathologist analyzed sliced biopsy samples for structural changes in the tissue. Results Histologic analysis showed hypertrophic changes 2 weeks posttreatment. The muscle mass density increased by 20.56% (to a mean of 17,053.4 [5617.9] µm2) compared with baseline. Similarly, muscle fiber density (hyperplasia) increased: the average change in the number of fibers in a slice area of 136,533.3 µm2 was +8.0%. The mean size of an individual muscle fiber increased by 12.15% (to 332.23 [280.2] µm2) 2 weeks posttreatment. Control samples did not show any significant change in fiber density or hyperplasia. Conclusions Histopathologic quantification showed significant structural muscle changes through a combination of fiber hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Control biopsies showed a lack of similar changes. The data correlate with findings of other HIFEM research and suggest that HIFEM could be used for noninvasive induction of muscle growth.

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The Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) are popular both as an alternative protein source and as a model of choice for scientific research in several disciplines. There is limited published information on the histological features of the intestinal tract of Japanese quail. The only comprehensive reference is a book published in 1969. This study aims to fill that niche by providing a reference of general histological features of the Japanese quail, covering all the main sections of the intestinal tract. Both light and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images are presented. Results showed that the Japanese quail intestinal tract is very similar to that of the chicken with the exception of the luminal koilin membrane of the gizzard. Scanning electron microscopic photomicrographs show that in the Japanese quail koilin vertical rods are tightly packed together in a uniform manner making a carpet-like appearance. This differs in chicken where the conformations of vertical rods are arranged in clusters.

Background Myosatellite cells are myogenic stem cells that can transform to provide nuclei for existing muscles or generate new muscle fibers as documented after extended exercise programs. Objectives The authors investigated whether the simultaneous application of High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic (HIFEM) and Synchrode radiofrequency (RF) affects the levels of satellite cells similarly as the prolonged exercise does to achieve muscle growth. Methods Three 30-minute simultaneous HIFEM and Synchrode RF treatments (once a week) were administered over the abdominal area of 5 Large White swine aged approximately 6 months. All animals were anesthetized during the treatments and biopsy acquisition. Biopsies of muscle tissue were collected at baseline, 4 days, 2 weeks, and 1 month post-treatment. After binding the specific antibodies, the NCAM/CD56 levels, a marker of activated satellite cells, were quantified employing the immunofluorescence microscopy technique with a UV lamp. Results Examined slices showed a continuous increase in satellite cell levels throughout the study. Four days after the treatment, we observed a 26.1% increase in satellite cells, which increased to 30.2% at 2-week follow-up. Additional histological analysis revealed an increase in the cross-sectional area of muscle fibers and the signs of newly formed fibers of small diameters at 2 weeks after the treatment. No damage to muscle tissue and no adverse effects related to the treatment were observed. Conclusions The findings indicate that the simultaneous application of HIFEM and novel Synchrode RF treatment can initiate differentiation of satellite cells to support the growth of existing muscles and, presumably, even the formation of new myofibers.

The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of dietary inclusion of humic acid and enzymes on bone development, histomorphology of internal organs and the incidence of rickets in broiler chickens fed canola-based diets. In the study, Cobb 500 broiler chicks were used and the following five dietary treatments were administered: control (commercial diet); CM (17.5% canola meal inclusion); CMEnz (17.5% CM inclusion + 0.3g/kg Axtra XAP); CMPh (17.5% CM inclusion + 1.5% potassium humate (PH)); and CMEnzPh (17.5% CM inclusion + 1.5% PH + 0.3g/kg Axtra XAP). These diets were formulated and randomly allocated to 20 pens (experimental units), each housing 11 birds. The birds were phase fed, with the starter diet being given to all birds from day 1 to day 14. During the grower (days 15-28) and finisher phases (days 29-42) birds were fed the experimental diets. Diet differed significantly across all treatments on latency-to-lie (LTL) test. Broilers fed CMEnz had the lowest standing persistence (2.88 ± 2.69 min) and those on CMEnzPh had the highest (11.19 ± 2.69 min), followed by those offered the control diet (9.05 ± 2.69 min). Gross lesion analysis displayed high prevalence of rickets in boilers fed CMEnz diet compared with all other dietary treatments. Intestinal morphometric parameters demonstrated some dietary differences in the height and width of the intestinal villi and intestinal crypts. In conclusion, inclusion of humic acid in canola-based diets appeared to positively influence digestion and assimilation dynamics that were consequential to the improvement in bone and immune development in broilers. ______________________________________________________________________________________

The aim of the present work is to make a review on the literature concerning the incidence of some major pathologies of leg skeleton in broiler chickens and broiler breeders, related to poor animal welfare. On the basis of data on the incidence of leg skeletal pathology published by us and by other researchers, this review goes through some reports on femoral head necrosis (FHN), tibial dyschondroplasia (TD), rupture of the gastrocnemius tendon (RGT) and rickets. The welfare of broiler chickens and breeder flocks continues to be closely related to leg skeletal pathology. Although some reports establish that most abnormalities related to legs in chickens were largely overcome by selection work and improvement of production systems by the end of the 20 th century, the problems still occupy an important place in broiler production.Apart published literature data, own results from the last decade (2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011) were also used.