Graded levels of Eimeria challenge altered the microstructural architecture and reduced the cortical bone growth of femur of Hy-Line W-36 pullets at early stage of growth (0–6 wk of age)

Different methionine to cysteine supplementation ratios altered bone quality of broilers with or without Eimeria challenge assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and microtomography

“…The decrease in BMD, BMC, and trabecular number and the higher trabecular separation and thickness further signified a deterioration in bone quality. Similar results were reported in previous studies ( Tompkins et al, 2022 ; Sharma et al, 2023b ). Notably, the challenged birds exhibited lower pore numbers, pore volume, and porosity.…”

“…The decreased BMC, fat, lean, and total body weight caused by coccidia infection obtained from the whole body DEXA scanning were correlated with results from previous studies ( Fetterer et al, 2013a ; Sharma et al, 2023b ). These findings clearly demonstrated the harmful impact of coccidiosis on nutrient depositions, including minerals, fat, and protein in broilers.…”

“…The distal metaphysis of 300 slides (7.5 mm in height) and the diaphysis of 200 slides (5 mm in height) were selected for analysis ( Figure 1 ). The 3D model was then processed for cortical and trabecular bone separation according to previously described procedures ( Chen and Kim, 2020 ; Shi et al, 2023 ), and the parameters listed and described ( Sharma et al, 2023b ) in Table 2 were measured. Two phantoms of known density (0.25 and 0.75 g/cm 3 ) made from calcium hydroxyapatite were scanned for calibration of bone mineral density ( BMD ).…”

“…damage the integrity of the intestinal lining of the broilers, leading to anorexia, reduced body weight gain, and even mortality ( Yadav et al, 2020 ; Choi et al, 2023 ; Liu et al, 2023 ). Moreover, coccidiosis presents considerable risks to the bone health of birds by suppressing the bone growth rate and impairing bone quality ( Fetterer et al, 2013b ; Sakkas et al, 2019 ; Sharma et al, 2023b ). Recent studies have highlighted that these risks can be attributed to the disruption of bone homeostasis resulting from the oxidative stress induced by coccidiosis ( Tompkins et al, 2023a ; Tompkins et al, 2023b ).…”

Effects of Methionine Supplementation Levels in Normal or Reduced Protein Diets on the Body Composition and Femur Bone Characteristics of Broilers Challenged with Coccidia

“…The distal metaphysis of 300 slides (7.5 mm in height) and the diaphysis of 300 slides (7.5 mm in height) were selected for analysis ( Figure 1 ). The selected ROI was then processed for cortical and trabecular bone separation according to previously described procedures [ 33 ], and the parameters listed and described [ 34 ] in Table 2 were measured. To measure bone mineral density (BMD), two phantoms composed of calcium hydroxyapatite with known densities (0.25 and 0.75 g/cm 3 ) were scanned using identical settings as those used for bone scanning to generate the standards [ 35 ].…”