Evaluating performance, intestinal lesions, and immunity related genes in heritage and modern broiler breeds during a necrotic enteritis challenge

ABSTRACT: In this comparative study, the differential responses of heritage (ACRB; Athens Canadian Random Bred) and modern (Cobb) broilers to a necrotic enteritis (NE) challenge were evaluated. The design was a 2×2 factorial with breed (ACRB and Cobb) and challenge (non-challenged and NE-challenged)...

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Main Authors: Laney E. Froebel, Ali Calik, Nima K. Emami, Candice E.C. Blue, Rami A. Dalloul
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Poultry Science
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579124009180
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author Laney E. Froebel
Ali Calik
Nima K. Emami
Candice E.C. Blue
Rami A. Dalloul
author_facet Laney E. Froebel
Ali Calik
Nima K. Emami
Candice E.C. Blue
Rami A. Dalloul
author_sort Laney E. Froebel
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT: In this comparative study, the differential responses of heritage (ACRB; Athens Canadian Random Bred) and modern (Cobb) broilers to a necrotic enteritis (NE) challenge were evaluated. The design was a 2×2 factorial with breed (ACRB and Cobb) and challenge (non-challenged and NE-challenged) as main factors. On day (d) of hatch, 96 male chicks (48 ACRB and 48 Cobb) were allocated to 4 experimental groups with 8 replicate cages and 3 birds/cage. On d 14, birds in the NE-challenged groups were orally gavaged with 3,000 Eimeria maxima sporulated oocysts followed by 2 doses of ∼1×108 CFU of Clostridium perfringens on d 19 and 20. On d 21, 2 birds/cage were necropsied to score NE lesions, and spleen and cecal tonsils (CT) samples were collected from 1 bird/cage for assessing mRNA abundance. Challenged ACRB birds exhibited reduced growth performance and relative growth performance compared to challenged Cobb birds. There was no significant interaction between breed and challenge during the challenge period (d 14–21) for mortality. However, there was a challenge main effect (P ≤ 0.05) on mortality as manifested by greater NE-associated mortality compared to non-challenged birds. No significant breed × challenge interaction or breed main effect on lesion scores were observed in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. NE-challenged Cobb birds exhibited greater mRNA abundance of IL-18, TNFα, TLR1.2, TLR2.1, CCR5, CCR6, CCL20, and AvBD1 in CT compared to NE challenged ACRB birds. There was a significant breed × challenge interaction effect on mRNA abundance of IL-10, AvBD13, NK-Lysin, and LEAP2 in the spleen. Moreover, a main effect of breed was observed in IL-1β, IL-18, TNFα, TLR2.1, CCR5, CCL20, and NK-Lysin where ACRB birds had higher mRNA abundance than Cobb birds (P ≤ 0.05). The observed differences in performance, pathology, and mRNA abundance between ACRB and Cobb broilers during the NE challenge highlight the distinct immune response profiles of heritage and modern breeds, emphasizing the need for breed-specific nutritional, managerial, and genetic selection programs for modulating immune responses during enteric disease challenges.
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spelling doaj-art-9e2b363916b34007a97c5f83224c8ff82025-08-20T01:55:45ZengElsevierPoultry Science0032-57912024-12-011031210433910.1016/j.psj.2024.104339Evaluating performance, intestinal lesions, and immunity related genes in heritage and modern broiler breeds during a necrotic enteritis challengeLaney E. Froebel0Ali Calik1Nima K. Emami2Candice E.C. Blue3Rami A. Dalloul4Avian Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USAAvian Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Department of Animal Nutrition & Nutritional Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, 06110, TürkiyeAvian Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USAAvian Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USAAvian Immunobiology Laboratory, Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; Corresponding author:ABSTRACT: In this comparative study, the differential responses of heritage (ACRB; Athens Canadian Random Bred) and modern (Cobb) broilers to a necrotic enteritis (NE) challenge were evaluated. The design was a 2×2 factorial with breed (ACRB and Cobb) and challenge (non-challenged and NE-challenged) as main factors. On day (d) of hatch, 96 male chicks (48 ACRB and 48 Cobb) were allocated to 4 experimental groups with 8 replicate cages and 3 birds/cage. On d 14, birds in the NE-challenged groups were orally gavaged with 3,000 Eimeria maxima sporulated oocysts followed by 2 doses of ∼1×108 CFU of Clostridium perfringens on d 19 and 20. On d 21, 2 birds/cage were necropsied to score NE lesions, and spleen and cecal tonsils (CT) samples were collected from 1 bird/cage for assessing mRNA abundance. Challenged ACRB birds exhibited reduced growth performance and relative growth performance compared to challenged Cobb birds. There was no significant interaction between breed and challenge during the challenge period (d 14–21) for mortality. However, there was a challenge main effect (P ≤ 0.05) on mortality as manifested by greater NE-associated mortality compared to non-challenged birds. No significant breed × challenge interaction or breed main effect on lesion scores were observed in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. NE-challenged Cobb birds exhibited greater mRNA abundance of IL-18, TNFα, TLR1.2, TLR2.1, CCR5, CCR6, CCL20, and AvBD1 in CT compared to NE challenged ACRB birds. There was a significant breed × challenge interaction effect on mRNA abundance of IL-10, AvBD13, NK-Lysin, and LEAP2 in the spleen. Moreover, a main effect of breed was observed in IL-1β, IL-18, TNFα, TLR2.1, CCR5, CCL20, and NK-Lysin where ACRB birds had higher mRNA abundance than Cobb birds (P ≤ 0.05). The observed differences in performance, pathology, and mRNA abundance between ACRB and Cobb broilers during the NE challenge highlight the distinct immune response profiles of heritage and modern breeds, emphasizing the need for breed-specific nutritional, managerial, and genetic selection programs for modulating immune responses during enteric disease challenges.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579124009180necrotic enteritisimmune responsehost defense peptideACRBbroiler
spellingShingle Laney E. Froebel
Ali Calik
Nima K. Emami
Candice E.C. Blue
Rami A. Dalloul
Evaluating performance, intestinal lesions, and immunity related genes in heritage and modern broiler breeds during a necrotic enteritis challenge
Poultry Science
necrotic enteritis
immune response
host defense peptide
ACRB
broiler
title Evaluating performance, intestinal lesions, and immunity related genes in heritage and modern broiler breeds during a necrotic enteritis challenge
title_full Evaluating performance, intestinal lesions, and immunity related genes in heritage and modern broiler breeds during a necrotic enteritis challenge
title_fullStr Evaluating performance, intestinal lesions, and immunity related genes in heritage and modern broiler breeds during a necrotic enteritis challenge
title_full_unstemmed Evaluating performance, intestinal lesions, and immunity related genes in heritage and modern broiler breeds during a necrotic enteritis challenge
title_short Evaluating performance, intestinal lesions, and immunity related genes in heritage and modern broiler breeds during a necrotic enteritis challenge
title_sort evaluating performance intestinal lesions and immunity related genes in heritage and modern broiler breeds during a necrotic enteritis challenge
topic necrotic enteritis
immune response
host defense peptide
ACRB
broiler
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579124009180
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