Effects of on-farm hatching versus hatchery hatching on growth performance, gut development, and intestinal health and function in broiler chickens
An alternative hatching system known as hatch on-farm (HOF) provides early access to feed compared to hatch in hatchery (HH) system. Early feeding may promote favorable gut development, potentially improving intestinal health and broiler performance. Previous studies have assessed the effects of HOF...
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Elsevier
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Poultry Science |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579125000070 |
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| author | Muhammad Zeeshan Akram Ester Arévalo Sureda Matthias Corion Luke Comer Nadia Everaert |
| author_facet | Muhammad Zeeshan Akram Ester Arévalo Sureda Matthias Corion Luke Comer Nadia Everaert |
| author_sort | Muhammad Zeeshan Akram |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An alternative hatching system known as hatch on-farm (HOF) provides early access to feed compared to hatch in hatchery (HH) system. Early feeding may promote favorable gut development, potentially improving intestinal health and broiler performance. Previous studies have assessed the effects of HOF on chick quality, welfare and performance, its impacts on gut health remain inconclusive. A total of 560 Ross 308 male chicks were reared until d 38, hatched either in a hatchery (n = 280) or on-farm (n = 280), with 14 replicates per system and 20 birds per pen. Production parameters were periodically monitored. Digestive and immune organ characteristics, intestinal permeability and histomorphology were assessed on d 7, 14, and 38. High-throughput qPCR analyzed 79 ileal genes regarding barrier integrity, immune function, nutrient transporters, gut hormones, metabolism, and oxidation. HOF chicks had higher d1 body weights than HH chicks (P < 001), but this advantage disappeared within first week, with no subsequent performance differences. HOF chickens demonstrated increased duodenal villus width on d 7 and 14, and increased ileal crypt depth and submucosal thickness on d 7 (P < 0.05). Relative bursal weight was higher on d 14 (P = 0.018) and tended to be higher on d 38 in HOF chickens (P = 0.094). Intestinal permeability remained unaffected (P > 0.05), while HH chicks showed upregulation of gut barrier genes such as MUC5ac on d 7 and CLDN2 and MUC2 on d 14 (P < 0.05). HH chicks also showed upregulation of nutrient transports including VDR on d 7 and SLC30A1 and SLC5A9 on d 38, and decreased expression of the appetite-suppressing hormone CCK on d 7 (P < 0.05). HOF chicks upregulated immune-related genes, including IL-8 on d 7, IL-6, IFN-γ, AVBD9 on d 14, and NOS2 on d 38 (P < 0.05), and the oxidation gene HIF1A on d 38 (P = 0.039). In conclusion, although the HOF showed only transient growth advantages, it enhanced mucosal morphology and modulated immunity, indicating improved intestinal health. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a633895badc54e90897647eb5a4b4d03 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0032-5791 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Poultry Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-a633895badc54e90897647eb5a4b4d032025-01-11T06:38:20ZengElsevierPoultry Science0032-57912025-02-011042104770Effects of on-farm hatching versus hatchery hatching on growth performance, gut development, and intestinal health and function in broiler chickensMuhammad Zeeshan Akram0Ester Arévalo Sureda1Matthias Corion2Luke Comer3Nadia Everaert4Nutrition and Animal-Microbiota Ecosystems Laboratory, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven 3000, Heverlee, Belgium; Precision Livestock and Nutrition Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Gembloux, BelgiumNutrition and Animal-Microbiota Ecosystems Laboratory, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven 3000, Heverlee, BelgiumNutrition and Animal-Microbiota Ecosystems Laboratory, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven 3000, Heverlee, BelgiumNutrition and Animal-Microbiota Ecosystems Laboratory, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven 3000, Heverlee, BelgiumNutrition and Animal-Microbiota Ecosystems Laboratory, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven 3000, Heverlee, Belgium; Correspondence author at: Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, Nutrition and Animal-Microbiota Ecosystems Laboratory, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, 3000 Heverlee, Belgium.An alternative hatching system known as hatch on-farm (HOF) provides early access to feed compared to hatch in hatchery (HH) system. Early feeding may promote favorable gut development, potentially improving intestinal health and broiler performance. Previous studies have assessed the effects of HOF on chick quality, welfare and performance, its impacts on gut health remain inconclusive. A total of 560 Ross 308 male chicks were reared until d 38, hatched either in a hatchery (n = 280) or on-farm (n = 280), with 14 replicates per system and 20 birds per pen. Production parameters were periodically monitored. Digestive and immune organ characteristics, intestinal permeability and histomorphology were assessed on d 7, 14, and 38. High-throughput qPCR analyzed 79 ileal genes regarding barrier integrity, immune function, nutrient transporters, gut hormones, metabolism, and oxidation. HOF chicks had higher d1 body weights than HH chicks (P < 001), but this advantage disappeared within first week, with no subsequent performance differences. HOF chickens demonstrated increased duodenal villus width on d 7 and 14, and increased ileal crypt depth and submucosal thickness on d 7 (P < 0.05). Relative bursal weight was higher on d 14 (P = 0.018) and tended to be higher on d 38 in HOF chickens (P = 0.094). Intestinal permeability remained unaffected (P > 0.05), while HH chicks showed upregulation of gut barrier genes such as MUC5ac on d 7 and CLDN2 and MUC2 on d 14 (P < 0.05). HH chicks also showed upregulation of nutrient transports including VDR on d 7 and SLC30A1 and SLC5A9 on d 38, and decreased expression of the appetite-suppressing hormone CCK on d 7 (P < 0.05). HOF chicks upregulated immune-related genes, including IL-8 on d 7, IL-6, IFN-γ, AVBD9 on d 14, and NOS2 on d 38 (P < 0.05), and the oxidation gene HIF1A on d 38 (P = 0.039). In conclusion, although the HOF showed only transient growth advantages, it enhanced mucosal morphology and modulated immunity, indicating improved intestinal health.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579125000070Early feedingGrowth performanceGut healthHatching systemImmunity |
| spellingShingle | Muhammad Zeeshan Akram Ester Arévalo Sureda Matthias Corion Luke Comer Nadia Everaert Effects of on-farm hatching versus hatchery hatching on growth performance, gut development, and intestinal health and function in broiler chickens Poultry Science Early feeding Growth performance Gut health Hatching system Immunity |
| title | Effects of on-farm hatching versus hatchery hatching on growth performance, gut development, and intestinal health and function in broiler chickens |
| title_full | Effects of on-farm hatching versus hatchery hatching on growth performance, gut development, and intestinal health and function in broiler chickens |
| title_fullStr | Effects of on-farm hatching versus hatchery hatching on growth performance, gut development, and intestinal health and function in broiler chickens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of on-farm hatching versus hatchery hatching on growth performance, gut development, and intestinal health and function in broiler chickens |
| title_short | Effects of on-farm hatching versus hatchery hatching on growth performance, gut development, and intestinal health and function in broiler chickens |
| title_sort | effects of on farm hatching versus hatchery hatching on growth performance gut development and intestinal health and function in broiler chickens |
| topic | Early feeding Growth performance Gut health Hatching system Immunity |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579125000070 |
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