Akram Muhammad Zeeshan, Sureda Ester Arévalo, Corion Matthias, Comer Luke, Everaert Nadia
Nutrition 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, Belgium.
Nutrition and Animal-Microbiota Ecosystems Laboratory, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven 3000, Heverlee, Belgium.
Poult Sci. 2025 Feb;104(2):104770. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2025.104770. Epub 2025 Jan 3.
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.
一种被称为农场孵化（HOF）的替代孵化系统与孵化场孵化（HH）系统相比，能让雏鸡更早获得饲料。早期喂食可能促进肠道良好发育，潜在地改善肠道健康和肉鸡性能。先前的研究评估了HOF对雏鸡质量、福利和性能的影响，但其对肠道健康的影响仍无定论。总共560只罗斯308雄性雏鸡饲养至38日龄，分别在孵化场（n = 280）或农场（n = 280）孵化，每个系统有14个重复，每栏20只鸡。定期监测生产参数。在第7、14和38日龄评估消化和免疫器官特征、肠道通透性和组织形态学。高通量qPCR分析了79个回肠基因，涉及屏障完整性、免疫功能、营养转运蛋白、肠道激素、代谢和氧化。HOF雏鸡第1日龄体重高于HH雏鸡（P < 0.001），但这种优势在第一周内消失，随后性能无差异。HOF鸡在第7和14日龄十二指肠绒毛宽度增加，在第7日龄回肠隐窝深度和黏膜下层厚度增加（P < 0.05）。HOF鸡在第14日龄时法氏囊相对重量较高（P = 0.018），在第38日龄时趋于较高（P = 0.094）。肠道通透性未受影响（P > 0.05），而HH雏鸡在第7日龄时肠道屏障基因如MUC5ac上调，在第14日龄时CLDN2和MUC2上调（P < 0.05）。HH雏鸡在第7日龄时营养转运相关基因包括VDR上调，在第38日龄时SLC30A1和SLC5A9上调，在第7日龄时食欲抑制激素CCK表达降低（P < 0.05）。HOF雏鸡上调免疫相关基因，包括第7日龄时的IL-8、第14日龄时的IL-6、IFN-γ、AVBD9和第38日龄时的NOS2（P < 0.05），以及第38日龄时的氧化基因HIF1A（P = 0.039）。总之，虽然HOF仅显示出短暂的生长优势，但它增强了黏膜形态并调节了免疫力，表明肠道健康得到改善。
