Dataset Information

Evaluation of growth production factors as predictors of the incidence and severity of white striping and woody breast in broiler chickens.

ABSTRACT: White striping (WS) and woody breast (WB) have been previously associated with older and heavier birds. However, there is limited information supporting the association between these 2 muscle conditions and growth parameters. The objectives of this study were 1) to investigate the relationship between WS and WB using different growth production factors and 2) to propose a predictive model that uses growth production factors to investigate the incidence and severity of WS and WB. A combined database of 4,332 broilers pooled from 7 research experiments conducted from 2016 to 2017 at Texas A&M University was used in this study. Parameters such as sex, age (4 wk, 6 wk, and 8 wk), strain (standard A vs. high-breast-yield [B and C]), live weight categories (500 g increments), and breast weight categories (250 g increments) were included in the model. Results showed that WS was 12% more likely to be present in non-WB fillets. The association between WS and WB suggests a moderate relationship between the ranks of both outcome variables (? = 0.57, P < 0.0001). Variables such as age, live weight, and sex were not as important as breast weight and strain in the severity prediction of WS and WB. Butterfly fillets above 750 g and with high-breast-yielding strains were more likely associated with higher severity of WS and WB scores. No post hoc variable selection was performed. Both models show good discrimination. The WS model produced an uncorrected area under the curve (AUC) of 0.739, with a bootstrap corrected estimate of 0.736. The WB model produced an uncorrected AUC of 0.753 and a bootstrap corrected estimate of 0.752. Therefore, the growth production factors analyzed in this study indicated that there is a moderate relationship between WS and WB myopathies and were jointly predictive of the severity of WS and WB. Potentially other factors not included in this study may play a major role in the relationship of these 2 myopathies. More research should be done to investigate this possibility.

SUBMITTER: Aguirre ME

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7597843 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Evaluation of growth production factors as predictors of the incidence and severity of white striping and woody breast in broiler chickens.

Aguirre Maria E ME Leyva-Jimenez Hector H Travis Ryan R Lee Jason T JT Athrey Giridhar G Alvarado Christine Z CZ

Poultry science 20200415 7

White striping (WS) and woody breast (WB) have been previously associated with older and heavier birds. However, there is limited information supporting the association between these 2 muscle conditions and growth parameters. The objectives of this study were 1) to investigate the relationship between WS and WB using different growth production factors and 2) to propose a predictive model that uses growth production factors to investigate the incidence and severity of WS and WB. A combined datab ...[more]

PMID: 32616268

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Project description:Spaghetti meat (SM), woody breast (WB), and white striping (WS) are myopathies that affect the pectoral muscle of fast-growing broiler chickens. The prevalence and possible risk factors of these myopathies have been reported in other countries, but not yet in Canada. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors associated with these myopathies in a representative population of Canadian broilers. From May 2019 to March 2020, 250 random breast fillets from each of 37 flocks (total, 9,250) were obtained from two processing plants and assessed for the presence and severity of myopathies. Demographic data (e.g., sex and average live weight), environmental conditions during the grow-out period (e.g., temperature), and husbandry parameters (e.g., vaccination) were collected for each flock. Associations between these factors and the myopathies were tested using logistic regression analyses. The prevalence of SM, severe WB, and mild or moderate WS was 36.3% (95% CI: 35.3-37.3), 11.8% (95% CI: 11.2-12.5), and 96.0% (95% CI: 95.6-96.4), respectively. Most (85.1%) of the fillets showed multiple myopathies. Regression analyses showed that the odds of SM increased with live weight (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.01-1.69) and higher environmental temperature during the grow-out period (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.31-2.34). The odds of WB increased with live weight (OR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.03-1.47) and when flocks were not vaccinated against coccidia (OR = 1.86, 95% CI 1.51-2.29). This study documents for the first time a high prevalence of myopathies in Ontario broilers, and suggests that these lesions may have a significant economic impact on the Canadian poultry industry. Our results indicate that environmental conditions and husbandry are associated with the development of breast myopathies, in agreement with the current literature. Future studies are needed to determine how risk factors can promote the occurrence of these conditions, in order to implement possible mitigating strategies.

Project description:The current study investigated the effects of intermittent feeding (IF) and fasting strategies at different times post-hatch on muscle growth and white striping (WS) breast development. In the first trial, 32 one-day-old Abor Acre broilers were fed ad libitum (AL) for 3 d post-hatch and then randomly allotted into 4 feeding strategies including AL, 1h-IF group (1 h IF, 4 times feeding/d, 1 h each time), 1.5h-IF (1.5 h IF, 4 times feeding/d, 1.5 h each time), and fasting (1d acute fasting, 6 d free access to feed) groups and fed for 7 d. Although angiogenic genes including VEGFA, VEGFR1, and VEGFR2, and myogenic genes including MYOG and MYOD were upregulated (P < 0.05), the breast muscle satellite cell (SC) number and PAX7, MYF5 expression were decreased by the IF strategies (P < 0.05). One-day fasting at 6 d of age also upregulated angiogenic genes and MYOD expression (P < 0.05), downregulated MYF5 expression (P < 0.05), but did not change SC number (P > 0.05). In the second trial, 384 one-day-old birds were fed AL for 1 wk and then randomly allotted to the above 4 feeding strategies starting at 8 d of age until 42 d of age. Similarly, IF and fasting strategies upregulated the expression of angiogenic and myogenic genes (P < 0.05). Both 1h-IF and 1.5h-IF increased breast muscle SC number (P < 0.05). At slaughter, breast muscle fiber diameter of 1.5h-IF was smaller but the SC number was larger than that of the birds fed AL (P < 0.05). The IF and fasting strategies prevented WS development, and reduced breast WS scores and triglyceride content (P < 0.05) without changing the body weight (P > 0.05). Fasting and 1h-IF reduced the expression of adipogenic genes ZNF423 and PDGFRα (P < 0.05). Moreover, IF and fasting strategies reduced fibrosis in breast muscle and reduced skeletal muscle-specific E3 ubiquitin ligases (TRIM63 and MAFBX) (P < 0.05). Fasting significantly reduced CASPASE-3 in breast muscle (P < 0.05). In conclusion, IF starting in the first week decreases SC number. Compared to AL, IF or fasting promotes muscular angiogenesis, increases SC number, prevents muscle degeneration, and prevents the development of WS without impairing the growth performance of broiler chickens.

Project description:BackgroundWhite striping (WS) is an emerging muscular defect occurring on breast and thigh muscles of broiler chickens. It is characterized by the presence of white striations parallel to the muscle fibers and has significant consequences for meat quality. The etiology of WS remains poorly understood, even if previous studies demonstrated that the defect prevalence is related to broiler growth and muscle development. Moreover, recent studies showed moderate to high heritability values of WS, which emphasized the role of genetics in the expression of the muscle defect. The aim of this study was to identify the first quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for WS as well as breast muscle yield (BMY) and meat quality traits using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). We took advantage of two divergent lines of chickens selected for meat quality through Pectoralis major ultimate pH (pHu) and which exhibit the muscular defect. An expression QTL (eQTL) detection was further performed for some candidate genes, either suggested by GWAS analysis or based on their biological function.ResultsForty-two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with WS and other meat quality traits were identified. They defined 18 QTL regions located on 13 chromosomes. These results supported a polygenic inheritance of the studied traits and highlighted a few pleiotropic regions. A set of 16 positional and/or functional candidate genes was designed for further eQTL detection. A total of 132 SNPs were associated with molecular phenotypes and defined 21 eQTL regions located on 16 chromosomes. Interestingly, several co-localizations between QTL and eQTL regions were observed which could suggest causative genes and gene networks involved in the variability of meat quality traits and BMY.ConclusionsThe QTL mapping carried out in the current study for WS did not support the existence of a major gene, but rather suggested a polygenic inheritance of the defect and of other studied meat quality traits. We identified several candidate genes involved in muscle metabolism and structure and in muscular dystrophies. The eQTL analyses showed that they were part of molecular networks associated with WS and meat quality phenotypes and suggested a few putative causative genes.

Project description:The incidence of woody breast (WB) is increasing on a global scale representing a significant welfare problem and economic burden to the poultry industry and for which there is no effective treatment due to its unknown etiology. In this study, using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) coupled with iSTAT portable clinical analyzer, we provide evidence that the circulatory- and breast muscle-oxygen homeostasis is dysregulated [low oxygen and hemoglobin (HB) levels] in chickens with WB myopathy compared to healthy counterparts. Molecular analysis showed that blood HB subunit Mu (HBM), Zeta (HBZ), and hephaestin (HEPH) expression were significantly down regulated; however, the expression of the subunit rho of HB beta (HBBR) was upregulated in chicken with WB compared to healthy counterparts. The breast muscle HBBR, HBE, HBZ, and hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase 2 (PHD2) mRNA abundances were significantly down regulated in WB-affected compared to normal birds. The expression of HIF-1? at mRNA and protein levels was significantly induced in breasts of WB-affected compared to unaffected birds confirming a local hypoxic status. The phosphorylated levels of the upstream mediators AKT at Ser473 site, mTOR at Ser2481 site, and PI3K P85 at Tyr458 site, as well as their mRNA levels were significantly increased in breasts of WB-affected birds. In attempt to identify a nutritional strategy to reduce WB incidence, male broiler chicks (Cobb 500, n = 576) were randomly distributed into 48 floor pens and subjected to six treatments (12 birds/pen; 8 pens/treatment): a nutrient adequate control group (PC), the PC supplemented with 0.3% myo-inositol (PC + MI), a negative control (NC) deficient in available P and Ca by 0.15 and 0.16%, respectively, the NC fed with quantum blue (QB) at 500 (NC + 500 FTU), 1,000 (NC + 1,000 FTU), or 2,000 FTU/kg of feed (NC + 2,000 FTU). Although QB-enriched diets did not affect growth performances (FCR and FE), it did reduce the severity of WB by 5% compared to the PC diet. This effect is mediated by reversing the expression profile of oxygen homeostasis-related genes; i.e., significant down regulation of HBBR and upregulation of HBM, HBZ, and HEPH in blood, as well as a significant upregulation of HBA1, HBBR, HBE, HBZ, and PHD2 in breast muscle compared to the positive control.

Project description:Development of the white striping (WS) abnormality adversely impacts overall quality of broiler breast meat. Its etiology remains unclear. This study aimed at exploring transcriptional profiles of broiler skeletal muscles exhibiting different WS severity to elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying the development and progression of WS. Total RNA was isolated from pectoralis major of male 7-week-old Ross 308 broilers. The samples were classified as mild (n = 6), moderate (n = 6), or severe (n = 4), based on number and thickness of the white striations on the meat surface. The transcriptome was profiled using a chicken gene expression microarray with one-color hybridization technique. Gene expression patterns of each WS severity level were compared against each other; hence, there were three comparisons: moderate vs. mild (C1), severe vs. moderate (C2), and severe vs. mild (C3). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using the combined criteria of false discovery rate ≤ 0.05 and absolute fold change ≥1.2. Differential expression of 91, 136, and 294 transcripts were identified in C1, C2, and C3, respectively. There were no DEGs in common among the three comparisons. Based on pathway analysis, the enriched pathways of C1 were related with impaired homeostasis of macronutrients and small biochemical molecules with disrupted Ca2+-related pathways. Decreased abundance of the period circadian regulator suggested the shifted circadian phase when moderate WS developed. The enriched pathways uniquely obtained in C2 were RNA degradation, Ras signaling, cellular senescence, axon guidance, and salivary secretion. The DEGs identified in those pathways might play crucial roles in regulating cellular ion balances and cell-cycle arrest. In C3, the pathways responsible for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt signaling, p53 activation, apoptosis, and hypoxia-induced processes were modified. Additionally, pathways associated with a variety of diseases with the DEGs involved in regulation of [Ca2+], collagen formation, microtubule-based motor, and immune response were identified. Eight pathways were common to all three comparisons (i.e., calcium signaling, Ras-associated protein 1 signaling, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, vascular smooth muscle contraction, oxytocin signaling, and pathway in cancer). The current findings support the role of intracellular ion imbalance, particularly Ca2+, oxidative stress, and impaired programmed cell death on WS progression.

Dataset Information

Evaluation of growth production factors as predictors of the incidence and severity of white striping and woody breast in broiler chickens.

Publications

Evaluation of growth production factors as predictors of the incidence and severity of white striping and woody breast in broiler chickens.

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