Beak trimming reduces feeding efficiency of hens

The ability of beak-trimmed and intact laying hens to ingest feed pellets was examined by highspeed video filming of feeding birds. The birds were exposed to either a deep layer of pellets or a single layer of pellets. In the single layer treatment, there was a negative correlation between mandible asymmetry and feeding success. These data have important implications for poultry welfare, since the degree of bill asymmetry caused by beak trimming may, under certain circumstances, result in inadvertent feed deprivation.

Beak trimming methods and their effect on the performance and egg quality of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) during lay

A total number of 720 Japanese quail females, reared under identical management conditions, and receiving feed and water ad libitum, was used. Quails were housed and reared from 1-35 days of age in litter pens in a rearing house, and then were transferred to a quail layer house. This study aimed at verifying if different beak trimming method could optimize egg production and quality by reducing stress and cannibalism among birds. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with six treatments in a 2x3 factorial arrangement, with two beak trimming ages (14 and 21 days) and three beak trimming variants (non-trimmed, 1/3 of the beak trimmed, or 1/2 of the beak trimmed), 6 replicates of 20 birds each. Performance was evaluated by feed intake, percentage of lay, egg mass, feed conversion ratio per dozen and per kg eggs, and mortality. Performance was influenced by trimming variant, with the best results obtained by birds with intact and those with 1/3 of the beak trimmed. Better specific gravity was in quails submitted to beak trimming at 21 days of age, whereas other egg quality parameters did not present significant results. Based the results obtained in the present study, it is recommended to submit to beak trimming either at 14 or 21 days of age.

Beak-trimming methods and their effect on the performance of japanese quail pullets (Coturnix japonica)

This study aimed at verifying if beak-trimming methods in Japanese quail pullets could optimize production by decreasing stress caused by cannibalism. A total number of 816 day-old Japanese quails was distributed in a completely randomized experimental design in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement, with two beak-trimming ages (14 and 21 days of age) and three beak-trimming sizes (not trimmed, 1/3 trimmed, or 1/2 trimmed), and 4 replicates of 34 birds per replicate. Birds were submitted to the same management and feeding conditions. Weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and mortality were evaluated. There was no significant effect of age at beak trimming on the evaluated parameters (P>0.05), as well as no significant interaction between age at beak trimming, and beak-trimming method. There was a significant effect (P<0.01) of trimming size on performance, with the best performance observed in birds not submitted to beak trimming or had 1/2 of the beak trimmed. When the beak was more aggressively trimmed (1/2), parameters were worse. According to the obtained results, it is recommended to trim 1/3 of the beaks, which can be performed either at 14 or 21 days of age.

Consumer attitudes to injurious pecking in free range egg production

Free range egg producers face continuing problems from injurious pecking (IP) which has financial consequences for farmers and poor welfare implications for birds. Beak trimming has been practised for many years to limit the damage caused by IP, but with the UK Government giving notification that they intend to ban beak trimming in 2016, considerable efforts have been made to devise feasible housing, range and management strategies to reduce IP. A recent research project investigated the efficacy of a range of IP reducing management strategies, the mean costs of which came to around 5 pence per bird. Here, the results of the above project’s consumer survey are presented: consumers’ attitudes to free range egg production are detailed showing that, whilst consumers had a very positive attitude towards free range eggs, they were especially uninformed about some aspects of free range egg production. The contingent valuation technique was used to estimate the price premium consumers would be prepared to pay to ensure that hens do not suffer from IP: this was calculated as just over 3% on top of the prevailing retail price of free range eggs. These findings reinforce other studies that have found that whilst consumers are not generally well-informed about certain specific welfare problems faced by animals under free range conditions, they are prepared to pay to improve animal welfare. Indeed, the study findings suggest that producers could obtain an additional price premium if they demonstrate the welfare provenance of their eggs, perhaps through marketing the eggs as coming from birds with intact beaks. This welfare provenance issue could usefully be assured to consumers by the introduction of a mandatory, single, accredited EU-wide welfare-standards labelling scheme.

Desempenho comparativo entre duas linhagens de roedeiras comerciais debicadas em diferentes idades na fase de recria

O experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de comparar o desempenho produtivo de duas linhagens comerciais de poedeiras debicadas em diferentes idades na fase de recria. Foram utilizadas 250 aves da linhagem Lohmann (LSL) e 250 aves da linhagem Isa Babcock (IB), debicadas em diferentes idades. A primeira debicagem foi realizada no 8º dia de idade e a segunda na 8ª, 10ª, 12ª ou 14ª semana de idade. Um grupo de 32 aves permaneceu com o bico intacto e outro não foi submetido à segunda debicagem. O delineamento utilizado foi em blocos ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 2x6 (linhagens x idade de debicagem). Não foi verificado efeito significativo da idade de debicagem sobre os parâmetros produtivos analisados, exceto a melhoria significativa na produção de ovos. As aves da linhagem LSL apresentaram melhores resultados para maturidade sexual, peso médio dos ovos, produção de ovos/ave dia, porcentagem de ovos quebrados e conversão alimentar, quando comparadas às aves da linhagem IB. Embora a prática da debicagem tenha melhorado a porcentagem de postura, os resultados evidenciaram que os parâmetros produtivos analisados foram mais influenciados pela linhagem do que pela idade de debicagem.

Desempenho de poedeiras comerciais submetidas ou não a diferentes métodos de debicagem

Foram utilizadas 288 aves da linhagem Isa Babcock avaliando o efeito da debicagem leve, severa e da não debicagem sobre o desempenho de poedeiras, distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 3x3 (primeira debicagem x segunda debicagem), com quatro repetições de oito aves cada. A primeira debicagem foi realizada aos nove dias e a segunda debicagem às 12 semanas. Avaliou-se consumo de ração, peso das aves, percentagem de postura e conversão alimentar em quatro períodos de 28 dias cada. de acordo com os resultados, aves com debicagem severa apresentaram menor consumo de ração e menor percentagem de postura(P<0,05).

Passiflora na alimentação de codornas de postura

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Métodos de debicagem em poedeiras comerciais

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FMVZ

Métodos de debicagem: desenvolvimento e desempenho produtivo de poedeiras leves e semipesadas

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Métodos de debicagem: desenvolvimento e desempenho produtivo de poedeiras leves e semipesadas

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Evidence of unique genotypes of Beak and feather disease virus in Southern Africa

Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), caused by Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), is the most significant infectious disease in psittacines. PBFD is thought to have originated in Australia but is now found worldwide; in Africa, it threatens the survival of the indigenous endangered Cape parrot and the vulnerable black-cheeked lovebird. We investigated the genetic diversity of putative BFDVs from southern Africa. Feathers and heparinized blood samples were collected from 27 birds representing 9 psittacine species, all showing clinical signs of PBFD. DNA extracted from these samples was used for PCR amplification of the putative BFDV coat protein (CP) gene. The nucleotide sequences of the CP genes of 19 unique BFDV isolates were determined and compared with the 24 previously described sequences of BFDV isolates from Australasia and America. Phylogenetic analysis revealed eight BFDV lineages, with the southern African isolates representing at least three distinctly unique genotypes; 10 complete genome sequences were determined, representing at least one of every distinct lineage. The nucleotide diversity of the southern African isolates was calculated to be 6.4% and is comparable to that found in Australia and New Zealand. BFDVs in southern Africa have, however, diverged substantially from viruses found in other parts of the world, as the average distance between the southern African isolates and BFDV isolates from Australia ranged from 8.3 to 10.8%. In addition to point mutations, recombination was found to contribute substantially to the level of genetic variation among BFDVs, with evidence of recombination in all but one of the genomes analyzed.

The capsid protein of beak and feather disease virus binds to the viral DNA and is responsible for transporting the replication-associated protein into the nucleus

Circoviruses lack an autonomous DNA polymerase and are dependent on the replication machinery of the host cell for de novo DNA synthesis. Accordingly, the viral DNA needs to cross both the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope before replication can occur. Here we report on the subcellular distribution of the beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) capsid protein (CP) and replication-associated protein (Rep) expressed via recombinant baculoviruses in an insect cell system and test the hypothesis that the CP is responsible for transporting the viral genome, as well as Rep, across the nuclear envelope. The intracellular localization of the BFDV CP was found to be directed by three partially overlapping bipartite nuclear localization signals (NLSs) situated between residues 16 and 56 at the N terminus of the protein. Moreover, a DNA binding region was also mapped to the N terminus of the protein and falls within the region containing the three putative NLSs. The ability of CP to bind DNA, coupled with the karyophilic nature of this protein, strongly suggests that it may be responsible for nuclear targeting of the viral genome. Interestingly, whereas Rep expressed on its own in insect cells is restricted to the cytoplasm, coexpression with CP alters the subcellular localization of Rep to the nucleus, strongly suggesting that an interaction with CP facilitates movement of Rep into the nucleus. Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

A unique isolate of beak and feather disease virus isolated from budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) in South Africa

Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV), the causative agent of psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) infects psittaciformes worldwide. We provide an annotated sequence record of three full-length unique genomes of BFDV isolates from budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) from a breeding farm in South Africa. The isolates share >99% nucleotide sequence identity with each other and ~96% nucleotide sequence identity to two recent isolates (Melopsittacus undulatus) from Thailand but only between 91. 6 and 86. 6% identity with all other full-length BFDV sequences. Maximum-likelihood analysis and recombination analysis suggest that the South African budgerigar BFDV isolates are unique to budgerigars, are non-recombinant in origin, and represent a new genotype of BFDV. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.

Global genetic diversity and geographical and host-species distribution of beak and feather disease virus isolates

Psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD) has a broad host range and is widespread in wild and captive psittacine populations in Asia, Africa, the Americas, Europe and Australasia. Beak and feather disease circovirus (BFDV) is the causative agent. BFDV has an ~2 kb single stranded circular DNA genome encoding just two proteins (Rep and CP). In this study we provide support for demarcation of BFDV strains by phylogenetic analysis of 65 complete genomes from databases and 22 new BFDV sequences isolated from infected psittacines in South Africa. We propose 94% genome-wide sequence identity as a strain demarcation threshold, with isolates sharing > 94% identity belonging to the same strain, and strain subtypes sharing> 98% identity. Currently, BFDV diversity falls within 14 strains, with five highly divergent isolates from budgerigars probably representing a new species of circovirus with three strains (budgerigar circovirus; BCV-A, -B and -C). The geographical distribution of BFDV and BCV strains is strongly linked to the international trade in exotic birds; strains with more than one host are generally located in the same geographical area. Lastly, we examined BFDV and BCV sequences for evidence of recombination, and determined that recombination had occurred in most BFDV and BCV strains. We established that there were two globally significant recombination hotspots in the viral genome: the first is along the entire intergenic region and the second is in the C-terminal portion of the CP ORF. The implications of our results for the taxonomy and classification of circoviruses are discussed. © 2011 SGM.

Crystal structures of the endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase-1 (ERAP1) reveal the molecular basis for N-terminal peptide trimming

Endoplasmatic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1) is a multifunctional enzyme involved in trimming of peptides to an optimal length for presentation by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. Polymorphisms in ERAP1 have been associated with chronic inflammatory diseases, including ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriasis, and subsequent in vitro enzyme studies suggest distinct catalytic properties of ERAP1 variants. To understand structure-activity relationships of this enzyme we determined crystal structures in open and closed states of human ERAP1, which provide the first snapshots along a catalytic path. ERAP1 is a zinc-metallopeptidase with typical H-E-X-X-H-(X)18-E zinc binding and G-A-M-E-N motifs characteristic for members of the gluzincin protease family. The structures reveal extensive domain movements, including an active site closure as well as three different open conformations, thus providing insights into the catalytic cycle. A K 528R mutant strongly associated with AS in GWAS studies shows significantly altered peptide processing characteristics, which are possibly related to impaired interdomain interactions.