Feed restriction ameliorates metabolic dysregulation and improves reproductive performance of meat-type country chickens.

Abstract

Restricted feed intake improves egg production in Cornish×Plymouth Rock (broiler) hens. Red-feather (RF) and Black-feather (BF) chickens are 2 local strains of non-broiler meat-type chickens whose egg production has declined with continued selection for meat yield, and which are unstudied regarding restricted feeding and egg-laying improvement. Sixteen week old RF and BF pullets were either fed ad libitum (AL) or restricted to 85% AL intake (R). At 35wk and 50wk R-hens showed improved egg production and less abnormal ovarian morphology than AL-hens. Obesity, hepatic steatosis, lipotoxic change to plasma lipids, and systemic inflammation induced by AL feeding in RF and BF hens were similar to those observed previously in AL-broiler hens. Egg production was negatively correlated to body weight, fractional abdominal fat weight and plasma NEFA concentrations in AL hens (P<0.05). AL-hen hierarchical follicles accumulated ceramide and increased interleukin-1β production (P<0.05) in conjunction with increased granulosa cell apoptosis, follicle atresia, ovarian regression, and reduced plasma 17β-estradiol concentrations (P<0.05). The present outcomes from non-broiler but nevertheless meat-type country chicken strains indicate that selection for rapid growth and increased meat yield fundamentally changes energy metabolism in a way that renders hens highly susceptible to reproductive impairment from lipid dysregulation and pro-inflammatory signaling rather than impaired resource allocation per se.

• Authors: Yu-En Pan, Zu-Chen Liu, Chai-Ju Chang, Yu-Feng Huang, Chien-Yang Lai, Rosemary L Walzem, Shuen-Ei Chen
• Journal: Animal reproduction science (Anim Reprod Sci) Vol. 151 Issue 3-4 Pg. 229-36 (Dec 30 2014) ISSN: 1873-2232 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 25458320 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Animal Feed
• Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
• Animals
• Caloric Restriction (veterinary)
• Chickens
• Eating (physiology)
• Eggs
• Female
• Meat
• Metabolic Diseases (prevention & control, veterinary)
• Oviparity
• Poultry Diseases (prevention & control)
• Reproduction