How Hatching and Body Weight Affect Growth, Gut Health, and Microbes in Chickens

Jim Crocker
25th July, 2024

How Hatching and Body Weight Affect Growth, Gut Health, and Microbes in Chickens

Image Source: UMUT DAĞLI (photographer)

Key Findings

  • The study by KU Leuven found that broilers hatched on-farm (HOF) had better early gut microbiota colonization compared to those hatched in hatcheries (HH)
  • Early feeding in HOF chicks led to improved growth performance and more favorable gut microbiota, which is crucial for their overall health and growth patterns
  • The study suggests that optimizing hatching practices to include early feeding can enhance broiler growth performance and uniformity, addressing key challenges in poultry production
Variations in body weight (BW) within broiler flocks remain a significant challenge, even under uniform management practices. Growth traits in chickens are influenced by gut microbiota, which are shaped by early-life events such as different hatching environments and the timing of first feeding. Chicks hatched in hatcheries (HH) experience prolonged feed deprivation, potentially impacting early microbiota colonization negatively. Conversely, hatching on-farm (HOF) allows for early feeding, fostering a more favorable gut environment for beneficial microbial establishment. A recent study conducted by researchers at KU Leuven investigated whether BW differences among broilers are linked to disparities in gut microbiota characteristics and whether hatching systems (HS) impact the initial microbial colonization of broilers differing in BW, subsequently affecting their growth patterns[1]. The study used male Ross-308 chicks, either hatched in a hatchery or on-farm, and categorized them into low (LBW) and high (HBW) BW groups on day 7, creating a two-factorial design (HS × BW). Production parameters were recorded periodically, and on days 7, 14, and 38, cecal volatile fatty acid (VFA) and microbiota composition and function were examined using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and PICRUSt2. The study found that early feeding in HOF chicks led to more favorable gut microbiota colonization compared to HH chicks. This early microbial establishment is crucial as it impacts the chicks' growth patterns and overall health. The HOF chicks showed better growth performance, which aligns with previous findings indicating that early life nutrition and gut health are pivotal for optimal growth[2]. The study also observed that LBW and HBW groups had distinct microbiota compositions, suggesting that gut microbiota might play a role in the observed BW variations. These findings are significant because they highlight the potential of optimizing hatching systems to improve broiler growth and uniformity. Previous research has shown that flock weight uniformity is associated with several production measures, including mortality, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and growth rate[3]. By improving early gut microbiota colonization through on-farm hatching and early feeding, it may be possible to enhance flock uniformity and overall production efficiency. Additionally, the study provides insights into the relationship between gut microbiota and metabolic diseases in broilers. For instance, perturbations in gut microbiota have been linked to metabolic skeletal diseases like tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) in fast-growing broilers[4]. By fostering a healthier gut environment from the outset, it may be possible to reduce the incidence of such diseases, thereby improving both welfare and production outcomes. In conclusion, the study by KU Leuven demonstrates that hatching systems significantly impact early gut microbiota colonization, which in turn affects BW and growth patterns in broilers. These findings suggest that optimizing hatching practices to include early feeding can lead to better growth performance and uniformity within broiler flocks, addressing some of the key challenges in poultry production.

HealthBiochemAnimal Science

References

Main Study

1) Assessing the impact of hatching system and body weight on the growth performance, caecal short-chain fatty acids, and microbiota composition and functionality in broilers

Published 24th July, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1186/s42523-024-00331-6

Related Studies

2) Slow and steady wins the race: The behaviour and welfare of commercial faster growing broiler breeds compared to a commercial slower growing breed.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231006

3) Associations between carcass weight uniformity and production measures on farm and at slaughter in commercial broiler flocks.

https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pez252

4) Gut microbiome dysregulation drives bone damage in broiler tibial dyschondroplasia by disrupting glucose homeostasis.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41522-022-00360-6


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