Novel insight into the feed conversion ratio in laying hens and construction of its prediction model

Yan Li; Ruiyu Ma; Renrong Qi; hualong Li; Junying Li; Wei Liu; Yi Wan; Sanjun Li; Zhen Sun; Jiechi Xu; Kai Zhan

Poultry Science (Oct 2024)

Novel insight into the feed conversion ratio in laying hens and construction of its prediction model

Yan Li,
Ruiyu Ma,
Renrong Qi,
hualong Li,
Junying Li,
Wei Liu,
Yi Wan,
Sanjun Li,
Zhen Sun,
Jiechi Xu,
Kai Zhan

Affiliations

Yan Li: Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Product Safety Engineering, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
Ruiyu Ma: Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Product Safety Engineering, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
Renrong Qi: Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Product Safety Engineering, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
hualong Li: Advanced Manufacturing Technology Research Center of Institute of Intelligent Machines, Hefei Institute of Physical Science, CAS, Hefei 230001 China
Junying Li: Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Product Safety Engineering, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
Wei Liu: Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Product Safety Engineering, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
Yi Wan: Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Product Safety Engineering, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
Sanjun Li: Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Product Safety Engineering, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
Zhen Sun: College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036 Anhui, China
Jiechi Xu: Qianshan Tiansheng Agricultural Ecological Technology Development Co. Ltd, Qianshan, Anhui 246300, China
Kai Zhan: Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Product Safety Engineering, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; Corresponding author:

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 103, no. 10
p. 104013

Abstract

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ABSTRACT: Feed efficiency (FE) is an important economic factor in poultry production, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) is one of the most widely used measures of FE. Factors associated with FCR include genetics, the environment, and other factors. However, the mechanisms responsible for FCR in chickens are still less well appreciated. In this study, we examined the pattern changes of FCR, then delved into understanding the mechanisms behind these variations from both genetic and environmental perspectives. Most interestingly, the FCR at the front section of henhouse exhibited the lowest value. Further investigation revealed that laying rate in the high FCR (HFCR) group was lower than that in the low FCR (LFCR) group (P < 0.05). Cortisol, total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), and IgG levels in the LFCR group were significantly lower than those in the HFCR group (P < 0.05), while BUN level was significantly higher than that in the HFCR group (P < 0.05). We identified a total of 67 and 10 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with FCR in ovarian and small intestine tissues, respectively. Functional enrichment analysis of DEGs revealed that they might affect FCR by modulating genes associated with salivary secretion, ferroptosis, and mineral absorption. Moreover, values for relative humidity (RH), air velocity (AV), PM2.5, ammonia (NH3), and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the LFCR group were significantly lower than those in the HFCR group (P < 0.05). Conversely, value for light intensity (LI) in the LFCR group was significantly higher than that in the HFCR group (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between FCR and RH, AV, PM2.5, NH3, and CO2, and a negative correlation with LI. Finally, the FCR prediction model was successfully constructed based on multiple environmental variables using the random forest algorithm, providing a valuable tool for predicting FCR in chickens.

Published in Poultry Science

ISSN: 0032-5791 (Print); 1525-3171 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Animal culture
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/poultry-science

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