SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Harran Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi / 2026 / Volume: 15 Issue: 3

Organ-Specific Oxidative Responses in Broilers Reared on Agricultural By-Product Litters

Tarımsal Yan Ürün Altlıklarında Yetiştirilen Etlik Piliçlerde Organa Özgü Oksidatif Yanıtlar

Ece Koç(AYDIN ADNAN MENDERES ÜNİVERSİTESİ, VETERİNER FAKÜLTESİ, VETERİNER HEKİMLİĞİ TEMEL BİLİMLERİ BÖLÜMÜ, VETERİNERLİK FİZYOLOJİSİ ANABİLİM DALI)0000-0002-3208-6772
Miray Aykoç Göçer(AYDIN ADNAN MENDERES ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ ENSTİTÜSÜ, FİZYOLOJİ (DR) (VETERİNER))0000-0002-4077-6634
Engin Furkan Derdiyok(AYDIN ADNAN MENDERES ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ ENSTİTÜSÜ, ZOOTEKNİ (YL) (TEZLİ) (VETERİNER))0009-0005-6291-4646
Pages
—
Publication Date
2026-09-23
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

In conclusion, the present findings suggest that certain alternative litter materials may be associated with organ-specific changes in selected oxidative and antioxidant biomarkers, while others show profiles comparable to wood shavings under the conditions of this study.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:The use of agricultural by-products as alternatives to wood shavings in poultry production is increasing due to lower cost and easier availability.
📊
Key Findings & Data:However, although most studies focus on performance and welfare, evidence regarding oxidative status, which plays a central role in regulating animal performance, welfare, and disease resilience, remains limited.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:In conclusion, the present findings suggest that certain alternative litter materials may be associated with organ-specific changes in selected oxidative and antioxidant biomarkers, while others show profiles comparable to wood shavings under the conditions of this study.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Antioxidants · housing · malondialdehyde

Abstract

The use of agricultural by-products as alternatives to wood shavings in poultry production is increasing due to lower cost and easier availability. However, although most studies focus on performance and welfare, evidence regarding oxidative status, which plays a central role in regulating animal performance, welfare, and disease resilience, remains limited. This study evaluated the effects of alternative litter materials on oxidative status in broiler internal organs. A total of 480 male Ross 308 broilers (Gallus gallus domesticus) were assigned to five litter treatments (n=96): wood shavings (control), rice husk, wheat straw, corn stalk, and cotton stalk. On day 42, 16 broilers per group were euthanised, and the heart, liver, thymus, and bursa of Fabricius were collected. Tissue malondialdehyde, an indicator of oxidative damage, along with the enzymatic antioxidant catalase and the non-enzymatic antioxidant glutathione, were measured spectrophotometrically. Litter type was associated with organ-specific changes in selected oxidative and antioxidant biomarkers rather than a generalized pattern across tissues. In heart tissue, malondialdehyde levels were significantly higher in the corn stalk group, while antioxidant parameters remained unchanged. In the thymus, rice husk increased malondialdehyde levels together with catalase activity. In conclusion, the present findings suggest that certain alternative litter materials may be associated with organ-specific changes in selected oxidative and antioxidant biomarkers, while others show profiles comparable to wood shavings under the conditions of this study.

Özet

Etlik piliç üretiminde odun talaşına alternatif olarak tarımsal yan ürünlerin kullanımı, daha düşük maliyet ve daha kolay bulunabilirlik nedeniyle artmaktadır. Ancak çoğu çalışma performans ve refah üzerine odaklansa da hayvan performansı, refahı ve hastalıklara karşı direncini düzenlemede merkezi bir rol oynayan oksidatif metabolizmaya ilişkin kanıtlar sınırlı kalmaktadır. Bu çalışma, alternatif altlık materyallerinin etlik piliçlerin iç organlarındaki oksidatif metabolizma üzerindeki etkilerini değerlendirdi. Toplam 480 adet erkek Ross 308 etlik piliç (Gallus gallus domesticus) altlık tiplerine göre 5 gruba ayrıldı (n=96): odun talaşı (kontrol), pirinç kavuzu, buğday samanı, mısır sapı ve pamuk sapı. Çalışmanın 42. gününde, her gruptan 16 piliç ötanazi edildi ve kalp, karaciğer, timus ile bursa Fabricius organları alındı. Oksidatif hasarın bir göstergesi olan malondialdehit seviyelerinin yanı sıra enzimatik antioksidan katalaz ve enzimatik olmayan antioksidan glutatyonun protein düzeyleri spektrofotometrik olarak ölçüldü. Altlık tipinin, dokular üzerinde genel bir etkiden ziyade, organa özgü değişiklikler yarattığı görüldü. Kalpte, mısır sapı grubunda malondialdehit seviyeleri önemli ölçüde daha yüksekken, antioksidan parametreler değişiklik göstermedi. Timusta ise pirinç kavuzu, malondialdehit seviyelerini ve katalaz aktivitesini birlikte arttırdı. Mevcut bulgular, alternatif altlık materyallerinin seçilen oksidatif biyobelirteçlerde organa özgü değişikliklerle ilişkili olabileceğini; diğerlerinin ise bu çalışmanın koşulları altında odun talaşıyla karşılaştırılabilir profiller sergilediğini göstermektedir.

🔖

Cite This Article

Koç, E., Göçer, M. A., Derdiyok, E. F. (2026). Organ-Specific Oxidative Responses in Broilers Reared on Agricultural By-Product Litters. Harran Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi, Volume: 15 Issue: 3. https://doi.org/10.31196/huvfd.1927550

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (33)

  1. Abougabal, M. (2019). Possibility of broiler production on reused litter. Egyptian Poultry Science Journal, 39(2), 405-421. https://doi.org/10.21608/ epsj.2019.35039
  2. Abougabal, M., & Taboosha, M. F. (2023). Effect of different types of available litter materials on the performance and welfare of broiler chickens. Al-Azhar Journal of Agricultural Research, 48(1), 139-152. https://doi. org/10.21608/ajar.2023.316064
  3. Aviagen. (2021a). Ross 308 parent stock: Nutrition specifications (1st ed., Vol. 2021). Aviagen.
  4. Aviagen. (2021b). Ross 308 parent stock: Performance objectives (1st ed., Vol. 2021). Aviagen.
  5. Cisar, C. R., Balog, J. M., Anthony, N. B., & Donoghue, A. M. (2005). Differential expression of cardiac muscle mitochondrial matrix proteins in broilers from ascites-resistant and susceptible lines. Poultry Science, 84(5), 704-708. https://doi.org/10.1093/ ps/84.5.704
  6. Constable, P. D., Smith, G. W., Rottinghaus, G. E., & Haschek, W. M. (2000). Ingestion of fumonisin B1-containing culture material decreases cardiac contractility and mechanical efficiency in swine. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 162(3), 151-160. https:// doi.org/10.1006/taap.1999.8831
  7. Costa, H. D. A., Vaz, R. G. M. V., Silva, M. C. D., Rodrigues, K. F., Sousa, L. F., Bezerra, L. D. S., & Oliveira, M. F. D. (2021). Performance and meat quality of broiler chickens reared on two different litter materials and at two stocking densities. British Poultry Science, 62(3), 396-403. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071668.2020.1864810
  8. Dančová, N., Gregová, G., Szabóová, T., & Marcinčák, S. (2025). The effects of natural additives on litter condition, microclimate environment and antimicrobial resistance in the broiler chickens rearing. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1380876
  9. Duah, M., Li, L., Shen, J., Lan, Q., Pan, B., & Xu, K. (2021). Thymus degeneration and regeneration. Frontiers in Immunology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/ fimmu.2021.706244
  10. Faraguna, S., Milinković Tur, S., Sobočanec, S., Pinterić, M., & Belić, M. (2025). Assessment of oxidative stress and associated biomarkers in wild avian species. Animals, 15(9), 1203. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ani15091203
  11. Farghly, M. F. A., Mahrose, Kh. M., Cooper, R. G., Metwally, Kh. A., Abougabal, M. Sh., & El-Ratel, I. T. (2021). Use of available crop by-products as alternative bedding materials to wheat straw for rearing broilers. Animal, 15(7), 100260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. animal.2021.100260
  12. Fu, Y., Zhang, S., Zhao, N., Xing, L., Li, T., Liu, X., & Li, J. (2022). Effect of mild intermittent cold stimulation on thymus immune function in broilers. Poultry Science, 101(10), 102073. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. psj.2022.102073
  13. Guo, Y., Zhang, J., Li, X., Wu, J., Han, J., Yang, G., & Zhang, L. (2023). Oxidative stress mediated immunosuppression caused by ammonia gas via antioxidant/oxidant imbalance in broilers. British Poultry Science, 64(1), 36-46. https://doi.org/10.10 80/00071668.2022.2122025
  14. Gupta, V. N., Pramanik, P. S., Singh, K. D., Kumar, S., Verma, A. K., Srivastav, A. K., & Shrivastava, D. P. (2023). Effect of different litter materials on behavior, stress and incidence of mortality and morbidity rate on broiler chickens. Environment and Ecology, 41(4A), 2577- 2583. https://doi.org/10.60151/envec/BXEO8498
  15. Khan, K., Kaya, M., Fidan, E. D., & Kilimci, F. S. (2023). Impact of litter on femur and tibial morphology, bone biomechanics, and leg health parameters in broiler chickens. Animal Bioscience, 36(9), 1393-1402. https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.22.0335
  16. Li, J., Yin, K., Hou, L., Zhang, Y., Lu, H., Ma, C., & Xing, M. (2023). Polystyrene microplastics mediate inflammatory responses in the chicken thymus by Nrf2/NF-κB pathway and trigger autophagy and apoptosis. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 100, 104136. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.etap.2023.104136
  17. Lin, H., Decuypere, E., & Buyse, J. (2006). Acute heat stress induces oxidative stress in broiler chickens. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 144(1), 11-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2006.01.032
  18. Lowry, O. H., Rosebrough, N. J., Farr, A. L., & Randall, R. J. (1951). Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 193(1), 265-275.
  19. Luck, H. (1965). Catalase. In H. U. Bergmeyer (Ed.), Methods of enzymatic analysis (pp. 885-894). Academic Press.
  20. McGahan, E., Dunlop, M., & Gould, N. (2021). Best practice litter management manual for Australian meat chicken farms: Covering fresh, in-shed, reuse and spent litter management (E. McGahan, Ed.; 1st ed., Vol. 1). AgriFutures Australia.
  21. Munkvold, G. P. (2003). Epidemiology of fusarium diseases and their mycotoxins in maize ears. European Journal of Plant Pathology, 109(7), 705-713. https:// doi.org/10.1023/A:1026078324268
  22. Ohkawa, H., Ohishi, N., & Yagi, K. (1979). Assay for lipid peroxides in animal tissues by thiobarbituric acid reaction. Analytical Biochemistry, 95(2), 351-358. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(79)90738-3
  23. Percie du Sert, N., Hurst, V., Ahluwalia, A., Alam, S., Avey, M. T., Baker, M., & Würbel, H. (2020). The ARRIVE guidelines 2.0: Updated guidelines for reporting animal research. PLOS Biology, 18(7), e3000410. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000410
  24. Puvadolpirod, S., & Thaxton, J. P. (2000). Model of physiological stress in chickens 1. Response parameters. Poultry Science, 79(3), 363-369. https://doi.org/10.1093/ps/79.3.363
  25. Reddy, V. P. (2023). Oxidative stress in health and disease. Biomedicines, 11(11), 2925. https://doi. org/10.3390/biomedicines11112925
  26. Rotariu, D., Babes, E. E., Tit, D. M., Moisi, M., Bustea, C., Stoicescu, M., & Bungau, S. G. (2022). Oxidative stress - Complex pathological issues concerning the hallmark of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 152, 113238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113238
  27. Sadasivam, N., Kim, Y.-J., Radhakrishnan, K., & Kim, D.-K. (2022). Oxidative stress, genomic integrity, and liver diseases. Molecules, 27(10), 3159. https://doi. org/10.3390/molecules27103159
  28. Tang, L.-P., Liu, Y.-L., Zhang, J.-X., Ding, K.-N., Lu, M.-H., & He, Y.-M. (2022). Heat stress in broilers of liver injury effects heat stress on oxidative stress and autophagy in liver of broilers. Poultry Science, 101(10), 102085. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2022.102085
  29. Tietze, F. (1969). Enzymic method for quantitative determination of nanogram amounts of total and oxidized glutathione: Applications to mammalian blood and other tissues. Analytical Biochemistry, 27(3), 502-522. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003- 2697(69)90064-5
  30. Toghyani, M., Gheisari, A., Modaresi, M., Tabeidian, S. A., & Toghyani, M. (2010). Effect of different litter material on performance and behavior of broiler chickens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 122(1), 48-52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2009.11.008
  31. Wei, H., Zhang, R., Su, Y., Bi, Y., Li, X., Zhang, X., & Bao, J. (2018). Effects of acute cold stress after long-term cold stimulation on antioxidant status, heat shock proteins, inflammation and immune cytokines in broiler heart. Frontiers in Physiology, 9, 1589. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.01589
  32. Yıldız, A., Yıldız, K., & Apaydın, B. (2014). Vermikülitin broilerlerde altlık olarak kullanımının bazı sağlık ve stres parametreleri üzerine etkisi. Kafkas Universitesi Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi, 20(1), 129- 134. https://doi.org/10.9775/kvfd.2013.9639
  33. Costa, H. D. A., Vaz, R. G. M. V., Silva, M. C. D., Rodrigues, K. F., Sousa, L. F., Bezerra, L. D. S., & Oliveira, M. F. D. (2021). Performance and meat quality of broiler chickens reared on two different litter materials and at two stocking densities. British Poultry Science, 62(3), 396-403. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071668.2020.1864810