{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T22:36:20Z","timestamp":1772058980966,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,27]],"date-time":"2025-02-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1740614400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"PRIN: \u201cUse of Local Chicken Breeds in Alternative Production Chain: Welfare, Quality and Sustainability\u201d","award":["2017S229WC"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2017S229WC"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Reducing the environmental impact of poultry farming aligns with the European Green Deal\u2019s goal of climate neutrality and sustainable food production. Local chicken breeds and low-input diets are promising strategies to achieve this goal. This study evaluated the effects of diet (standard vs. low-input, formulated with reduced soybean meal in favour of local ingredients) on the morphological characteristics of the jejunum in fast-growing chickens (Ross 308), local breeds (Bionda piemontese, BP; Robusta maculata, RM), and their crosses with Sasso (SA) hens (BP \u00d7 SA, RM \u00d7 SA). Histological samples from the jejunum were collected at slaughter (47 days for Ross 308, 105 days for others). Jejunal morphology was assessed focusing on villi height, crypt depth, goblet cell density, and immune markers (CD3+ and CD45+ cells). Local breeds, particularly RM, exhibited superior villus height-to-crypt depth ratios, related to better nutrient absorption compared to fast-growing genotypes. Ross chickens had higher goblet cell densities, reflecting greater sensitivity to environmental stress. Although the low-input diet reduced villi height and villus-to-crypt ratio, it tended to increase CD3+ cell density. These effects may be ascribed to the replacement of soybeans with fava beans and their antinutritional factors. These findings highlight the resilience of local breeds to dietary changes, supporting their suitability for alternative poultry production systems.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani15050696","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,28]],"date-time":"2025-02-28T08:05:54Z","timestamp":1740729954000},"page":"696","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Histochemical and Immunohistochemical Evaluation of the Effects of a Low-Input Diet on Different Chicken Breeds"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-3400-5964","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elisa","family":"Fonsatti","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padova, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8645-5863","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martina","family":"Bortoletti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padova, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1236-4456","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Birolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5377-8698","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesco","family":"Bordignon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4572-3635","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gerolamo","family":"Xiccato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9045-6156","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Angela","family":"Trocino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1370-8679","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniela","family":"Bertotto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padova, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4537-4386","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marta","family":"Vascellari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Histopathology Laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0176-1701","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Radaelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padova, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7934-7477","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cristina","family":"Ballarin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padova, Viale dell\u2019Universit\u00e0, 16, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"(2024, October 31). 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