Long-term pop music exposure impairs production and reproductive performance in laying hens via neural and oxidative stress pathways.

Relax music has been recognized as an effective form of environmental enrichment to improve poultry welfare; however, the effects of pop music on laying hens remain unclear. This study systematically the impact of long-term pop music exposure on production performance, egg quality, physiological status, and central nervous system responses in laying hens. Pop music exposure significantly decreased daily feed intake, laying rate, and egg weight, with increased egg breakage and reduced eggshell strength and yolk color. (P < 0.05). Blood biochemical analysis revealed elevated creatine kinase activity and impaired antioxidant capacity and decreased reproductive hormone concentrations (GnRH, LH and E2) (P < 0.05). Histological examination revealed increased neuronal density in the brain and a reduction in ovarian follicle number in music-exposed hens. Transcriptomic profiling identified 760 differentially expressed genes, predominantly involved in neurodevelopment and neuroendocrine regulation, including GABAergic synapse, serotonergic synapse, and GnRH secretion pathways. These findings suggest that long-term pop music exposure may act as a chronic stressor in laying hens, impairing production and reproductive performance through inducing oxidative stress, disrupting neural homeostasis, altering inhibitory neurotransmission, and impairing hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function.