China Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine ›› 2025, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (1): 107-120.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2025.01.010

• Nutritionand Feed • Previous Articles    

Effects of Dietary Crude Protein Level on Growth and Slaughtering Performance and Intestinal Microflora Structure of Squabs

WANG Jing1, LIANG Guichen1, FU Rui1, WANG Zewu2, ZANG Changjiang1, LI Fengming1   

  1. 1. College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China;
    2. Xinjiang Kashgar Kunlun Cuiling Pigeon Industry Limited Liability Company, Kashgar 844000, China
  • Received:2024-06-27 Published:2024-12-30

Abstract: 【Objective】 The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of dietary protein level on growth,slaughter performance,intestinal microflora and structure of squabs under the "2+2" production mode (1 pair of parent pigeons feeding 2 squabs in 1 breeding cycle). 【Method】 60 pairs of healthy Tarim breeding pigeons aged 12-18 months,with similar reproductive performance,were randomly divided into 5 groups,with 12 pairs in each group,and each pair bred 2 squabs. The breeder pigenons were fed diets with energy level of 12.64 MJ/kg and different crude protein (CP) levels (12%,13%,14%,15% and 16%),respectively.The experiment had a 3-day pre-experimental period and a 28-day experimental period.The body weight of squabs was measured every 3 days,and 8 squabs in each group were slaughtered at 28 days of age,and their slaughter performance and jejunal microbial community structure were measured. 【Result】 ① Dietary protein level had significant effects on body weight and average daily gain of squabs (P<0.05).The body weight of squabs increased linearly with the increase of day age,and the average daily gain of squabs first decreased and then increased,showing a quadratic curve change (P<0.05).The average daily gain of squabs in CP13% group was the largest.② Dietary protein level had significant effects on the slaughter rate,abdominal fat rate,breast muscle rate and wing rate of squabs (P<0.05),and the slaughter rate of CP16% group was significantly higher than that of CP13% and CP14% groups (P<0.05).③ At the phylum level,the top ten in each group were Actinomyces,Firmicutes,TM7,Cyanobacteria,Proteobacteria,Bacteroidetes,Parasicutes,OP11,Chloromyces and Blastomonas.The relative abundance of Proteobacteria in CP16% group was significantly higher than that in CP14% and CP15% groups (P<0.05).At the family level,the top ten species in each group were Corynebacteriaceae,Lactobacillaceae,Rhodiaceae,Clostridiaceae,Erysipelothriaceae,Enterococcaceae,Veillonaceae,actinomyceaceae,Bifidobacteriaceae and Rs-045.The relative abundance of Rhodiaceae in CP14%,CP15% and CP16% groups was significantly higher than that in CP12% group (P<0.05).The relative abundance of Bifidobacteriaceae in CP14% and CP16% groups was significantly higher than that in CP12% and CP13% groups (P<0.05).At the genus level,the top ten in each group were Corynebacterium,Lactobacillus,Strangella,Segmental filamentous bacterium,Enterococcus,Veyronella,Bifidobacterium,Breidella,Actinomyces and Kinetocampylobacter,and the relative abundance of Bifidobacterium in CP14% and CP16% groups was significantly higher than that in CP12% and CP13% groups (P<0.05).The relative abundance of Strangella in CP15% and CP16% groups was significantly higher than that in CP12% group (P<0.05).The relative abundance of Veillonella in CP16% group was significantly higher than that in CP12% group (P<0.05). 【Conclusion】 Under the conditions of this experiment,the average daily weight gain of squabs was the highest when the crude protein level in the diet for breeder pigeons in the "2+2" production mode was 13%,and the slaughter performance was better.Different crude protein levels in the diet for breeder pigeons had a certain effect on the jejunal microbiota structure of squabs at 28 days old.A crude protein level of 13% in the diet for breeder pigeons was more suitable for the growth performance of squabs.

Key words: Tarim pigeons; protein level; growth performance; slaughter performance; microbiota structure

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