China Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine ›› 2025, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (1): 169-181.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2025.01.015

• Nutritionand Feed • Previous Articles    

Effects of Dietary Fermented Mulberry Leaf Powder on Growth Performance, Antioxidant and Immune Capacity,and Gut Microbiota Structure of Yellow-feathered Broilers

XING Dongxu1, FU Bing1, WANG Junyan2, LI Qingrong1, ZHOU Donglai1, YE Jinling2, LIAO Sentai1, RUAN Dong2, ZOU Yuxiao1   

  1. 1. Sericultural & Agri-Food Research Institute, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Functional Foods, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Agricultural Products Processing, Guangzhou 510610, China;
    2. Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Breeding and Nutrition, Guangzhou 510640, China
  • Received:2024-06-21 Published:2024-12-30

Abstract: 【Objective】 This study was conducted to investigate the effect of fermented mulberry leaf powder (FML) on growth performance,antioxidant and immune capacity,and gut microbiota structure of Yellow-feathered broilers. 【Method】 540 1-day-old Yellow-feathered broilers with an initial weight of (40.07±0.05) g were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups,each with 6 replicates and 30 broilers per replicate.Three types of equal nitrogen and equal energy experimental feed were fed with 0(control group),4.5% FML(group FML45),and 9.0% FML(group FML90) during the brooding,growth,and adult stages,respectively.The experimental period was 50 days.At 21,42 and 50 days of age,the broilers were weighed with fasting and feed intake was analyzed to calculate growth performance.At 50 days of age,3 broilers with average body weight from each replicate were selected for blood collection and slaughter,and serum antioxidant indicators were determined.The ileal mucosa was taken to determine antioxidant and immune functions,and the ileal content was taken to determine the gut microbiota structure. 【Result】 Compared with control group,① The broilers in group FML90 showed a significant decrease in body weight(BW) and average daily gain (ADG)(P<0.05),as well as a significant increase in feed to weight ratio (F/G)(P<0.05),and an increasing trend in average daily feed intake (ADFI)(P=0.084).There was no significant difference in mortality among groups(P>0.05).② The activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) in serum of broilers in groups FML45 and FML90 was significantly increased (P<0.05),and there were no significant differences in the content of malondialdehyde(MDA) and the activities of glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px) and total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC) among groups (P>0.05). T-AOC in ileum of broilers in group FML45 was significantly higher than that in control group and group FML90.There were no significant differences in the contents of MDA,the activities of GSH-Px and SOD in ileum among groups (P>0.05).③ The broilers in group FML90 showed a significant increase in the content of secreted immunoglobulin A(SIgA) (P<0.05),and there were no significant differences in the contents of interleukin-1β (IL-1β),IL-10,tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α),transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) and complement 3 (C3) among groups (P>0.05).④ There was no significant differences in the relative abundance at phylum level in ileum among groups (P>0.05).The relative abundance of Faecalibacterium were significantly increased (P<0.05),while the relative abundances of unclassified_o_Eubacteriales and unclassified_o_Oscillospiraceae were significantly decreased (P<0.05),the relative abundance of Phascolarctobacterium showed an increasing trend (P=0.067),and the Ace index and Chao1 index were significantly decreased (P<0.05) in groups FML45 and FML90. 【Conclusion】 Diets supplemented with FML could enhance the immunity and antioxidant capacity,improve the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria in intestine,but excessive addition could reduce the growth performance of broilers.It was recommended to add 4.5% FML to the diet for broilers.

Key words: fermented mulberry leaf powder; Yellow-feathered broilers; growth performance; antioxidant capacity; intestinal immunity; gut microbiota

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