Effect of feeding varying levels of groundnut haulms on feed intake and growth performance in broiler chickens

Effects of earthworm hydrolysate in production performance, serum biochemical parameters, antioxidant capacity and intestinal function of Muscovy ducks

Earthworm has a variety of molecular biological characteristic, for example, growth promotion, antioxidant, and anti-bacteria. Thus, we decomposed earthworm by earthworm's own protease for preparing of earthworm hydrolysate. Muscovy ducks were fed with basal diet that formulated to contain 1.5% and 2.5% earthworm hydrolysate. Then, we investigated the influences of earthworm hydrolysate on growth performance in Muscovy ducks by performance terminology and measurement for poultry (NY/T 823-2020). The morphology of duodenum and number of intraepithelial lymphocytes were tested by HE staining and immunohistochemical method. Serum biochemical parameters and antioxidant capacity were also determined. High-throughput sequencing technology can sequence 16S rDNA of cecal contents from experimental Muscovy ducks. Results showed that 1.5% earthworm hydrolysate increased ADG (16-70 days old), ALB, HDL-C, T-AOC, CAT, SOD, GSH-PX, villi length, intestine thickness and surface area of villi (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and reduced FCR (16-70 days old), UREA, CRE, LDL-C, MDA (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Meanwhile, 2.5% improved ADG (16-70 days old), abdominal fat yield, breast muscle yield, heart index, spleen index, ALP, UA, T-AOC, CAT, SOD, GSH-PX, villi length, crypt depth, intestine thickness, surface area of villi, the percentage of intraepithelial lymphocytes (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and decreased FCR (42-70 days old and 16-70 days old), UREA, UA, MDA (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). The sequencing results of gut flora demonstrated that earthworm hydrolysate improved variety of the gut flora in the V4 area of ducks immensely. In a word, our results provide the foundation for preliminary researching the potential principles of earthworm hydrolysate in promoting production performance, adjusting antioxidant function and intestinal functions in the Muscovy duck industry.