Effects of fermented feed on growth performance, serum biochemical indexes, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health of lion-head goslings

Zhiqi Fu; Na Ao; Xiaoen Liang; Jinhuang Chen; Yuchuan Wang; Qing Wang; Jing Fu; Chunpeng Liu; Lizhi Lu

doi:10.3389/fvets.2023.1284523

Effects of fermented feed on growth performance, serum biochemical indexes, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health of lion-head goslings

Front Vet Sci. 2023 Nov 2:10:1284523. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1284523. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Zhiqi Fu^#^{1

2}, Na Ao^#^{1

2}, Xiaoen Liang¹, Jinhuang Chen¹, Yuchuan Wang¹, Qing Wang³, Jing Fu^{1

2}, Chunpeng Liu¹, Lizhi Lu⁴

Affiliations

¹ College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
² Innovative Institute of Animal Healthy Breeding, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
³ College of Life Sciences, Jiaying University, Meizhou, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of fermented feed on growth performance, antioxidant indexes and intestinal health in lion-head goslings.

Methods: 288 male lion-head goslings (one-day-old) were randomly divided into four groups (6 replicates per group, 12 samples per replicate): control group (basal diet) and fermented feed (FF) groups (basal diet supplemented with 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5% FF, respectively). The experimental period lasted 28 days.

Results: The results showed that 5.0 and 7.5% FF groups decreased feed conversion rate (FCR) when compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The 5.0% FF group reduced the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in serum; while the 7.5% FF group decreased the concentration of total cholesterol (TC), ALP and LDH activity (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the 7.5% FF group significantly increased total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum (p < 0.05); 2.5% and 5.0% FF groups significantly increased glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in serum (p < 0.05); all FF groups increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) in serum (p < 0.05). For intestinal health, the villous height and villi/crypt ratio in jejunum were increased in all FF groups, but crypt depth was decreased (p < 0.05); The 5.0% FF groups enhanced T-AOC activity in jejunum (p < 0.05); The 2.5% and 5.0% FF groups enhanced GSH-Px activity (p < 0.05) in jejunum; All FF groups reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) level in jejunum (p < 0.05). LEfSe analysis showed that the cecum microbiota was significantly dominant in the 2.5% FF group compared to the control group including Firmicutes, Lactobacillales, Lactobacillus, and Prevotella; the flora that were significantly dominant in the 5.0% FF group compared to the control group included Bacteroidaceae, Bacteroides, Megamonas, and Prevotella; and the groups that were significantly dominant in the 7.5% FF group compared to the control group included Bacteroidota, Bacteroides, Bacteroidaceae, and Ruminococcaceae.

Discussion: In summary, dietary FF supplementation improved growth performance, serum biochemical parameters and antioxidant capacity of lion-head goslings, as well as improved jejunal tissue morphology and optimized intestinal flora structure. In particular, the FF addition at a dose of 7.5% was relatively more effective for lion- head goslings.

Keywords: antioxidant capacity; fermented feed; growth performance; intestinal health; lion-head goslings.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by the Agricultural Technology Light Cavalry Project of Guangdong Province (XYL2022GZ196C08); China Agriculture Research System of MOF and MARA (No. CARS-42-6); Zhejiang Science and Technology Major Program on Agricultural New Variety Breeding (No. 2021C02068-10); Science and Technology Assistance Project of Guangdong Provincial Department of Science and Technology (KTP20210381 and KTP20210370); the Characteristic Innovation Project of General Universities in the Department of Education of Guangdong Province (2020KTSCX054); Fundamental and Application Research Project of Guangzhou Science and Technology Bureau (202201011863); “RaoPing Lion-head goose Science and Technology Institute” funded by Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture and China Association Science and Technology and “RaoPing Lion-head goose Science and Technology Institute” of Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering; Guangdong Provincial Department of Education General Colleges and Universities Key Areas of Specialization (No. 2023ZDZX4020).