This study investigated the effects of bamboo vinegar (BV) supplementation on performance, eggshell quality, ileal microflora, and villus morphology in aged laying hens. A total of 320 hens (70 weeks old) were divided into 4 dietary treatments with 10 replicates of 8 hens each. They were fed a basal diet supplemented with BV at 0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, or 0.8% level until 86 weeks of age. The level of BV in the diet had no effect on egg performance, feed intake, or feed efficiency (p > 0.10). Damaged egg rate decreased in the hens fed the 0.4% and 0.8% BV diets during 79-86 weeks of age (p < 0.05). Eggshell thickness and eggshell strength were higher in the hens fed the 0.4% and 0.8% BV diets at weeks 82 and 86 compared to the controls. In the ileal content, population of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. decreased with 0.4% and 0.8% BV (p < 0.05). Villus height and areas of duodenum were higher in the hens fed the 0.4% and 0.8% BV diets (p < 0.05). The results indicate that a level of 0.4% BV in a layer's diet is sufficient for reducing pathogenic bacteria, stimulating intestinal functions and improving eggshell quality of laying hens in the late phase of production.

This study investigates the combined effect of bamboo charcoal powder and bamboo vinegar liquid (BCV) on the growth, fecal microflora population and intestinal morphology in Betong chickens. A total of 128 4-week-old Betong chickens were fed a basal diet supplemented with BCV at 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5% level ad libitum for 16 weeks. The 1% inclusion of BCV gave the best growth performance. Carcass traits (yield) and visceral organs were not significantly affected by BCV. Jejunal villus height and jejunal villus area were also the highest in the 1% BCV group. At 140 days of age, colony counts of fecal Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. were comparatively low with 1 and 1.5% BCV. The present results suggest that BCV could be used at a level of 1% in Betong chicken diets.

This study examined the supplementation level effects of bamboo charcoal powder including vinegar (BCV) on performance, eggshell quality, alterations of intestinal villi and intestinal pathogenic bacteria populations, in aged laying hens. A total of 200 laying hens (60 weeks of age) were randomly allotted into four treatment groups, with five replicates per treatment and 10 hens per replicate. Hens were fed a basal diet, supplemented with BCV at 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5% level, ad libitum for 12 weeks. Egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed intake and feed efficiency were not affected by the dietary treatment (p > .05). Damaged egg rate decreased in the hens fed the 1.0 and 1.5% BCV diets during the late feeding stage (69 to 72 weeks of age), and eggshell thickness increased in the 1.5% BCV group (p < .05). In the ileal content, population of Escherichia coli decreased with BCV in the diet, while colony counts of Salmonella spp. were comparatively low with 1.0 and 1.5% BCV (p < .01). Villus height and villus area of duodenum were higher in hens fed with 1.0 and 1.5% diets (p < .01), while villus size of jejunum was higher in hens fed with BCV diets (p < .05). The results of this study demonstrate that a level of 1.0% BCV in a layer's diet is sufficient for decreasing pathogenic bacteria and stimulating intestinal functions; and that dietary supplementation of BCV at 1.5% can improve eggshell thickness in aged laying hens.

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With the ban on the use of antibiotics in poultry feed, it is required to produce alternative substances to maintain poultry health and performance. The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation at various levels of bamboo vinegar (BV) on performance, egg quality, and fecal bacterial population of laying ducks. One hundred and five 50-week-old crossbred laying ducks (Khaki Campbell × Native) were randomly allocated into five treatment groups, each with seven replicates of three ducks. The experimental ducks were fed a basal diet (antibiotic-free diet) supplemented with BV at the levels of 0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, or 0.8% of diet until 62 weeks of age. For the overall period (from 50 to 62 weeks of age), the dietary supplementation of BV at the levels of 0.4% and 0.6% of diet increased egg production and egg mass, and improved feed efficiency of laying ducks (p<0.01). Supplementation of BV at the level of 0.8% in the diet decreased feed intake (p<0.01). Egg quality parameters were not significantly affected by supplementation of BV (p>0.05). The population of fecal Escherichia coli was significantly decreased in the experimental ducks fed diet supplemented with BV at the levels of 0.4%, 0.6%, and 0.8% compared to the control group (p<0.01), while the population of Lactobacillus spp. remained unchanged. The present results indicate that a level of 0.4% BV supplementation in laying duck diet is sufficient for reducing fecal E. coli and improves productive performance of egg laying ducks.