Dietary probiotics as a strategy for improving growth performance, intestinal efficacy, immunity, and antioxidant capacity of white Pekin ducks fed with different levels of CP

Abstract

The potential impacts of probiotics on the performance and health status of white Pekin ducks fed with optimal or suboptimal dietary CP were evaluated during the growing period. A total of 180 male white Pekin ducks (14-day-old ducks with an initial weight of 415.65 ± 2.20 g) were randomly divided into 4 experimental groups (45 in each group of 5 replicates) in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The main factors included 2 dietary CP levels (18 or 14%) and dietary probiotic addition (with or without probiotics). The probiotic source was supplemented at 0.2 g per kilogram of diet from a blend of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei . The results showed that the diet containing 18% CP and probiotics significantly increases the final and total weight gain. Activities of intestinal enzymes (amylase, lipase, and protease), morphometrics (villus length, goblet cell count, and cryptal depth), and carcass percentage were also increased significantly. Total protein content, lysozyme activity, bactericidal activity, nitro blue tetrazolium levels, alternative complement pathway, superoxide dismutase activity, and catalase activity were significantly increased, whereas glucose, cortisol, and total cholesterol levels were decreased when treated with diet containing 18% CP and probiotics. Conversely, the group treated with diet containing 14% CP without probiotics showed the poorest performance, carcass properties, immune response, and antioxidant potential. In conclusion, probiotic addition to the 14% CP diet improved the performance of white Pekin ducks caused by reduced CP diet to performance due to the 18% CP diet without probiotic supplementation.

Effect of probiotic and Moringa oleifera extract on performance, carcass yield, and mortality of Peking duck

“…Increased protein digestibility affects the improvement of protein metabolism so that it affects the increase in meat protein synthesis [43]. The results align with Khattab's study, which showed that adding probiotics L. acidophilus and L. casei in the diet showed an increase in body weight gain and final body weight and also an increase in intestinal enzyme activity (protease, lipase, and amylase), morphometric (goblet cell count, villi length, and crypt depth), and an increase in carcass percentage [45]. The mechanism of the action of probiotics is to stick or adhere to and colonize in the digestive tract, producing antimicrobial substances helping the enzymatic digestion of feed [46].…”

Bacillus-Based Probiotic Treatment Modified Bacteriobiome Diversity in Duck Feces

“…However, most research about the effect of dietary administration of probiotic Bacillus strains on growth performance has been conducted in chicken, mouse, and pig [7][8][9][10], and yet only recently it was experimentally shown that certain strains of B. subtilis can provide beneficial effects on the growth of young broiler chickens and have the potential to replace antibiotic growth promoters [11] or improve egg quality [12]. Similar studies on ducks have been fewer [13,14], and we failed to find reports on gut microbiome research using probiotic Bacillus strains for Pekin ducks.…”

Ameliorative impacts of sodium humate on heat‐stressed laying Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica)

“…The dietary amendment exemplifies an astonishing approach to altering animals' performance and welfare (Abdel‐wanees & El Basuini, 2018; Dawood et al, 2020; Dossou et al, 2021; Khattab et al, 2021). The improvement of immune response in association with SH in the present study was in terms of enhancement in serum IgG, IgM and TNF‐α.…”

“…Poultry is among the most lucrative, fast‐growing, key economic investments that contribute to delivering superior nutrients (Khattab et al, 2021). Quail production is emerging as a prosperous poultry sector compared to other poultry species since, quail has faster sexual maturity, persistence in egg production, short generation interval and low feed and space requirements, and less susceptibility to diseases (Khaskheli, 2020).…”

“…Several methods have been developed to maximize the profit margin in poultry and to deal with various constraints, including diseases and stressors (Khattab et al, 2021). Considering the environmental impacts on laying hens have an intense impression on research and commercial interests (Santos et al, 2019; Wilson, 2017).…”