ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of raw (PP) and fermented pomegranate pomace (FP) on performance, antioxidant activity, caecal microbiota and ileal morphology in broiler chickens. A total of 175 male broiler chicks were allocated to five treatment groups with five replicates and seven birds per replicate in a completely randomised design. Dietary treatments included a soy-corn based diet (control), diets supplemented with PP at 5 (5PP) and 10 g/kg (10PP), and diets supplemented with FP at 5 (5FP) and 10 g/kg (10FP). Dietary PP and FP did not change the body weight and feed conversion ratio. Moreover, dietary PP and FP did not alter the serum glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels but decreased malondialdehyde (p < 0.05) in breast meat. Caecal Clostridium perfringens count was decreased in broiler chickens of groups 10PP, 5FP and 10FP (p < 0.05). However, PP and FP had detrimental effects on the ileum morphology of broiler chicks. The villus height was decreased in the 10PP, 5FP and 10FP groups compared with the control group (p < 0.01). Crypt depth was higher in the 5PP and 10FP groups than control and 10PP groups (p < 0.01). The villus height to crypt depth ratio was also decreased in 5PP, 5FP, and 10FP groups (p < 0.01). These results suggest that PP and FP have the potential to be used in broiler diets as antioxidant and antimicrobial agents. However, detailed studies should be conducted to investigate the underlying reasons for the detrimental effects on ileal morphology.

摘要

本研究旨在研究生 (PP) 和发酵石榴渣 (FP) 对肉鸡生产性能、抗氧化活性、盲肠微生物群和回肠形态的影响。在完全随机设计中，总共 175 只雄性肉鸡被分配到五个处理组，每个处理组 5 个重复，每个重复 7 只鸡。日粮处理包括以大豆为基础的日粮（对照）、添加 5 (5PP) 和 10 g/kg (10PP) 的 PP 的日粮，以及添加 5 (5FP) 和 10 g/kg (10FP) 的 FP 的日粮。日粮PP和FP没有改变体重和饲料转化率。此外，膳食 PP 和 FP 不会改变血清谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶、超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化氢酶水平，但会降低胸肉中的丙二醛 ( p < 0.05)。盲肠在 10PP、5FP 和 10FP 组的肉鸡中产气荚膜梭菌计数降低 ( p < 0.05)。然而，PP 和 FP 对肉鸡的回肠形态有不利影响。与对照组相比，10PP、5FP和10FP组的绒毛高度降低（p <0.01）。5PP 和 10FP 组的隐窝深度高于对照组和 10PP 组（p < 0.01）。5PP、5FP 和 10FP 组的绒毛高度与隐窝深度之比也降低（p< 0.01)。这些结果表明 PP 和 FP 有潜力在肉鸡日粮中用作抗氧化剂和抗菌剂。然而，应该进行详细的研究来调查对回肠形态产生不利影响的根本原因。