Diets with Ganoderma lucidum Mushroom Powder and Zinc-Bacitracin on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Lymphoid Organ Weights and Intestinal Characteristics in Broilers

Y Martínez,J Paredes,A Botello,Mc Avellaneda,M Valdivié

doi:10.1590/1806-9061-2021-1474

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effect of diets with Ganoderma lucidum mushroom powder and zinc-bacitracin on growth performance, carcass traits, lymphoid organ weights, and intestinal characteristics in broilers, a total of 600 one-day-old unsexed broilers from Cobb 500 MV × Cobb 500 FF genotype was analyzed for 28 days, following a completely randomized design with three dietary treatments, five replicates and 40 birds per replicate. The dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet (BD) without additives (T0) and the dietary inclusion of 2.5 g/kg of Ganoderma lucidum (T1) and 350 mg/kg of zinc bacitracin antibiotic (T2). The experimental groups did not change (p>0.05) the performance of the broilers. However, G. lucidum powder increased (p≤0.05) the carcass and breast yields (p≤0.05) and decreased the abdominal fat and liver yields (p≤0.05), although with no notable differences with the antibiotic group for the latter organ (liver) (p>0.05). Both additives (G. lucidum and antibiotic) increased breast meat moisture, protein, and redness; however, these treatments reduced L* (lightness), and the zinc-bacitracin reduced breast yellowness (p≤0.05). Likewise, this medicinal mushroom (G. lucidum) increased the relative weight of bursa of Fabricius and the morphometry of the small intestine (p≤0.05), although with no changes for other immune and digestive organs or for the content of cecal lactic acid bacteria (p>0.05). The dietary inclusion with 2.5 g/kg of Ganoderma lucidum powder is recommended to improve breast yield, protein, and colorimetry without affecting performance and cecal traits of fast-growing broilers.

Highlights

Many countries have banned the use of growth-promoting antibiotics following their total elimination in the European Union on January 1, 2006
The dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet (BD) without additives (T0), the dietary inclusion of 2.5 g/kg of Ganoderma lucidum (T1), and 350 mg/kg of Zinc bacitracin antibiotic (T2)
Chen et al (2020) did not find improvements in body weight and feed intake when they used an extract of Ganoderma lucidum on broiler diets, despite the fact that this natural product increased antibody titers and improved gut heath

Summary

Introduction

Many countries have banned the use of growth-promoting antibiotics following their total elimination in the European Union on January 1, 2006. The best natural alternatives to eliminate the indiscriminate use of preventive antibiotics in birds have been probiotics, prebiotics, phytobiotics, and acidifiers (Grashorn et al, 2010; Al-Khalaifa et al, 2019; Zhang et al, 2020). These products improve gut health by modulating the host’s anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, immune, and antioxidant response, which improves nutrient absorption and birds eRBCA-2021-1474

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Results

Conclusion