Effects of bamboo charcoal powder including vinegar supplementation on performance, eggshell quality, alterations of intestinal villi and intestinal pathogenic bacteria populations of aged laying hens

Abstract

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.