Effect of feeding Aspergillus niger-fermented Ginkgo biloba-leaves on growth, small intestinal structure and function of broiler chicks
Introduction
Over the last decade, the importance of gastrointestinal tract health in broiler chicks has been increasingly recognized due to its contribution to their overall health and performance (Mount-zouris et al., 2007, Rehman et al., 2007a, Rehman et al., 2007b). The use of antibiotics at subtherapeutic levels has been a cornerstone of the poultry industry for the control of subclinical diseases, maintenance of gut health and growth promotion for decades. However, antibiotic use tends to produce antibiotic resistance and residues in animal products. Since 2006, antibiotics have been banned for use as feed additives in the European Union. Probiotics have therefore become important as alternative means for enhancing growth performance and improving intestinal health and function common to poultry (Steiner, 2006). Aspergillus niger is a fungus that has the capacity to produce enzymes such as hemicellulases, hydrolases, pectinases, protease, amylase, lipases, and tannases (Mathivanan et al., 2006, Pinto et al., 2001), and is one of the major probiotic strains applied in broilers (Tannock, 2001).
Natural medicinal products originating from fungi or herbs have been used as feed supplements for centuries in ethnoveterinary medicine (Guo, 2003). Ginkgo biloba L. (Family: Ginkgoaceae) is a traditional herb in China, which has been used in some areas of the world, showing high physiological activities in therapies for inflammations, vascular and cardiac diseases and cancers (Chen et al., 2011, Lu et al., 2006, Puebla-Pérez et al., 2003, Sochocka et al., 2010, Ye et al., 2007). Leaves of G. biloba are well known for its high content of flavonoids. Chemically, the active components of G. biloba leaf are flavonoids (flavone glycosides, primarily composed of quercetin), polysaccharides (polymers of glucose, rhamnose, arabinose, mannose, galactose and xylose) and terpenoids (ginkolides and bilobalides) (Li et al., 2012, van Beek and Montoro, 2009). There were numerous reports in animals indicated that flavonoids posses some beneficial effects (Feng et al., 2011, Jenkins and Atwal, 1995). Most recently, Ginkgo flavonoids attracted much attention for their antimicrobial, neuroprotector, anti-mutational, improved cardiovascular well-being, and anticancer activity (Cao et al., 2002, Ding et al., 2009).
In recent years, fermentation is a useful tool for producing biological materials with health promoting properties and is an optimal way to solve overproduction and stimulate processing use of various fruits and vegetables (Dei et al., 2008, Ng et al., 2011). Studies have demonstrated that fermentation not only alters the original bioactivities of Chinese herbs, resulting in new treatment effects, but also enhances the original treatment efficacy (Lin and Chiang, 2008, Miyake et al., 2005). Probiotics are often used to preserve feed stuffs or ferment feeds with obvious effects such as silage for ruminants and liquid fermented feed applied in pigs for many years (Boguhn et al., 2006, Cumby, 1986), with beneficial effects (Besong et al., 1996). However, there is limited information on the use of fermented feeds in chickens (Feng et al., 2007). China has a large scale production of ginkgo leaves for years, about forty thousand tons every year, and mainly distributes in Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan, Zhejiang provinces. In the last few years, large-scale cultivation of ginkgo has been initiated. Therefore, it is important to find out a way to utilize this herbal resource as feed ingredient and unveil its potential economic value in feed industry. To promote processing of ginkgo leaves, we have developed a process for A. niger fermentation wherein the functionality of this resources is preserved and enhanced. Our previous researches confirmed that the use of up to 0.5% (in the starter phase) and 1.0% (in the grower phase) A. niger-fermented-G. biloba leaves (FR) products had a positive influence on growth performance, lipid metabolism, antioxidant capacity, breast meat quality, and fatty acid composition. Dietary total flavonoids and polysaccharides were most likely the key compounds responsible for the health-improving effect of the fermentation products (Cao et al., 2012). Despite these findings, there has been a dearth of information on the possible intestinal protective effect of FR. The aim in this study was to investigate the effect of FR on the growth performance and small intestinal structure and function of broiler chicks, and its comparison with non-fermented (NF) products.
Section snippets
Culturing of A. niger
The A. niger used in this study was a laboratory strain obtained from the College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forest University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, P.R. China. It was cultured by an agar plating technique using sabouraud dextrose agar (Oxoid Ltd., Basingstoke, UK) and incubated at 24 °C for 7 d. A. niger spores were harvested by tapping the top of the plate when turned upside down. Spore counts were determined using a hematocytometer according to the Fuchs-Rosenthal technique to be
Growth performance
As shown in Table 5, no significant differences (P>0.05) occurred in BWG and FI among treatments in the period of 1–21 d, 22–42 d and the overall period. With regard to F/G, there was no significant difference (P>0.05) among treatment groups in the period of 1–21 d, however, lower (P<0.05) F/G in FR2 group was observed than that of the control and NF group in the period of 22–42 d and the overall period.
AKP activity
Compared with the control and NF groups, birds fed FR supplemented diet had an increase (P<0.05)
Discussion
Fermentation is a useful tool to produce biological materials with health promoting properties. Microbial fermentation of Chinese herbs has long been processed through which can enrich them with vitamins, enzymes and growth factors (Ng et al., 2011). An important advantage with the production of FR is that the required technology is affordable and feasible even for small farmers. Previous researches about the biological effect of ginkgo leaves were limited to normal or chemopreventive
Conclusion
In conclusion, the results indicated that supplementation of 0.35–0.5% and 0.7–1.0% FR in the starter and grower diets, respectively, improved feed efficiency, intestinal morphology, digestion and absorption function of broilers. Further studies are needed to assess fermented G. biloba leaves as a medicinal herb feed additive in broilers for enhanced growth performance and its potential use in practical diets.
Conflict of interest statement
All authors listed have contributed to the work, and have read and approved this version of the article, and due care has been taken to ensure the integrity of the work. Neither the entire paper nor any part of its content has been published before or has been accepted elsewhere. All procedures of the animal studies have been approved by Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) of the Nanjing Forestry University (China, Nanjing). There are no any conflict interests.
Acknowledgments
This research was financially supported by a Special Program of National Science and Technology: Public Welfare Industry Project (Project no. 201004015), a Program of International Advanced Forestry Science and Technology Project Imported by State Forestry Administration (also called the 948 Program, Project no. 2010-4-19), and Forestry Science and Technology Achievements Popularization Project of the State Forestry Administration (Project no. (2010) 36).
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