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Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

DOI

10.3906/vet-1010-529

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of a recycled food waste (eco-feed) containing effective microorganisms derived from Japanese mugwort silage juice (EJP) on growth performance and intestinal histomorphology, 48 male chickens of 14 days old were divided into 0%, 20%, 40%, and 60% EJP diet groups. At 20 weeks of age, body weight gain was similar in the 20% EJP group but lower in the 40% and 60% EJP groups (P < 0.05) compared to that in the control group. The relative total intestinal length and weight tended to be long and heavy, respectively, in the 20% and 40% EJP groups, but short and light, respectively, in the 60% EJP group. Although numerous villi were found in the jejunum and ileum of all EJP groups, the villus height and size observed in these groups were smaller. Cell area and cell mitosis number in the duodenum and jejunum of all EJP groups were lower than those of the control group (P < 0.01). Epithelial cells on the villus apical surface of the 20% EJP group showed morphology similar to that of cells on the villus apical surface of the control group in all of the intestinal segments. The growth performance data suggested that EJP could be incorporated at up to a level of 20% in chicken diets. The intestinal histological results suggested that long-term feeding of an EJP diet at up to the 40% level may result in a long and heavy intestine by increasing the numbers of miniature intestinal villi.

Keywords

Eco-feed, effective microorganisms, chicken, intestinal villi, epithelial cell

First Page

509

Last Page

518

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