Growth performance, zinc tissue content, and intestinal health in meat ducks fed different specific surface area of micronized zinc oxide
2019
Wu, X P | Zhu, Y F | Zhang, K Y | Ding, X M | Bai, S P | Wang, J P | Peng, H W | Zeng, Q F
This study investigated the effect of different specific surface area micronized zinc oxide (ZnO) on growth performance, zinc (Zn) tissue content, jejunal morphology, jejunal antioxidative status, and intestinal mucosa barrier-related gene expression in meat ducks. A total of 480 one-day-old Cherry Valley ducks were randomly divided into 4 dietary treatments, which each had 12 replicates; therefore, each replicate consisted of 10 ducks. Experimental diets included the basal diet supplemented with ZnSO₄ (control group) and 3 different treatments of specific surface area micronized ZnO, in which the specific surface area was either 11.30 m²/g (S-mZnO), 20.90 m²/g (M-mZnO), or 34.02 m²/g (L-mZnO). The amount of Zn extra supplementation in the 4 diets was 120 mg/kg of diet. The experiment lasted for 35 D. The results showed that supplementation of M-mZnO significantly increased (P < 0.05) the BW (35 D), the BW gain (14 to 35 and 1 to 35 D), the jejunal crypt depth, and mRNA expression of zonula occludens-3, mucin 2, and secretory immunoglobulin A of ducks, while the feed-to-gain ratio (14 to 35 and 1 to 35 D) significantly decreased (P < 0.05) when compared to the control and the other 2 supplementation groups. Furthermore, compared with control group, the hepatic Zn content and the jejunal superoxide dismutase activity in the 3 micronized ZnO groups were significantly increased (P < 0.05), and the Zn content in the pancreas tended to increase (P = 0.051). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that M-mZnO as a dietary supplement can improve the growth performance of meat ducks by increasing the Zn tissue content and improving intestinal morphology, antioxidative status, and physical, chemical, and immunological barrier function.
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