title: Effects of dietary fermentation concentrate of Hericium caput-medusae (Bull.:Fr.) Pers. on growth performance, digestibility, and intestinal microbiology and morphology in broiler chickens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of fermentation concentrate of Hericium caput-medusae (Bull.:Fr.) Pers. (HFC) on growth performance, digestibility, intestinal microbiology, and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens. A total of 600 male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into five dietary treatments (20 broilers per pen with six pens per treatment): CON (basal diet), ANT (basal diet supplemented with 5 mg kg(-1) flavomycin) and HFC (basal diet supplemented with 6, 12, and 18 g kg(-1) HFC). The experimental lasted for 42 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed that the average daily gain [linear (L), P < 0.01; quadratic (Q), P < 0.01] of broilers increased when the HFC levels increased during the starter (days 1-21), finisher (days 22-42), and the overall experiment period (days 1 to 42). In the small intestinal digesta and the caecum digesta, the Escherichia coli count (L, P < 0.05; Q, P < 0.001) decreased while the Lactobacilli count (L, P < 0.01; Q, P < 0.001) and Bifidobacteria count (L, P < 0.001; Q, P < 0.001) increased when the HFC levels increased. The crude protein digestibility of broilers (L, P < 0.01; Q, P < 0.001) increased when the HFC levels increased. In the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of broilers, the villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio (L, P < 0.001; Q, P < 0.001) increased when the HFC levels increased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dietary supplementation with HFC increased gut Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria counts and inhibited E. coli growth, improved nutrient utilisation and intestine villus structure, and thus improved the growth of broilers.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China.|College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China.|Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science of Jilin Province, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China.
authors.forename: Hong Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China.|Engineering Research Center of Chinese Ministry of Education for Edible and Medicinal Fungi, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Ya Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Shu Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Guo Dong
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Yun Yao
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, Jilin, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000378:metabolism; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D004032:Diet; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004063:Digestion; D005285:Fermentation; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins
keywords: Hericium caput-medusae (Bull.:Fr.) Pers; broiler chickens; digestibility; growth performance; intestinal microbiology; intestinal morphology