Intestinal villus histological alterations in broilers fed dietary dried fermented ginger

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Poultry Nutrition
• Gastrointestinal Physiology

Background:

• Dietary additives are crucial for optimizing broiler performance.
• Fermented ingredients offer unique bioactive compounds.
• Ginger has known medicinal properties, but its fermented form's effect on broilers is less studied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of dietary dried fermented ginger (DFG) on broiler growth performance.
• To assess the effects of DFG on intestinal villous histology and morphology.
• To determine the optimal inclusion level of DFG for broiler chickens.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-four male broilers were assigned to four dietary groups (0, 5, 10, 20 g/kg DFG) for 42 days.
• Feed intake, weight gain, and feed efficiency were monitored.
• Intestinal segments were analyzed for villus height, area, cell area, and mitosis.

Main Results:

• DFG supplementation improved weight gain and feed efficiency in broilers.
• Feed intake decreased with higher DFG levels, notably at 20 g/kg.
• DFG significantly increased intestinal villus height, area, cell area, and mitosis, suggesting hypertrophy.

Conclusions:

• Dietary dried fermented ginger acts as a natural feed additive that enhances broiler growth.
• DFG promotes morphological maturation and improves intestinal function in broilers.
• DFG shows potential for improving poultry production through enhanced gut health.