Complexation of multiple mineral elements by fermentation and its application in laying hens

Area of Science:

• Animal Nutrition
• Biotechnology
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Current mineral supplements for laying hens suffer from poor absorption, mineral antagonism, and high costs.
• Developing advanced mineral delivery systems is crucial for optimizing poultry health and productivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and optimize mineral element fermentation complexes (MEFC) for improved mineral absorption and utilization in laying hens.
• To evaluate the efficacy of MEFC on laying hen performance, mineral bioavailability, and physiological parameters.

Main Methods:

• MEFC were created by fermenting bean dregs and soybean meal with microbial strains and proteases, followed by complexation with mineral elements.
• Fermentation conditions were optimized for small peptide, organic acid content, and mineral complexation rates.
• Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to analyze mineral-ion complexation, and animal experiments assessed the impact on laying hen performance.

Main Results:

• Optimal fermentation yielded high complexation rates for Ca (90.62%), Fe (97.24%), Mn (94.64%), and Zn (95.93%).
• MEFC demonstrated significant improvements in laying hen production performance, mineral absorption, and intestinal morphology.
• Fermentation provided antioxidant protection for ferrous ions, maintaining 82.11% in ferrous form after 60 days.

Conclusions:

• Mineral element fermentation complexes (MEFC) offer a promising solution to enhance mineral supplementation in laying hens.
• The developed MEFC technology improves mineral bioavailability, supports gut health, and boosts overall production performance.
• This study provides a theoretical basis for utilizing fermentation technology to create advanced mineral complexes for poultry.