Impact of dendrobium nobile supplementation on antioxidant activity and egg-laying performance in late-laying hens

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Dendrobium nobile on the antioxidant capacity and laying performance of hens during the late laying period. A total of 90 recessive white hens (56 weeks old) were divided into Control group (basal diet) and DNL group (basal diet +0.25 % dendrobium powder). Evaluate the impact of Dendrobium nobile on biochemical indicators in serum, ovarian mRNA expression levels, and ovarian metabolomic patterns in hens, and conduct a correlation analysis. Supplementing the diet with Dendrobium nobile powder enhanced the serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone and the expression of the egg-laying-related gene FSHR. This supplementation led to increased laying rates and egg production in hens during the late laying period, and elevated activity levels of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and total superoxide dismutase. Further, mRNA expression levels of the Nrf2 signaling pathway genes were upregulated, ultimately mitigating the effects of oxidative stress on the ovary. Metabolomic analysis identified 94 metabolites with significant differences, including 55 upregulated and 39 downregulated molecules. Significant differences in metabolites were predominantly observed in pathways related to fatty acid degradation, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis. These pathways appear to be the primary mechanism through which Dendrobium nobile enhances ovarian antioxidant capacity and egg-laying traits at the metabolic level. Supplementing the diet with Dendrobium nobile enhances antioxidant activity and laying performance in hens during the late laying period.