甘肃省黏土矿物应用研究重点实验室知识库

This study aimed to compare the effects of conventional and ultra-fine ground palygorskite (Pal) supplementation on the growth performance and digestive function of broilers. A total of 192 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into three treatments with eight replicates of eight birds each (four males and four females). The broilers in the three groups were fed with a basal diet (control group), or the basal diet supplemented with 10 g/kg of either conventional or ultra-fine ground Pal during a 42-day feeding experiment. Compared to the control group, broilers fed the basal diet supplemented with the ultra-fine Pal exhibited a lower feed to gain ratio from 22 to 42 and from 1 to 42 days of age (P < .05), whereas similar effects were not observed in their counterparts receiving the conventional ground Pal (P > .05). No differences were observed in serum biochemical parameters or relative weight of the digestive organ among groups (P > .05). Dietary ultra-fine ground Pal supplementation increased the apparent utilization of organic matter and ether extract from 38 to 40 days of age compared to the control group (P < .05), whereas conventional ground Pal supplementation did not affect utilization of the measured nutrients (P > .05). Moreover, the apparent organic matter utilization of broilers was increased by ultra-fine ground Pal supplementation from 38 to 40 days of age compared to supplementation with conventional ground Pal (P < .05). The broilers fed a basal diet supplemented with the ultra-fine ground Pal exhibited higher pancreatic amylase activity at 42 days of age than those receiving the basal diet supplemented with or without conventional ground Pal (P < .05). Compared to the control group, broilers fed the basal diet supplemented with the ultra-fine ground Pal, but not the conventional ground Pal, exhibited a higher ileal villus height-to-crypt depth ratio at 42 days of age (P < .05). In conclusion, dietary ultra-fine ground Pal supplementation elicited more pronounced improvements on the growth performance and digestive function of broilers than its conventional ground counterpart.