Objective Effects of Yupingfeng on the growth performance, immune function and serum biochemical indices of Dehua black chicken were investigated, and the safety of Yupingfeng was observed.
Method Astragalus membranaceus, Atractylodis macrocephalae Koidz. and Radix Saposhnikoviae were mixed and decocted at a mass ratio of 2:2:1 to make the decoction concentration at 1 g·mL-1 of raw materials. The tested 160 30-day-old Dehua black chickens with similar body weight were randomly divided into a low-dose group (treated with 1.25 mL Yupingfeng decoction per chicken per day), a medium-dose group (treated with 1.875 mL), a high-dose group (treated with 2.5 mL), and a control group（0 mL). Each group had 4 replicates, with 10 chickens in each replicate. Yupingfeng decoction was mixed in drinking water and fed for 25 days. Blood and duodenum were sampled to test relevant indicators of growth performance, intestinal morphology immune function, antioxidant capacity and serum biochemistry.
Results Compared with the control group, 1）the daily weight gains in groups of the medium- and high-dose were increased by 16.77%(P＜0.05) and 27.58%(P＜0.01), and the feed conversion ratios of the three dose groups were increased by 8.30%,14.61% and 21.92%, respectively; 2）the levels of IL-2 of serum in the three dose groups, and the levels of SIgA of the duodenal mucosa in the medium- and high-dose groups were significantly increased(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01) ; the levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α of serum in the three dose groups were significantly decreased (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01) . 3) the reduction of the MDA concentration in the three dose groups was extremely significant (P＜0.01), while the GSH-Px activity and SOD activity in the three dose groups, the CAT activity and T-AOC activity in the high dose group, were significantly increased(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). 4) In the medium- and high- dose groups, the crypt depth was decreased (P＜0.05), while the ratio of villus height to crypt depth was increased(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01); 5) In the three dose groups , there were no significant differences in the serum biochemical indices of total bilirubin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, and creatine kinase (P＞0.05).
Conclusion The Yupingfeng decoction can improve the growth performance, intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity and immune function with anti-inflammatory effect and maintaining immune homeostasis in Dehua black chicken. And Yupingfeng decotion is safe, and the proper dosage is 2.5 mL per chicken per day.
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