饲粮枸杞枝对樱桃谷鸭抗氧化能力和肠道健康的影响

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary Lycium barbarum branches on growth performance, antioxidant capacity and intestinal health of Cherry Valley Ducks. A total of 360 healthy 8-day-old Cherry Valley Ducks were randomly assigned to 4 groups with 6 replicates per group and 15 ducks per replicate: a basal diet (CON) and diets supplemented with 1% (LB1), 3% (LB3), or 5% (LB5) Lycium barbarum branches. The experiment lasted 24 days, including a 3-day adaptation period and a 21-day experimental period. The results showed that compared with the CON group, the LB groups had no significant effects on production performance or apparent nutrient metabolizability (P > 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the LB1 and LB3 groups significantly increased gizzard, spleen and thymus organ index (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the villus height and the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio were significantly increased in LB1 group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the LB1 group significantly increased serum SOD and GSH-Px activities and decreased MDA concentration, while serum TG and UREA concentrations were significantly reduced in the LB groups (P < 0.05). 16S rRNA sequencing showed that dietary Lycium barbarum branch supplementation significantly altered the overall cecal microbial community structure and affected the relative abundances of several bacterial taxa, with Bacteroides plebeius and Parasutterella enriched and Faecalibacterium and Shuttleworthia reduced in the LB1 group (P < 0.05). LEfSe analysis further identified Parasutterella and Phascolarctobacterium as enriched taxa in the LB1 group. Collectively, dietary supplementation with Lycium barbarum branches, particularly at 1%, improved serum antioxidant status and ileal morphological characteristics and altered the cecal microbial community structure without compromising growth performance in Cherry Valley Ducks.