Supplemental effect of bamboo charcoal and bamboo vinegar, alone or in combination, on laying hen performance, egg quality, intestinal bacterial populations and alteration of intestinal villi

This experiment aimed to determine the effects of bamboo charcoal (BC), bamboo vinegar (BV) and their combinations in laying hen diet on performance, egg quality, intestinal bacterial populations and alteration of intestinal villi. A total of 450 Hy-Line Brown hens aged 40 weeks were divided into 9 treatment groups, with 5 replicates per treatment and 10 hens per replicate. They were fed diets with 0% BC and BV (control), 0.5% BC, 1% BC, 0.3% BV, 0.6% BV, 0.5% BC + 0.3% BV (BCV53), 0.5% BC + 0.6% BV (BCV56), 1% BC + 0.3% BV (BCV13) or 1% BC + 0.6% BV (BCV16) from 40 to 56 weeks of age. The overall feed conversion ratio was better in all supplemented groups than in the control (p < .05). Eggshell strength and shell thickness at week 56 were higher in the 0.3% BV, 0.6% BV, BCV56 and BCV16 groups when compared to the control group (p < .05). In the ileal digesta, population of Salmonella spp. decreased in the 0.3% BV, 0.6% BV, BCV56 and BCV16 groups (p < .05) and the population of Lactobacillus spp. increased in the 0.3% BV, 0.6% BV and BCV56 groups (p < .05). Villus height and areas of the duodenum were higher in the groups receiving BV (p < .05), and villus height and areas of jejunum were higher in all groups receiving BV at 0.6% level (p < .05). The present results indicate that feeding of BV alone at 0.3% level was sufficient to improve feed efficiency, eggshell quality, growth of Lactobacillus spp. and function of duodenal villi in laying hens. Supplementation with BV at 0.6% level, either alone or in combination with BC in the diet, had an additional positive effect in stimulating jejunal villi. HIGHLIGHTS Supplementation of BV alone in the diet at 0.3% level was sufficient to improve feed efficiency, eggshell quality and intestinal microbial balance Supplementation of BV at 0.6% level, either alone or in combination with BC in the diet, had a stimulant effect on the functioning of intestinal villi.