[{
  "type": "article-journal",
  "title": "EFFECTS OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION OF SYNBIOTICS ON GROWTH, INTESTINAL BARRIER FUNCTION AND CECAL MICROORGANISMS OF CHERRY VALLEY DUCKS",
  "author": [
    {
      "family": "Wang",
      "given": ""
    },
    {
      "family": "Chen",
      "given": ""
    },
    {
      "family": "Chen",
      "given": ""
    },
    {
      "family": "Liu",
      "given": ""
    },
    {
      "family": "Zhuang",
      "given": ""
    }
  ],
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [[2022]]
  },
  "container-title": "Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences",
  "ISSN": "1018-7081",
  "volume": "32",
  "issue": "2",
  "page": "403-412",
  "DOI": "https://doi.org/10.36899/JAPS.2022.2.0437",
  "abstract": "<p>The present study was set out to explore the effects of diets supplemented with synbiotics, as a possible antibiotic substitute, on growth performance, intestinal barrier function and cecal microorganisms of Cherry Valley ducks. Briefly, a total of 540 Cherry Valley ducks (one-day-old) were randomly categorized into 3 groups for 42 days: control group (basal diets free from the antibiotic), antibiotic group (basal diets supplemented with 40 mg/kg bacitracin zinc), and synbiotic group (basal diets supplemented with 1 000 mg/kg synbiotic). Each group consisted of 6 replicates of 30 ducks each. In synbiotic group, average-day-gain (ADG) throughout the trial period (p&lt;0.05) and average-day-feed-intake (ADFI) during the starter and grower periods (p&lt;0.05) were increased as compared with the control group. Moreover, dietary synbiotics enhanced ileal villus height to crypt depth (V/C), decreased ileal crypt depth compared with the control group (p&lt;0.05). In addition, the synbiotics increased numbers of Intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) and goblet cells in the small intestine(p&lt;0.05), and secretory IgA (sIgA) concentration in the duodenum and jejunum (p&lt;0.05) of 42-day-old ducks as compared with the control group. Furthermore, synbiotics supplementation increased the mRNA expression of jejunal mucosal occluding (OCLN) and the population of&nbsp;<em>Bifidobacterium</em> in cecal chyme (p&lt;0.05). In conclusion, diets supplemented with synbiotics could improve growth performance and intestinal morphology, enhance intestinal barrier function, and modulate the cecal microorganisms in Cherry Valley ducks.</p>",
  "publisher": "Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum",
  "URL": "https://thejaps.org.pk/AbstractView.aspx?mid=AS-20-0130"
}]