Impact of Watermelon Rind and Sea Buckthorn Meal on Performance, Blood Parameters, and Gut Microbiota and Morphology in Laying Hens

Tatiana Dumitra Panaite, Petru Alexandru Vlaicu, Mihaela Saracila, Ana Cismileanu, Iulia Varzaru, Sorina Nicoleta Voicu and Anca Hermenean
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Tatiana Dumitra Panaite: Department of Chemistry and Animal Nutrition Physiology, National Research and Development Institute for Animal Nutrition and Biology, 077015 Balotesti, Romania
Petru Alexandru Vlaicu: Department of Chemistry and Animal Nutrition Physiology, National Research and Development Institute for Animal Nutrition and Biology, 077015 Balotesti, Romania
Mihaela Saracila: Department of Chemistry and Animal Nutrition Physiology, National Research and Development Institute for Animal Nutrition and Biology, 077015 Balotesti, Romania
Ana Cismileanu: Department of Chemistry and Animal Nutrition Physiology, National Research and Development Institute for Animal Nutrition and Biology, 077015 Balotesti, Romania
Iulia Varzaru: Department of Chemistry and Animal Nutrition Physiology, National Research and Development Institute for Animal Nutrition and Biology, 077015 Balotesti, Romania
Sorina Nicoleta Voicu: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 050095 Bucharest, Romania
Anca Hermenean: Department of Experimental and Applied Biology, Aurel Ardelean Institute of Life Sciences, Vasile Goldis Western University of Arad, 310414 Arad, Romania

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 2, 1-21

Abstract: Natural ingredients from fruits and fruit-derived by-products have gained special interest as dietary supplements in poultry because of their health-promoting effects. The present work aims to evaluate the impact of the dietary inclusion of watermelon rind and sea buckthorn meal on performances, blood parameters, and gut microbiota and morphology of laying hens. A 4-week trial was conducted on 90 Tetra SL layers (32 weeks old), assigned to three dietary treatments (C, E1, and E2). The C group hens were fed a basal diet based on corn-soybean meal. The experimental diets included 10 g of watermelon rind/kg fed (E1) and 20 g of sea buckthorn meal/kg fed (E2). During the feeding trial, we monitored the performances. Blood samples, intestinal tissue, and intestinal content were collected to assess the effect of dietary ingredients on health status, digestive enzyme activity, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiota characterization. From the blood samples, cholesterol and triglycerides significantly ( p < 0.05) decreased in E1 and E2 compared with the C group. Dietary watermelon rind and sea buckthorn meal positively impacted villus height. Maltase and invertase activity increased only in the duodenum of the E2 group, while alpha-amylase decreased in the duodenum and jejunum of both E1 and E2 groups. The two supplements tested triggered Firmicutes and Lactobacillus spp. multiplication, while reducing harmful bacteria such as Bacteroidetes and Enterobacteriaceae. The study provides the first evidence that the dietary inclusion of watermelon rind and sea buckthorn meal can be used in laying hens’ diets with a beneficial impact on hens’ biochemical parameters, gut microbiota, and gut morphology.

Keywords: laying hen; performance; sea buckthorn meal; watermelon rind; animal health; microbiota; intestinal morphology; intestinal health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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