Effect of Feeding Common (Agaricus bisporus) and Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) Mushrooms on Performance, Intestinal Microbiology and Morphology of Female Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica)
Volume 81, Issue 1 (2023): Veterinarija ir Zootechnika, pp. 33–38
Pub. online: 20 December 2023
Type: Research Article
Open Access
Open Access
Received
5 June 2023
5 June 2023
Revised
3 September 2023
3 September 2023
Accepted
18 October 2023
18 October 2023
Published
20 December 2023
20 December 2023
Abstract
This research was performed to study the performance, intestinal microbiology and morphology of Japanese quails supplemented with two types of edible mushrooms including common (Agaricus bisporus) and oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) powders. A total of 420 twenty-one day old female quail chicks were randomly allocated to seven experimental treatments. Each treatment consisted of 3 replicates of 20 birds. The birds within the control group were given the basal diet for the respective growth stage. The other six groups were fed experimental diets based on the basal diets containing 0.5%, 1%, and 2% of dried common or oyster mushroom powders. Birds were given free access to
feed and water during the 84 days of the experimental period. During the experiment, performance characteristics were measured. Count of coli-form bacteria in the gut and intestinal morphological characteristics were studied at the age of 84 days. Egg weight, feed intake, egg mass and feed conversion ratio in 84 days were not significantly influenced by the supplementation of mushrooms. Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli populations were significantly increased (P < 0.05) by 2% of mushrooms compared with the control. Total counts (Aerobes) and Escherichia coli were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) by 2% of mushrooms compared with the control. Crypt depth and papillae height in parts of 10%, 50% and 70% of the gut were positively influenced by the supplementation of mushroom (P < 0.05). Therefore, it seems that mushrooms could increase useful microflora and prove helpful in the fight against pathogenic organisms colonizing in the quail chicks gut.