Effects of fermented crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus) with pineapple for supplementation in feeds on growth performance, immune function, antioxidant activities and microflora in broiler chickens
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Abstract
The poultry industry is vulnerable to pathogenic bacteria, leading to antibiotic use for disease prevention and growth enhancement. However, overuse causes resistance and disrupts gut microbiota, affecting consumers. Therefore, discovering alternatives to antibiotics is crucial. Crickets are highly nutritious insects, and fermentation enhances their nutritional value and biological activities. This study evaluated the effects of fermented crickets supplementation, where the crickets were fermented together with pineapple using natural fermentation relying on endogenous microbial activity in raw materials (submerged fermentation), on growth performance, inflammatory responses, immune function, antioxidative activity, and gut microbiota in broiler chickens. This study used 315 one-day-old unsexed Arbor Acres broiler chicks, which were divided into three groups with seven replicates per group: a control (CT) and two treatments supplemented with 1% (FC1) or 3% (FC3) fermented crickets. Results showed that no significant growth differences among groups (P > 0.05). At 21 days, the FC3 group had lower serum IgY (1,008.50 µg/ml) and large intestine IgA levels (834.05 µg/g) than CT group (serum IgY: 1,652.03 µg/ml; large intestine IgA: 1,345.72 µg/g, P < 0.01). The FC3 group also had lower serum nitric oxide at 21 days (195 nmole/ml, P < 0.05) than FC1 group and reduced IL-6 at 42 days (853.91 pg/ml, P < 0.05) compared to the CT group. At 21 days, E. coli and Salmonella spp. were absent in the FC3 group, and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) levels increased significantly by day 42 (P < 0.05). Antioxidant activity in the FC3 group was higher than in the CT group at 21 days and the FC1 group at 42 days (P < 0.05). In summary, the FC3 group reduced pathogenic bacteria, lowered IgY and IgA, suppressed inflammatory markers, and enhanced antioxidant activity, suggesting potential to mitigate gut oxidative stress and inflammation in broilers.
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