Effect of Azolla pinnata meal on growth, immunity, faecal E. coli, antioxidant capacity and gut histomorphology in Japanese quails

Figures & data

Table 1. Composition and calculated analysis of the experimental diets %.

	Control	Azolla 20	Azolla 40	Azolla 60
Yellow corn (%)	55	54.35	52.60	50.00
Soybean meal (44%)	32	29.00	27.00	23.00
Corn gluten meal (%)	8.00	9.00	11.00	9.00
Azolla (%)	0.00	4.00	7.00	11.00
Monocalcium phosphate (%)	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
Limestone (%)	1.7	1.70	1.70	1.70
Vit. & min. premix (%)	0.35	0.35	0.35	0.35
Common salt (Na Cl) (%)	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30
DL-Methionine (%)	0.10	0.10	0.10	0.10
L-Lysine (%)	0.40	0.20	0.10	0.00
Total	100	100	100	100
Calculated analysis
CP (%)	24.17	24.12	24.16	24.20
ME (Kcal/kg)	2911	2923	2924	2919
EE (%)	2.61	2.74	2.88	3.13
CF (%)	3.45	3.76	4.12	4.42
Ca (%)	0.99	0.99	0.99	0.99
T. Ph. (%)	0.67	0.73	0.79	0.86
Lysine (%)	1.35	1.35	1.38	1.43
Methionine (%)	0.54	0.53	0.53	0.54
Meth. + Cysteine (%)	0.91	0.92	0.91	0.92

Table 2. Chemical ingredients of Azolla.

Contents	% dry matter
Crude protein	22.0
Crude fibre	13.54
Neutral detergent fibre	36.54
Ether extract	2.8
Ash	16.54
Metabolizable energy Kcal/kg	2390

Table 3. Impact of Azolla feeding on feed consumption (g) of quails.

Groups	1st week	2nd week	3rd week	4th week	5th week	Overall
Control	28.00 ± 1.08	62.00± 1.08	96.00 ± 1.08	130.00 ± 1.08	190.00 ± 1.08	506.00 ± 0.40
Azolla 20	26.00 ± 1.08	59.00 ± 1.08	99.00± 1.08	128.00 ± 1.08	188.50± 1.08	500.50 ± 2.16
Azolla 40	25.00 ± 1.08	59.50± 1.08	97.00 ± 1.08	131.00 ± 1.08	185.00 ± 1.08	497.50 ± 3.93
Azolla 60	29.00 ± 1.08	62.00 ± 1.08	95.00 ± 1.08	129.00 ± 1.08	187.00 ± 1.08	502.00 ± 4.02
P value	0.081	0.175	0.109	0.282	0.068	0.249

Azolla 20 = 20 g Azolla meal/kg feed, Azolla 40 = 40 g Azolla meal/kg feed, Azolla 60 = 60 g Azolla meal/kg.

^a-d Values in the same column having dissimilar superscripts differ (P < 0.05).

Table 4. Impact of Azolla feeding on gain in body weight (g) of quails.

Groups	1s^t week	2nd week	3rd week	4th week	5th week	Overall
Control	15.30 ± 0.1	19.00^c ± 1.08	34.00^a± 1.08	40.00^b± 1.08	47.00^b ± 1.08	155.30^b ± 1.08
Azolla 20	15.50 ± 0.1	20.75^bc ± 1.25	32.75^a ± 1.08	43.25^ab ± 1.08	47.00^b ± 1.08	159.25^b± 1.08
Azolla 40	15.70 ± 0.07	22.75^ab ± 1.25	33.00^a± 1.08	44.00^a± 1.08	46.00^b ± 1.08	161.45^ab ± 1.08
Azolla 60	15.60 ± 0.1	26.00^a ± 1.08	29.00^b ± 1.08	46.00^a± 1.08	52.00^a ± 1.08	168.60^a ± 1.08
P value	0.077	0.006	0.023	0.02	0.008	0.031

Azolla 20 = 20 g Azolla meal/kg feed, Azolla 40 = 40 g Azolla meal/kg feed, Azolla 60 = 60 g Azolla meal/kg.

^a-d Values in the same column having dissimilar superscripts differ (P < 0.05).

Table 5. Impact of Azolla feeding on feed conversion ratio of quails.

Groups	1^st week	2nd week	3rd week	4th week	5th week	Overall
Control	1.83 ± 0.07	3.29^a± 0.14	2.83^b ±0.12	3.25^a ± 0.09	4.04^a ± 0.08	3.26^a ± 0.02
Azolla 20	1.67 ± 0.07	2.87^ab± 0.18	3.02^ab± 0.09	2.96^b± 0.08	4.01^a± 0.07	3.14^ab ± 0.02
Azolla 40	1.59 ± 0.06	2.64^b± 0.17	2.94^b± 0.09	2.98^b ± 0.04	4.02^a ± 0.03	3.08^b ± 0.03
Azolla 60	1.85 ± 0.05	2.44^b ± 0.13	3.28^a ± 0.09	2.80^b ± 0.06	3.59^b ± 0.03	2.97^b ± 0.01
P value	0.053	0.023	0.021	0.019	0.005	0.019

Azolla 20 = 20 g Azolla meal /kg feed, Azolla 40 = 40 g Azolla meal /kg feed, Azolla 60 = 60 g Azolla meal/kg.

^a-d Values in the same column having dissimilar superscripts differ (P < 0.05).

Table 6. Impact of Azolla meal supplementation on the dressing percentage, antibody titre, MDA and faecal E. coli count of quails.

Groups	Dressing %	Antibody titre against ND	MDA (nmol/ml)	Faecal E. coli count
Control	60.30^c ± 1.04	6.41 ± 0.01	2.91 ± 0.12	4.12 ± 0.1
Azolla 20	61.30^c ± 1.04	6.67 ± 0.02	2.45 ± 0.23	4.09 ± 0.2
Azolla 40	62.38^ab ± 1.05	6.22 ± 0.01	2.11 ± 033	4.10^c ± 0.02
Azolla 60	64.26^a ± 1.09	6.99 ± 0.03	2.63 ± 0.11	4.04^b± 0.04
P value	0.005	0.11	0.31	0.44

Azolla 20 = 20 g Azolla meal /kg feed, Azolla 40 = 40 g Azolla meal /kg feed, Azolla 60 = 60 g Azolla meal/kg.

^a-d Values in the same column having dissimilar superscripts differ (P < 0.05).

Figure 1. Effect of Azolla on ilium histology of control (A), Azolla 20 (B), Azolla 40 (C) and Azolla 60 (D) of Japanese quails. The figures show normal villi in the control and treatment groups showing no negative effects on the structural histological features of villi.

Table 7. Impact of Azolla feeding on intestinal histomorphology of quails.

Groups	Villus height (µm)	Crypt depth (µm)	VH : CD
Control	363.16^d ± 1.04	138.13^a± 1.07	2.62^d± 0.02
Azolla 20	374.18^c± 1.04	134.17^b± 1.08	2.78^c± 0.01
Azolla 40	383.44^b± 1.05	128.29^c± 1.13	2.98^b± 0.01
Azolla 60	398.08^a± 1.09	123.28^d± 1.09	3.23^a± 0.03
P value	0.000	0.000	0.000

Azolla 20 = 20 g Azolla meal /kg feed, Azolla 40 = 40 g Azolla meal /kg feed, Azolla 60 = 60 g Azolla meal/kg.

^a-d Values in the same column having dissimilar superscripts differ (P < 0.05).

Data availability statement

On request.