Effect of probiotics and humate substances on blood parameters, intestinal development and immune organs of growing quail

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate impacts of dietary probiotics (Bacillus subtilis PB6) and humate substances (HS) supplementation on histomorphometry of small intestine and immune organs, blood parameters of growing quail. A total of 216 unsexed quails (seven days old) were randomly distributed to six groups. The 1^st group did not receive any supplements (control), 2^nd group received B. subtilis (CloSTAT: 0.5 g/kg diet), 3^rd and 4^th groups received HS (4 and 8 g/kg diet, respectively), 5^th and 6^th groups received CloSTAT + 4g HS and CloSTAT + 8g HS, respectively. Results showed that the inclusion of B. subtilis alone in quail diets significantly improved histomorphometry indices of intestine and immune organs compared to the control. Dietary supplementation of HS alone led to deteriorating histomorphometry indices of intestinal segments and immune organs compared to the control. CloSTAT, HS or both improved lipid profile and antioxidant parameters. Serum mineral levels did not differ significantly among groups except for Ca levels. In conclusion, dietary probiotics supplementation enhanced histomorphometry of intestine and immune organs and improved serum Ca, lipid profile and antioxidant indices. Moreover, the addition of HS (4 or 8 g/kg diet) improved lipid profile and antioxidant indices, but led to undesirable results in intestinal development and immune organs.

Keywords:

• Quail
• intestine
• immunity
• minerals
• antioxidant

Ethical approval

The study protocol was approved by the Fayoum University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (FU-IACUC), Egypt (Code No. approval: AEC2212).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.