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Abstract
1. Fermented plant product (FPP) is a natural fermented food which is produced from a mixture of fermented fruit and vegetables, and rice bran (1:9).
2. To investigate the effects of FPP on growth performance, some blood variables, carcase characteristics and intestinal histology were determined in 192 broilers. They were divided into 4 groups, with 4 replicates of 12 chicks each; the chicks were provided ad libitum access to a diet consisting of 0, 0·5, 2·0 and 4·0% dietary FPP.
3. The crude protein and metabolisable energy concentrations of these diets were adjusted to 230 g CP/kg and 13·40 MJ ME/kg for the 7 to 21 d old chicks, and 200 g CP/kg and 13·40 MJ ME/kg for the 22 to 49 d old chicks, respectively.
4. At 49 d of age, feed intake, body weight gain and feed efficiency tended to increase with increase in FPP concentrations. Feed intake increased in the 4·0% dietary FPP group, BW gain increased in the 2·0% and 4·0% dietary FPP groups and feed efficiency increased in all experimental groups.
5. There were no differences among diets in the blood variables and carcase characteristics, except for total visceral organ weight, increased in all experimental groups.
6. Most of the intestinal villus heights, villus areas, epithelial cell areas and cell mitosis tended to increase with increase in FPP concentrations; duodenal villus height and cell mitosis in the 2·0 and 4·0% dietary FPP groups, and jejunal cell mitosis in all experimental groups were significantly increased. Compared with flat cells on the villus apical surface in the 0% FPP group, all experimental groups had protuberant cells in all intestinal parts.
7. In conclusion, hypertrophy of the villi and epithelial cells was observed in the present study, indicating improved growth performance, especially in the 4·0% dietary FPP group. Furthermore, increased total visceral organ weights suggested that FPP has no harmful effects on broilers.