The experiment aimed to study the effects of fermented additive of modified Liujunzi decoction on the growth performance,intestinal enzyme activity,microbial population,and intestinal pH value of broilers.Four hundred healthy one-day-old white feather broilers with similar body weights were randomly divided into four groups,with five replicates per group and 20 broilers per replicate.Group A,group B,and group C were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0.6%fermented Chinese herbal medicine,1.2%fermented Chinese herbal medicine,and 1.2%non-fermented Chinese herbal medicine,respectively.Group D(control group)was fed a basal diet.The preliminary trial lasted for seven days,followed by a 28-day experimental period.The results showed that compared with the control group,the average daily weight gain of broilers in the group A and group B increased,as well as the activities of intestinal amylase and protease(P<0.05).The population of Lactobacillus in the ileum increased(P<0.05),while the populations of Escherichia coli in the ileum and cecum of 36-day-old broilers decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the pH values of the duodenum,jejunum,and cecum in the group B at 20 days of age decreased(P<0.05),and the pH values of the duodenum,jejunum,and cecum in the group A and group B at 36 days of age decreased(P<0.05).The study indicates that adding a certain amount of fermented additive of modified Liujunzi decoction to broiler diets can improve the intestinal environment,promote digestion and body development,and the recommended dosage is 0.6%.
modified Liujunzi decoctionfermented Chinese medicinebroilersgrowth performanceintestinal enzyme activityflora number