Growth performance, zinc tissue content, and intestinal health in meat ducks fed different specific surface area of micronized zinc oxide

• DOI: 10.3382/ps/pez108
• Publication Date: 2019-03-16T09:56:30Z
• Authors: X P Wu; Y F Zhu; K Y Zhang; X M Ding; S P Bai; J P Wang; H W Peng; Q F Zeng
• Keywords: Mucin 2; Intestinal mucosa

This study investigated the effect of different specific surface area micronized zinc oxide (ZnO) on growth performance, (Zn) tissue content, jejunal morphology, antioxidative status, and intestinal mucosa barrier-related gene expression in meat ducks. A total 480 one-day-old Cherry Valley ducks were randomly divided into 4 dietary treatments, which each had 12 replicates; therefore, replicate consisted 10 Experimental diets included basal diet supplemented with ZnSO4 (control group) 3 treatments ZnO, was either 11.30 m2/g (S-mZnO), 20.90 (M-mZnO), or 34.02 (L-mZnO). The amount Zn extra supplementation 120 mg/kg diet. experiment lasted for 35 D. results showed that M-mZnO significantly increased (P < 0.05) BW (35 D), gain (14 to 1 crypt depth, mRNA zonula occludens-3, mucin 2, secretory immunoglobulin ducks, while feed-to-gain ratio D) decreased when compared control other 2 groups. Furthermore, group, hepatic content superoxide dismutase activity ZnO groups 0.05), pancreas tended increase = 0.051). In conclusion, this demonstrates as a supplement can improve performance by increasing improving physical, chemical, immunological barrier function.