Effects of Microencapsulated Compound Acidifier on Acidity and Development of Gastrointestinal Tract in Weaning Piglets

The effects of different types of compound acidifiers （encapsulated and non-encapsulated） in maize-soybean basic diets on acidity and development of the gastrointestinal tract in weaning piglets were investigated in this study. 64 28-day-old weaned Landrace x Yorkshire hybrid piglets with average weight of （7.00 ±0.10） kg were selected and grouped into four treatments with four pigs （ half boars and half sows） in each repeat of four repeats in each treatment based on single-factor test design principles, and the pre-test period was 3 days but the test period was 35 days. The results showed that compared with acid-free diet group, encapsulated compound acidifier could reduce pH of stomach and intestinal in weaning piglets significantly （P 〈 0.01 ）, while Test group 1 could also increase the relative weight of stomach and intestinal in piglets significantly （P 〈 0.05 ）. Compared with non-encapsulated acidifier, encapsulated compound acidifier could greatly decrease pH in jejunum and ileum of weaning piglets （ P 〈 0.05） or relative weight of stomach in piglets （ P〈0.05）, while Test group 1 could also enhance the relative weight of intestinal in piglets significantly （ P 〈0.01 ）. In addition, encapsulated compound acidifiers significantly increased the ratio between the villus height and crypt depth of jejunum （ P 〈0.01 ）. Accordingly, the microencapsulated compound acidifier in diets of weaning piglets can promote the development of gastrointestinal tracts for piglets by reducing pH of gastrointestinal tracts.

Effects of Compound Acidifier and Probiotics on Production Performance,Blood Biochemical Indexes,Antioxidant Indexes and Salmonella Infection of Laying Hens

This study evaluated the effects of compound acidifier and probiotics on production performance, blood biochemical indexes, antioxidant indexes and Salmonella infection of laying hens. A total of 600 50-week-old healthy laying hens with similar laying rate were randomly assigned to four groups, 10 repeats each group, and each repeat contained 15 chickens. The laying hens in control group were fed a basal diet, and in the other three experimental groups were fed basal di- ets supplemented with 300 g/t probiotics, 0. 1% compound acidifier in the drinking water every other day, and 300 g/t probiotics ＋ 0.1% compound aeidifier in the drinking water every other day, respectively. After the feeding of 16 weeks, a total of 60 laying hens from control group were divided into four treatments as the same above for a 13-day long Salmonella challenge （1.3×10^8 CFU） trial. The results were shown as follows： no significant effects were observed on production performance, hemoglobin content, the superoxide dismutase activity and total antioxidant capacity of reproductive organ in compound acidifier and probiotics groups （ P 〉 0.05 ）. Dirty egg rate was significantly decreased in compound acidifier group, probiotics group and combination group of both （P 〈 0.05 ）. Compared with the control group, white blood cell count in probiotics group was significantly decreased （P 〈0.05 ）, and the immunoglobulin content in probiotics group tended to be increased （P = 0.061 ）. The malondialdehyde （MDA） content in oviduct isthmus of hens in compound acidifier group and combination group was significantly decreased compared with the control group （ P 〈 0.05 ）. The Salmonella positive rate in oviduct of hens in compound acidifier group was significantly decreased at the 7th and 14^th days （ P 〈0.05 ）, but that in probiotics group and combination group was not significantly different compared with control group （ P 〉 0.05 ）. In conclusion, compound acidifier and probiotics can improve health status of laying hens through decreasing the dirty egg rate and increasing antioxidant capacity and immunity of them, thus reducing Salmonella infection of body and eggs.

Effects of Compound Acidifier on Growth Performance and Serum Biochemical Parameters of Heat-stressed Wenchang Chickens

[Objective]The paper was to investigate the effects of compound acidifier on growth performance and serum biochemical parameters of heat-stressed Wenchang chickens.[Method]A total of 28881-day-old Wenchang chickens with the same genetic background and similar initial weight(985.63±20.35 g)were randomly divided into four groups,four replicates per group and 18 chickens per replicate.Birds were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0 g/kg(control group),1 g/kg(groupⅠ),2 g/kg(groupⅡ)and 3 g/kg(groupⅢ)compound acidifier.The trial lasted 35 d.[Result]The daily gain of experimental groupⅠwas significantly higher than those of control group and groupⅢ(P<0.05),and the feed intake of experimental groupⅠwas also markedly higher than that of control group(P<0.05),but the feed gain ratio of experimental groupⅠwas significantly lower than that of groupⅢ(P<0.05).Compared with control group,the serum total protein and albumin levels of experimental groupⅠincreased(P>0.05),but the serum uric acid concentration decreased(P>0.05).[Conclusion]Supplementing 1 g/kg compound acidifier could improve the growth performance of heat-stressed Wenchang chickens.