Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (10): 5222-5231.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2025.10.041

• Basic Veterinary Medicine • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of Astragalus, Epimedium, Fructus Ligustri Lucidi Extract and Lactobacillus plantarum on the Growth of Goslings under High-density Feeding Conditions

QU Qing(), SUN Yihong, ZHAO Xingchen, GAO Ming, ZHOU Shuo*(), WANG Wei*()   

  1. College of Animal Science, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China
  • Received:2024-08-28 Online:2025-10-23 Published:2025-11-01
  • Contact: ZHOU Shuo, WANG Wei E-mail:482000989@qq.com;shuozhou@zju.edu.cn;wang_wei99@jlu.edu.cn

Abstract:

This study aimed to establish a density stress model with a stocking density of 7 goslings per square meter. The effects of Astragalus, Epimedium, and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (AEF) extract and Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) on body weight, immune function, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestinal morphology, and intestinal barrier integrity of goslings were investigated. The same batch of 42 one-month-old Ma′gang goslings were randomly divided into six groups: control group (c group), AEF treatment group (aef group), AEF and LP treatment group (aef+lp group), density stress group (s group), AEF and density stress group (s+aef group), and AEF, LP, density stress group (s+aef+lp group). The experiment lasted for 30 days. Goslings in the aef and s+aef groups were fed with 0.1 g ·mL-1 AEF water solvent, goslings in the aef+lp and s+aef+lp groups were fed with 0.1 g ·mL-1 AEF and 0.01 g ·mL-1 LP water solvents once daily. The results indicated that supplementation with AEF only and supplemented with AEF and LP together alleviated stress-induced weight loss and reduced serum level of CORT and decreased the expression of inflammatory factors. Furthermore, addition of AEF and LP significantly enhanced relative mRNA expression of the tight junctional proteins Occludin in the jejunum. Intestinal morphology results showed that villi in the duodenum and jejunum of goslings were shorter and sparser under stress, and the villi height to crypt depth ratio (Vh/Cd) decreased significantly as well. Treatment with AEF and AEF+LP increased villus height and improved Vh/Cd in the small intestine. In summary, AEF and AEF+LP adding to the water enhanced gosling weight, immune performance, antioxidant capacity, and improved intestinal health under stress. These findings provide new insights for enhancing productivity and preventing stress in goslings.

Key words: Ma′gang goslings, density stress, immune performance, antioxidant capacity

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