Chinese herbal feed additive for improving production performance of laying hens
By combining traditional Chinese medicine feed additives to regulate the antioxidant enzyme activity and reproductive hormone levels in the ovarian granulosa cells of laying hens, the problems of drug residues and drug resistance caused by existing additives have been solved, thereby improving the production performance and health status of laying hens.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HENAN SHENGSHI UNION BIOMEDICAL TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-26
Smart Images
Figure CN120092867B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of feed additives, specifically to a traditional Chinese medicine feed additive for improving the production performance of laying hens. Background Technology
[0002] my country is a major egg-laying hen producer, and eggs have consistently dominated the domestic egg consumer market. In modern poultry farming, the production performance of laying hens directly impacts farmers' economic benefits. This performance is primarily reflected in egg production rate, egg quality, and the health of the hens. However, with the rapid development of large-scale, intensive farming, laying hens face various stressors, such as high temperatures, high-density feeding, and environmental pollution, all of which can affect their production performance. While existing additives may improve performance in the short term, long-term use can lead to drug residues, environmental pollution, and drug resistance in animals, hindering the sustainable development of poultry farming. Therefore, effectively improving the production performance of laying hens has become a crucial issue that urgently needs to be addressed in the current poultry farming industry.
[0003] In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) feed additives have become a research hotspot due to their naturalness, low residue, and multi-target regulatory effects. TCM, as a natural source of medicine, has a long history of medicinal use. It can improve the self-repair ability and disease resistance of livestock and poultry by regulating the body's physiological functions, thereby enhancing their production performance. Modern research has found that polysaccharides in TCM can regulate the immune system of laying hens and enhance their disease resistance; vitamins may affect the reproductive system of laying hens and increase egg production; and organic acids can improve the digestive function of laying hens and increase the absorption and utilization rate of nutrients, thus contributing to improved egg quality. Therefore, developing TCM feed additives that can both meet the needs of the laying hen farming industry for improved production performance and address the safety and efficacy limitations of existing additives is of great significance. Summary of the Invention
[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved
[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a traditional Chinese medicine feed additive that improves the production performance of laying hens.
[0006] (II) Technical Solution
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:
[0008] This invention provides a traditional Chinese medicine feed additive to improve the production performance of laying hens. The traditional Chinese medicine feed additive is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 10-30 parts of privet fruit, 10-30 parts of astragalus root, 8-30 parts of purslane, 7-30 parts of wolfberry fruit, 5-25 parts of isatis root, 1-20 parts of honeysuckle flower, 1-20 parts of plantain herb, 1-20 parts of gardenia fruit, 2-25 parts of jujube fruit, 1-22 parts of burdock fruit, and 1-15 parts of bupleurum root.
[0009] Furthermore, the herbal feed additive is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 15-25 parts of privet fruit, 15-25 parts of astragalus root, 13-25 parts of purslane, 12-25 parts of wolfberry fruit, 10-20 parts of isatis root, 5-15 parts of honeysuckle flower, 5-15 parts of plantain herb, 5-15 parts of gardenia fruit, 7-22 parts of jujube fruit, 5-17 parts of burdock fruit, and 3-9 parts of bupleurum root.
[0010] Furthermore, the herbal feed additive is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 20 parts of privet fruit, 20 parts of astragalus root, 18 parts of purslane, 17 parts of wolfberry fruit, 15 parts of isatis root, 10 parts of honeysuckle, 10 parts of plantain, 10 parts of gardenia fruit, 12 parts of jujube fruit, 7 parts of burdock fruit, and 5 parts of bupleurum root.
[0011] This invention provides a method for preparing a traditional Chinese medicine feed additive to improve the laying hen's production performance, comprising the following steps:
[0012] (1) Weigh each raw material according to the above weight proportions, wash, dry, and crush them, and pass them through a 24-mesh sieve to obtain coarse powder;
[0013] (2) The above coarse powder is pulverized into ultrafine powder to obtain the herbal feed additive of the present invention.
[0014] This invention provides the application of the aforementioned herbal feed additive in the preparation of poultry feed to improve the laying hen production performance.
[0015] Furthermore, the amount of the herbal feed additive added is 5-20g / kg.
[0016] The pharmacological effects of each herbal component in the herbal feed additive of this invention are as follows:
[0017] Privet fruit: It tastes sweet and bitter, is cool in nature, and enters the liver and kidney meridians; it has the effects of nourishing the liver and kidneys, improving eyesight and darkening hair; it is used for liver and kidney yin deficiency, dizziness and tinnitus, soreness and weakness of the waist and knees, premature graying of hair, blurred vision, internal heat and thirst, and bone steaming fever.
[0018] Astragalus: It has a sweet taste and slightly warm nature, and enters the lung and spleen meridians. It has the effects of tonifying qi and raising yang, consolidating the exterior and stopping sweating, promoting diuresis and reducing swelling, generating fluids and nourishing blood, promoting circulation and relieving pain, detoxifying and draining pus, and astringing sores and promoting tissue regeneration. It is used for qi deficiency and fatigue, poor appetite and loose stools, sinking of middle qi, chronic diarrhea and rectal prolapse, hematochezia and metrorrhagia, spontaneous sweating due to exterior deficiency, edema due to qi deficiency, internal heat and thirst, blood deficiency and chlorosis, hemiplegia, numbness and pain, carbuncles and boils that are difficult to ulcerate, and chronic ulcers that do not heal.
[0019] Purslane: It tastes sour and is cold in nature. It enters the liver and large intestine meridians. It has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling blood and stopping bleeding, and stopping dysentery. It is used for dysentery caused by heat toxins, carbuncles and boils, eczema, erysipelas, snake and insect bites, hematochezia, hemorrhoidal bleeding, and metrorrhagia.
[0020] Goji berries: sweet in taste, neutral in nature, and enter the liver and kidney meridians; they have the effects of nourishing the liver and kidneys, benefiting essence and improving eyesight; they are used for deficiency of essence and blood, soreness of the waist and knees, dizziness and tinnitus, impotence and seminal emission, internal heat and thirst, blood deficiency and chlorosis, and blurred vision.
[0021] Isatis root: bitter in taste, cold in nature, enters the heart and stomach meridians; has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling blood and relieving sore throat; used for epidemic diseases, fever and sore throat, febrile rashes, mumps, erysipelas, epidemic parotitis, erysipelas, and carbuncles.
[0022] Honeysuckle: sweet in taste and cold in nature, it enters the lung, heart and stomach meridians; it has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, and dispersing wind-heat; it is used for carbuncles, boils, sore throat, erysipelas, dysentery caused by heat toxins, wind-heat cold, and febrile diseases.
[0023] Plantain: It has a sweet taste and cold nature, and enters the liver, kidney, lung, and small intestine meridians; it has the effects of clearing heat, promoting diuresis, relieving strangury, eliminating phlegm, cooling blood, and detoxifying; it is used for painful strangury due to heat, edema with scanty urine, summer heat diarrhea, cough with phlegm and heat, hematemesis and epistaxis, carbuncles and boils.
[0024] Gardenia: Bitter in taste, cold in nature, enters the heart, lung, and triple burner meridians; has the effects of purging fire and relieving irritability, clearing heat and promoting diuresis, cooling blood and detoxifying; used externally to reduce swelling and relieve pain; used for fever with irritability, damp-heat jaundice, painful urination, hematemesis due to blood heat, red and swollen eyes, sores due to fire toxin, and externally for sprains and contusions.
[0025] Jujube: sweet in taste, warm in nature, and enters the spleen, stomach, and heart meridians; it has the effects of tonifying the middle energizer and replenishing qi, nourishing blood and calming the mind; it is used for spleen deficiency with poor appetite, fatigue and loose stools, and hysteria in women.
[0026] Burdock seed: It is pungent and bitter in taste, cold in nature, and enters the lung and stomach meridians; it has the effects of dispersing wind-heat, clearing the lungs and promoting rash eruption, detoxifying and relieving sore throat; it is used for wind-heat cold, cough with phlegm, measles, rubella, sore throat, mumps, erysipelas, carbuncles and boils.
[0027] Bupleurum: It has a pungent and bitter taste, is slightly cold in nature, and enters the liver, gallbladder, and lung meridians; it has the effects of dispersing and reducing fever, soothing the liver and relieving depression, and raising yang qi; it is used for colds with fever, alternating chills and fever, chest and rib pain, irregular menstruation, uterine prolapse, and rectal prolapse.
[0028] (III) Beneficial Effects
[0029] This invention provides a traditional Chinese medicine feed additive to improve the production performance of laying hens. The feed additive is composed of eleven traditional Chinese medicinal herbs: privet fruit, astragalus root, purslane, wolfberry fruit, isatis root, honeysuckle flower, plantain herb, gardenia fruit, jujube fruit, burdock fruit, and bupleurum root. This herbal feed additive can regulate the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the granulosa cells of the ovary of laying hens, reduce oxidative stress levels, and thus alleviate cell damage caused by oxidative stress. Simultaneously, this additive can significantly reduce the release of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α and IL-1β, exhibiting significant anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, the herbal feed additive of this invention can improve the egg production rate and average egg weight of laying hens, reduce the feed conversion ratio, increase eggshell strength and Haugh units, effectively improve the production performance of laying hens, and significantly improve egg quality. Further, this additive can increase the levels of CAT, GSH, SOD, and T-AOC in serum, reduce MDA levels, increase E2, FSH, P4, and LH levels, enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes in laying hens, protect the body from oxidative damage, and regulate the level of reproductive hormones in the body, thereby improving the health and production performance of laying hens. Therefore, this invention provides a new and effective strategy for improving the health and production performance of laying hens, and has broad application prospects. Attached Figure Description
[0030] Figure 1 Comparison of serum antioxidant levels in laying hens across different groups. Note: Compared to the control group, * P<0.05, ** P<0.01.
[0031] Figure 2 Comparison of reproductive hormone levels in the serum of laying hens in each group. Note: Compared with the control group, * P<0.05, ** P<0.01. Detailed Implementation
[0032] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0033] Example 1
[0034] A herbal feed additive for improving the production performance of laying hens, the additive being composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 20 parts of privet fruit, 20 parts of astragalus root, 18 parts of purslane, 17 parts of wolfberry fruit, 15 parts of isatis root, 10 parts of honeysuckle flower, 10 parts of plantain herb, 10 parts of gardenia fruit, 12 parts of jujube fruit, 7 parts of burdock fruit, and 5 parts of bupleurum root.
[0035] Example 2
[0036] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the herbal feed additive is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 12 parts of privet fruit, 12 parts of astragalus root, 10 parts of purslane, 9 parts of wolfberry, 7 parts of isatis root, 5 parts of honeysuckle, 3 parts of plantain, 5 parts of gardenia, 5 parts of jujube, 3 parts of burdock fruit, and 2 parts of bupleurum root.
[0037] Example 3
[0038] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the herbal feed additive is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 30 parts of privet fruit, 30 parts of astragalus root, 30 parts of purslane, 30 parts of wolfberry fruit, 25 parts of isatis root, 20 parts of honeysuckle, 20 parts of plantain, 20 parts of gardenia fruit, 20 parts of jujube fruit, 22 parts of burdock fruit, and 15 parts of bupleurum root.
[0039] Example 4
[0040] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the herbal feed additive is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 28 parts of privet fruit, 28 parts of astragalus root, 26 parts of purslane, 24 parts of wolfberry fruit, 22 parts of isatis root, 18 parts of honeysuckle, 18 parts of plantain, 18 parts of gardenia fruit, 20 parts of jujube fruit, 15 parts of burdock fruit, and 12 parts of bupleurum root.
[0041] Example 5
[0042] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the herbal feed additive is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 15 parts of privet fruit, 15 parts of astragalus root, 13 parts of purslane, 12 parts of wolfberry fruit, 10 parts of isatis root, 8 parts of honeysuckle, 8 parts of plantain, 6 parts of gardenia fruit, 9 parts of jujube fruit, 5 parts of burdock fruit, and 4 parts of bupleurum root.
[0043] Example 6
[0044] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the herbal feed additive is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 10 parts of privet fruit, 10 parts of astragalus root, 8 parts of purslane, 7 parts of wolfberry, 5 parts of isatis root, 1 part of honeysuckle, 1 part of plantain, 1 part of gardenia, 2 parts of jujube, 1 part of burdock fruit, and 1 part of bupleurum root.
[0045] Example 7
[0046] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the herbal feed additive is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 25 parts of privet fruit, 25 parts of astragalus root, 23 parts of purslane, 21 parts of wolfberry fruit, 20 parts of isatis root, 15 parts of honeysuckle, 15 parts of plantain, 15 parts of gardenia fruit, 17 parts of jujube fruit, 11 parts of burdock fruit, and 9 parts of bupleurum root.
[0047] Example 8
[0048] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the herbal feed additive is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 22 parts of privet fruit, 22 parts of astragalus root, 20 parts of purslane, 18 parts of wolfberry fruit, 17 parts of isatis root, 12 parts of honeysuckle flower, 12 parts of plantain herb, 10 parts of gardenia fruit, 15 parts of jujube fruit, 9 parts of burdock fruit, and 7 parts of bupleurum root.
[0049] Experimental Example 1
[0050] 1. Materials and Methods
[0051] 1.1 Preparation of the herbal feed additive of the present invention
[0052] Experimental Group 1: 20 parts of Ligustrum lucidum, 20 parts of Astragalus membranaceus, 18 parts of Portulaca oleracea, 17 parts of Lycium barbarum, 15 parts of Isatis indigotica, 10 parts of Lonicera japonica, 10 parts of Plantago asiatica, 10 parts of Gardenia jasminoides, 12 parts of Ziziphus jujuba, 7 parts of Arctium lappa, and 5 parts of Bupleurum chinense.
[0053] Experimental Group 2: 18 parts of purslane, 17 parts of wolfberry, 15 parts of isatis root, 10 parts of honeysuckle, 10 parts of plantain, 10 parts of gardenia, 12 parts of jujube, 7 parts of burdock, and 5 parts of bupleurum.
[0054] Experimental Group 3: 20 parts of Ligustrum lucidum, 20 parts of Astragalus membranaceus, 10 parts of Lonicera japonica, 10 parts of Plantago asiatica, 10 parts of Gardenia jasminoides, 12 parts of Ziziphus jujuba, 7 parts of Arctium lappa, and 5 parts of Bupleurum chinense.
[0055] Experimental Group 4: 20 parts of Ligustrum lucidum, 20 parts of Astragalus membranaceus, 18 parts of Portulaca oleracea, 17 parts of Lycium barbarum, 15 parts of Isatis indigotica, 12 parts of Jujube, 7 parts of Arctium lappa, and 5 parts of Bupleurum chinense.
[0056] Experimental Group 5: 20 parts of Ligustrum lucidum, 20 parts of Astragalus membranaceus, 18 parts of Portulaca oleracea, 17 parts of Lycium barbarum, 15 parts of Isatis indigotica, 10 parts of Lonicera japonica, 10 parts of Plantago asiatica, and 10 parts of Gardenia jasminoides.
[0057] Weigh each raw material according to the above weight proportions, wash, dry, and crush them. Soak them in water for 30 minutes, then decoct for 2 hours. Filter to obtain the filtrate, and concentrate the filtrate to a drug mass concentration of 1.03 g / mL to obtain the original Chinese medicine solution for test groups 1-5. Store it in a refrigerator at 4℃ for later use.
[0058] 1.2 Isolation and Culture of Granular Cells from Laying Hen Ovaries
[0059] After euthanizing 40-week-old Hy-Line Grey laying hens, the entire ovarian tissue was removed. Blood was washed away with 0.9% saline solution, and the tissue was placed in a saline solution containing 3% penicillin and streptomycin. Under aseptic conditions, 6-8 mm small yellow follicles were peeled off and placed in PBS. The follicles were punctured, and the granulosa cell membrane was separated. The granulosa cell membrane was collected, and 1 mL of 1.2 mg / mL type II collagenase solution was added. Digestion was performed in a 37°C water bath for 9 min. Digestion was terminated with 1 mL of 4°C pre-cooled M199 complete culture medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum and 1% penicillin and streptomycin (hereinafter referred to as "complete culture medium"). The mixture was filtered through a 200-mesh cell sieve, and the filtrate was centrifuged at 1200 rpm for 6 min. The cell pellet was collected and resuspended. This process was repeated twice, and the culture medium was used to prepare a 1×10⁻⁶ m³ solution. 5 Cell suspensions of cells per mL were incubated at 37°C in a 5% CO2 incubator.
[0060] 1.3 Antioxidant index detection
[0061] Granulosa cells from laying hens were divided into 1×10 4 Cells were seeded in 96-well plates at a density of 100 μL per well. After 24 h of culture, the cells were divided into a blank control group, a model control group, and experimental groups 1-5, with three replicates per group. Except for the blank control group, the cells in the other groups were treated with 50 μmol / L H2O2 solution for 6 h. Experimental groups 1-5 were treated with 20 μmol / L of the above-mentioned traditional Chinese medicine stock solution, while the blank control group and the model control group were given an equal volume of complete culture medium. After 24 h, cell samples were collected, sonicated, and the contents of CAT, SOD, and MDA in granulosa cells of laying hen ovaries were detected using a kit.
[0062] 1.4 Detection of inflammatory factor levels
[0063] Granulosa cells from laying hens were divided into 1×10 4 100 μL of each sample was seeded into a 96-well plate. After 24 h of culture, the plates were divided into a blank control group, a model control group, and experimental groups 1-5, with three replicates per group. 50 μL of complete culture medium containing 50 μmol / L of the original herbal extract from each of the experimental groups 1-5 was added to each well, while the blank control group and the model control group received an equal volume of complete culture medium. One h later, 50 μL of LPS (to a final concentration of 1 μg / mL) was added to each well for stimulation. After another 24 h of culture, the supernatant was collected, and the secretion levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in the supernatant were measured according to the ELISA kit instructions.
[0064] 1.5 Statistical Methods
[0065] All data were processed using Graphpad Prism 8.0 software, and the data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. The results indicate that ANOVA was used for analysis of variance when all data series were normally distributed; LSD-test was used for comparisons between groups with homogeneous variances; Dunnett's test was used for comparisons between groups with unequal variances; and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
[0066] 2 Results
[0067] 2.1 Effects of various drugs on antioxidant indices of ovarian granulosa cells in laying hens
[0068] Table 1 shows that, compared with the blank control group, the levels of CAT and SOD in the ovarian granulosa cells of laying hens in the model control group were significantly decreased, while the level of MDA was significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model control group, the levels of CAT and SOD in all treatment groups increased, while the level of MDA decreased. Among them, the levels of CAT and SOD in experimental group 1 increased most significantly, while the level of MDA decreased the most significantly, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.01). This indicates that the drug in experimental group 1 had the most significant protective effect on the antioxidant capacity of ovarian granulosa cells of laying hens, effectively reducing oxidative stress damage and maintaining normal cell function. Although other experimental groups also showed some antioxidant effects, the effects were relatively weak.
[0069] Table 1 Comparison of antioxidant indices in ovarian granulosa cells of laying hens in different groups
[0070] Grouping CAT (U / mL) SOD (U / mL) MDA (nmol / mL) Blank control group 8.38±1.03 88.75±5.74 8.37±0.95 Model control group <![CDATA[3.25±1.08 ## ]]> <![CDATA[39.51±5.39 ## ]]> <![CDATA[35.57±3.40 ## ]]> Experiment 1 group <![CDATA[7.58±1.08 ** ]]> <![CDATA[72.68±5.24 ** ]]> <![CDATA[12.40±2.03 ** ]]> Experimental Group 2 4.61±1.19 45.19±4.15 31.75±2.08 Experiment 3 groups 5.25±0.93 51.62±7.51 30.33±2.17 Experiment 4 groups <![CDATA[6.17±0.32 ** ]]> <![CDATA[61.54±5.70 ** ]]> <![CDATA[20.58±2.04 ** ]]> Experiment 5 groups <![CDATA[6.89±0.55 ** ]]> <![CDATA[69.34±2.76 ** ]]> <![CDATA[17.54±2.27 ** ]]>
[0071] Note: Compared with the blank control group # P<0.05, ## P<0.01; compared with the model control group, * P<0.05, ** P<0.01.
[0072] 2.2 Effects of various drugs on the levels of inflammatory factors in granulosa cells of the ovary of laying hens
[0073] As shown in Table 2, compared with the blank control group, the expression levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in the ovarian granulosa cells of laying hens in the model control group were significantly increased (P<0.01); compared with the model control group, the contents of TNF-α and IL-1β in each treatment group were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Among them, the reduction effect of the experimental group was particularly significant, indicating that the herbal feed additive of the present invention has significant anti-inflammatory effect and can effectively reduce the expression levels of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α and IL-1β in the ovarian granulosa cells of laying hens.
[0074] Table 2 Comparison of inflammatory factor levels in ovarian granulosa cells of laying hens in different groups
[0075] Grouping TNF-α (pg / mL) IL-1β (pg / mL) Blank control group 16.57±2.84 46.23±3.60 Model control group <![CDATA[55.93±3.10 ## ]]> <![CDATA[85.50±2.64 ## ]]> Experiment 1 group <![CDATA[23.30±3.24 ** ]]> <![CDATA[53.47±2.89 ** ]]> Experimental Group 2 <![CDATA[47.72±2.63 * ]]> <![CDATA[77.90±1.84 * <!-- 5 -->]]> Experiment 3 groups <![CDATA[41.91±2.19 ** ]]> <![CDATA[72.78±2.70 ** ]]> Experiment 4 groups <![CDATA[32.32±3.16 ** ]]> <![CDATA[68.01±1.61 ** ]]> Experiment 5 groups <![CDATA[29.54±2.06 ** ]]> <![CDATA[63.52±3.81 ** ]]>
[0076] Note: Compared with the blank control group # P<0.05, ## P<0.01; compared with the model control group, * P<0.05, ** P<0.01.
[0077] 3 Discussion
[0078] The herbal feed additive of this invention can regulate the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the granulosa cells of the ovary of laying hens, reduce oxidative stress levels, and thus alleviate cell damage caused by oxidative stress. Simultaneously, this additive can significantly reduce the release of inflammatory factors such as TNF-α and IL-1β, exhibiting significant anti-inflammatory effects. These results reveal the potential of the herbal feed additive of this invention in improving ovarian health and enhancing laying hen production performance.
[0079] Experimental Example 2
[0080] 1. Materials and Methods
[0081] 1.1 Experimental Drugs
[0082] 20 parts privet fruit, 20 parts astragalus root, 18 parts purslane, 17 parts wolfberry fruit, 15 parts isatis root, 10 parts honeysuckle flower, 10 parts plantain herb, 10 parts gardenia fruit, 12 parts jujube fruit, 7 parts burdock fruit, and 5 parts bupleurum root. Weigh each ingredient according to the above-mentioned proportions, wash, dry, and ultrafinely pulverize them for later use.
[0083] 1.2 Laboratory Animals
[0084] One hundred and twenty healthy, disease-free 21-week-old Hy-Line Grey laying hens were randomly divided into four groups: a control group, a low-dose group, a medium-dose group, and a high-dose group (hereinafter referred to as the "low-dose group, medium-dose group, and high-dose group"). Each group had five replicates, with six hens in each replicate. The control group was fed a basal diet, while the low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% of the herbal additive, respectively. The feeding was continued for 30 days.
[0085] 1.3 Feeding and Management
[0086] A three-tiered cage system (upper, middle, and lower levels) was used for rearing and management. During the experiment, all groups of laying hens had free access to feed and water. The chicken house was kept at a suitable and stable temperature and humidity, and was regularly disinfected and cleaned. The specific composition and nutritional levels of the basal diet are shown in Table 1.
[0087] Table 1. Composition and Nutritional Levels of Basal Diets
[0088] Raw material composition content(%) Nutritional level content corn 63 Metabolizable energy (MJ / kg) 12.73 soybean meal 14 Crude protein / % 16.24 wheat bran 3 Lysine / % 0.83 Peanut Meal 10 Methionine / % 0.51 salt 0.5 calcium / % 1.37 stone powder 7.2 Available phosphorus / % 0.89 L-Lysine 0.1 DL-methionine 0.2 premix 2
[0089] Note: The premix provides the following per kilogram of feed: Vitamin A 100,000 IU, Vitamin D3 30,000 IU, Vitamin E 45 IU, Vitamin B1 4.5 mg, Vitamin B2 3.6 mg, Fe 140 mg, Cu 86.25 mg, Zn 75 mg, Mn 45 mg; all nutrient levels are averages.
[0090] 1.4 Detection Indicators and Methods
[0091] 1.4.1 Laying hen production performance
[0092] During the experiment, the number of eggs laid, egg weight, and feed intake of each group of laying hens were recorded, and the laying rate, average egg weight, average feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were calculated.
[0093] 1.4.2 Egg quality
[0094] After the experiment, three eggs were selected every other time, and the egg quality was tested using a fully automated egg quality tester, including eggshell thickness, eggshell strength, and Haugh units.
[0095] 1.4.3 Serum antioxidant markers and reproductive hormone markers
[0096] After the experiment, blood was collected from the wing veins of each group of laying hens. The blood was centrifuged at 3500 rpm for 20 min at 4℃, and the supernatant was collected. The levels of antioxidant indicators catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and reproductive hormone indicators estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), progesterone (P4), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were detected according to the ELISA kit instructions.
[0097] 1.5 Statistical Methods
[0098] All data were processed using Graphpad Prism 8.0 software, and the data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. The results indicate that ANOVA was used for analysis of variance when all data series were normally distributed; LSD-test was used for comparisons between groups with homogeneous variances; Dunnett's test was used for comparisons between groups with unequal variances; and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
[0099] 2 Results
[0100] 2.1 Impact on laying hen production performance
[0101] As shown in Table 2, compared with the control group, the egg production rate and average egg weight of the laying hens in each experimental group were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the feed conversion ratio was significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in average feed intake (P>0.05). Moreover, there was a dose-dependent relationship between the egg production rate, average egg weight, and feed conversion ratio among the experimental groups. That is, with the increase of the amount of Chinese herbal medicine added, the egg production rate and average egg weight showed an upward trend, while the feed conversion ratio showed a downward trend. This indicates that the Chinese herbal medicine feed additive of the present invention can effectively improve the production performance of laying hens, increase the egg production rate and average egg weight, and at the same time reduce feed consumption and improve feed utilization.
[0102] Table 2 Comparison of laying hen production performance among groups
[0103] Grouping Egg production rate (%) Average egg weight (g) Average feed intake (g) Feed conversion ratio (%) control group 77.54±2.31 44.55±0.82 88.13±4.85 2.07±0.07 low-dose group <![CDATA[84.94±1.26 ** ]]> 46.39±1.08 87.09±2.33 1.94±0.05 medium dose group <![CDATA[88.99±1.52 ** ]]> <![CDATA[47.61±0.82 * ]]> 86.79±4.63 <![CDATA[1.82±0.07 ** ]]> High-dose group <![CDATA[94.87±1.23 ** ]]> <![CDATA[48.65±1.24 ** ]]> 87.87±3.57 <![CDATA[1.74±0.08 ** ]]>
[0104] Note: Compared with the control group, * P<0.05, ** P<0.01.
[0105] 2.2 Impact on egg quality
[0106] Table 3 shows that, compared with the control group, there was no significant difference in eggshell thickness among the experimental groups (P>0.05), while eggshell strength and Haugh units were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), exhibiting a clear dose-dependent relationship. This indicates that the herbal feed additive of the present invention can significantly improve egg quality, increase eggshell strength and Haugh units, and has no adverse effect on eggshell thickness.
[0107] Table 3 Comparison of egg quality among groups
[0108] Grouping Eggshell thickness (mm) <![CDATA[Eggshell strength (kg / cm 2 )]]> Huff unit control group 0.38±0.09 4.11±0.06 77.97±1.94 low-dose group 0.33±0.09 4.26±0.08 <![CDATA[82.84±1.70 ** <!-- 7 -->]]> medium dose group 0.35±0.13 <![CDATA[4.37±0.12 * ]]> <![CDATA[84.32±1.05 ** ]]> High-dose group 0.37±0.12 <![CDATA[4.54±0.07 ** ]]> <![CDATA[88.42±0.84 ** ]]>
[0109] Note: Compared with the control group, * P<0.05, ** P<0.01.
[0110] 2.3 Antioxidant Indicators in Laying Hen Serum
[0111] Depend on Figure 1 It can be seen that, compared with the control group, the contents of CAT, GSH, SOD, and T-AOC in the serum of laying hens in each experimental group showed an increasing trend, while the contents of MDA showed a decreasing trend. Among them, the high-dose group of traditional Chinese medicine feed additive showed the most significant increase in the contents of CAT, GSH, SOD, and T-AOC, and the most significant decrease in the contents of MDA. This indicates that the traditional Chinese medicine feed additive of the present invention can improve the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the serum of laying hens, reduce the production and accumulation of free radicals, protect the body from oxidative damage, and thus improve the health and production performance of laying hens.
[0112] 2.4 Effects on reproductive hormone levels in laying hens
[0113] E2 is one of the main estrogens, and its concentration has a significant impact on follicle development and ovulation in laying hens; FSH is mainly responsible for promoting follicle growth and development; P4 helps maintain pregnancy and prepare for egg laying; LH mainly promotes ovulation and corpus luteum formation. Figure 2 It can be seen that, compared with the control group, the levels of E2, FSH, P4 and LH in the serum of laying hens in each experimental group were significantly increased (P<0.01) and showed a dose-dependent effect. This indicates that the herbal feed additive of the present invention can promote the reproductive function of laying hens and improve their production performance by regulating the level of reproductive hormones in the laying hens.
[0114] 3. Conclusion
[0115] The above experimental results show that the herbal feed additive of the present invention can improve the egg production rate and average egg weight of laying hens, reduce the feed conversion ratio, and effectively improve the production performance of laying hens. In addition, the additive can also increase eggshell strength and Haugh units, significantly improving egg quality. Furthermore, the herbal feed additive of the present invention can increase the content of CAT, GSH, SOD, and T-AOC in serum, reduce the content of MDA, increase the levels of E2, FSH, P4, and LH, enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes in laying hens, protect the body from oxidative damage, and regulate the level of reproductive hormones in the body, thereby improving the health and production performance of laying hens.
[0116] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.
Claims
1. A traditional Chinese medicine feed additive for improving the laying hen's production performance, characterized in that, The herbal feed additive is composed of the following ingredients in parts by weight: 20 parts privet fruit, 20 parts astragalus root, 18 parts purslane, 17 parts wolfberry fruit, 15 parts isatis root, 10 parts honeysuckle flower, 10 parts plantain, 10 parts gardenia fruit, 12 parts jujube fruit, 7 parts burdock fruit, and 5 parts bupleurum root.
2. The method for preparing a traditional Chinese medicine feed additive to improve the laying hen's production performance as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Weigh each raw material according to the above weight proportions, wash, dry, and crush them, and pass them through a 24-mesh sieve to obtain coarse powder; (2) The above coarse powder is ultra-finely pulverized to obtain the Chinese herbal medicine feed additive.
3. The application of the herbal feed additive as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The herbal feed additives are used to prepare poultry feed that improves the laying hen's production performance.
4. The application of the herbal feed additive according to claim 3, characterized in that, The dosage of the herbal feed additive is 5-20g / kg.