Compound Chinese herbal medicine for low-protein diet of broiler chickens and application thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a compound Chinese herbal medicine for low-protein daily ration of broilers and application thereof, and belongs to the technical field of livestock and poultry breeding and feed adding. The compound Chinese herbal medicine comprises astragalus polysaccharide, allicin, rhizoma atractylodis, dioscorea, saussurea lappa, hawthorn, honeysuckle and licorice. The compound Chinese herbal medicine is added into low-protein daily ration of broilers with the content of crude protein being reduced by 1.5% at a dose of 0.34%. The compound Chinese herbal medicine can significantly improve the leg muscle rate of broilers, reduce the drip loss rate and the cooking loss rate to improve the meat quality, adjust the serum lipid metabolism, reduce the total cholesterol and reduce the abdominal fat deposition, increase the content of serum immunoglobulin and the activity of antioxidant enzyme, and enhance the immunity and the antioxidant capacity of the broilers.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of livestock and poultry breeding and feed additive technology, and in particular relates to a compound traditional Chinese medicine for low-protein diets of broilers and its application. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, my country's livestock and poultry farming industry faces a shortage of protein-rich feedstock. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, my country's soybean import dependence exceeded 80% in 2024. To alleviate this situation, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the National Animal Husbandry Station encourage the farming industry to adopt low-protein, high-feed conversion ratio production models to promote the reduction and substitution of soybean meal. However, existing research indicates that feeding broiler chickens with low-protein diets can affect their feed intake and increase fat deposition.

[0003] Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herbs, as conventional feed additives, have the advantages of abundant sources, local availability, and green efficiency, and can improve the growth performance and enhance the immunity of broilers. However, there are relatively few reports on the effects of adding compound TCM herbs to low-protein broiler diets on their production performance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a compound TCM herbal formula that can overcome the shortcomings of low-protein diets, reduce fat deposition in broilers, and improve their overall performance. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a compound traditional Chinese medicine for low-protein diets of broilers and its application, in order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows: In one aspect, a compound traditional Chinese medicine formula for low-protein diets of broilers is provided, the compound traditional Chinese medicine formula including astragalus polysaccharide, allicin, atractylodes lancea, yam, costus root, hawthorn, honeysuckle and licorice.

[0006] Optionally, the effective components of the compound herbal medicine are formulated according to the following weight ratios: The ingredients are: Astragalus polysaccharide 6-18 parts, allicin 5-15 parts, Atractylodes lancea 1-5 parts, Dioscorea opposita 1-5 parts, Aucklandia lappa 0.5-3 parts, Crataegus pinnatifida 1-5 parts, Lonicera japonica 0.5-4 parts, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis 0.2-2 parts. Optionally, the precise weight ratio of each effective component in the compound herbal medicine is as follows: Astragalus polysaccharide 12 parts, allicin 10 parts, Atractylodes lancea 2.5 parts, Dioscorea opposita 2.5 parts, Aucklandia lappa 1.5 parts, Crataegus pinnatifida 2.5 parts, Lonicera japonica 2.0 parts, Glycyrrhiza uralensis 1.0 part.

[0007] Optionally, the astragalus polysaccharide is a total extract of dried astragalus root; and the allicin is an active component of sulfur-containing organic compounds in garlic.

[0008] Secondly, a low-protein diet for broilers containing the above-mentioned compound Chinese herbal medicine is provided, wherein the crude protein content of the low-protein diet is reduced by 1.5% compared with the basic conventional diet; and the dosage of the compound Chinese herbal medicine added to the low-protein diet is 0.34%.

[0009] Optionally, the low-protein diet is configured according to different age stages of broilers, including diets for 1-30 day olds, 31-60 day olds, and 61-90 day olds.

[0010] Optionally, the crude protein content of the low-protein diet is specifically as follows: The crude protein content of the low-protein diet for infants aged 1-30 days was 19.50%. The crude protein content of the low-protein diet for infants aged 31-60 days was 16.00%. The crude protein content of the low-protein diet for 61-90 day old infants is 14.50%.

[0011] Optionally, the raw material composition of the low-protein diet includes: corn, soybean meal, soybean oil, rapeseed meal, cottonseed meal, wheat middlings, L-lysine hydrochloride, DL-methionine, tryptophan, threonine, limestone powder, dicalcium phosphate, salt, and compound premix.

[0012] Optionally, the corn is the main energy feed and the wheat middlings is the supplementary energy feed; when the amount of soybean meal used is reduced, resulting in an energy deficit, the proportion of corn is increased first to supplement the energy, and then the proportion of wheat middlings is increased; when the amount of corn added is too high, the amount of wheat middlings is reduced to avoid excessive energy intake.

[0013] Optionally, each kilogram of the compound premix contains: 3.23 mg manganese sulfate, 3.17 mg ferrous sulfate, 2.57 mg zinc sulfate, 0.26 mg copper sulfate, 0.42 mg sodium selenite, 0.32 mg potassium iodide, 10 mg sodium bicarbonate, 15 mg choline chloride, 1.5 mg phytase, 3.0 mg chicken multivitamins, 2.0 mg antioxidant, and 58.53 mg zeolite powder.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the embodiments of this application are: The eight Chinese herbal medicines in this application work together through a multi-target network to deeply intervene in the lipid and protein metabolism system of broilers: allicin, combined with hawthorn to reduce fat and turbidity, directly regulates the activity of lipid metabolism enzymes and significantly reduces abdominal fat percentage; astragalus polysaccharide, guided by licorice and clearing the heat of honeysuckle, stimulates lymphocytes to secrete immune factors without delay, greatly increasing the content of serum immunoglobulins in broilers; Atractylodes lancea, yam and costus root work together to repair the intestinal mucosa, eliminate intestinal dampness, and thus improve the absorption and utilization rate of essential amino acids under low protein conditions, ultimately achieving a significant leap in leg muscle percentage. Detailed Implementation

[0015] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects to be solved by this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0016] To illustrate the technical solution described in this application, specific embodiments are provided below.

[0017] The compound traditional Chinese medicine used in this embodiment is a composition independently formulated by the applicant after extensive screening and verification. In specific preparation, dried raw medicinal materials of Atractylodes lancea, Dioscorea opposita, Aucklandia lappa, Crataegus pinnatifida, Lonicera japonica, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis are weighed according to a predetermined weight ratio and then prepared into auxiliary Chinese medicine mixed powder through ultra-fine pulverization (or extraction and concentration). Subsequently, the auxiliary Chinese medicine powder is mixed evenly with Astragalus polysaccharide extract and allicin active ingredient according to a predetermined mass ratio to obtain the final compound traditional Chinese medicine.

[0018] This application provides a compound traditional Chinese medicine for low-protein broiler diets. When added at a ratio of 0.34% to a low-protein broiler diet with a crude protein content reduced by 1.5%, it has the following significant beneficial effects: (1) Improved slaughter performance and meat quality: After adding the compound Chinese herbal medicine of this application, the leg muscle rate of broilers was significantly improved. At the same time, the cooking loss rate and drip loss rate of the muscle were significantly reduced, the water retention capacity of the muscle was improved, and the slaughter performance and meat quality of broilers were improved.

[0019] (2) Effectively reduce fat deposition: Through the synergistic effect of allicin and other compounds, this application can significantly increase the content of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) in the serum of broilers and significantly reduce the content of total cholesterol (TC), thereby enhancing lipid metabolism and effectively reducing fat deposition in the abdomen of broilers.

[0020] (3) Enhance the body’s immune capacity: The active substances in the compound Chinese herbal medicine of this application can promote the production of a large number of immunoglobulins by effector lymphocytes B cells, which significantly increases the content of immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) in broiler serum, thereby significantly improving the immune level of broilers.

[0021] (4) Enhance antioxidant capacity: The compound Chinese herbal medicine contained in this application contains a variety of bioactive substances such as polysaccharides and flavonoids, which can help eliminate free radicals in the body, significantly increase the activity of catalase (CAT) in broiler serum, and enhance the body's antioxidant capacity.

[0022] In some embodiments, a compound traditional Chinese medicine formula for low-protein diets of broilers and its application are provided, and the effects are verified through experiments.

[0023] The traditional Chinese medicines used in this experiment were mainly Astragalus polysaccharides and allicin, supplemented with Atractylodes lancea, Dioscorea opposita, Aucklandia lappa, Crataegus pinnatifida, Lonicera japonica, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis, formulated according to specific proportions. Currently, no research reports have been found on the application of compound traditional Chinese medicines with the above-mentioned drugs as the main components in low-protein diets for broilers. This study aimed to investigate the effects of these medicinal materials on slaughter performance, meat quality, immunity, and antioxidant capacity when applied to the "Tianlu No. 1" broiler low-protein diet, providing a reference for the application of compound traditional Chinese medicines in low-protein broiler diets.

[0024] 1. Materials and Methods 1.1 Traditional Chinese Medicine Materials This compound herbal medicine mainly consists of Astragalus polysaccharide, allicin, Atractylodes lancea, Dioscorea opposita, Aucklandia lappa, Crataegus pinnatifida, Lonicera japonica, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis. The effective components of the compound herbal medicine are formulated in the following weight ratios: Astragalus polysaccharide 6-18 parts, allicin 5-15 parts, Atractylodes lancea 1-5 parts, Dioscorea opposita 1-5 parts, Aucklandia lappa 0.5-3 parts, Crataegus pinnatifida 1-5 parts, Lonicera japonica 0.5-4 parts, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis 0.2-2 parts. In this embodiment, the precise weight ratio of the effective components of the compound herbal medicine is: Astragalus polysaccharide 12 parts, allicin 10 parts, Atractylodes lancea 2.5 parts, Dioscorea opposita 2.5 parts, Aucklandia lappa 1.5 parts, Crataegus pinnatifida 2.5 parts, Lonicera japonica 2.0 parts, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis 1.0 part.

[0025] 1.2 Experimental Animals The 1-day-old "Tianlu No. 1" broiler chickens were purchased from Wenshi Livestock and Poultry Co., Ltd. in Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province.

[0026] 1.3 Experimental grouping and feeding management Sixty hundred one-day-old "Tianlu No. 1" broiler chickens were selected and divided into five groups based on similar body weight and an even distribution of males and females, with six replicates per group and 20 chickens per replicate. The basal diet used in the experiment was provided by Jianwen Livestock Co., Ltd., and was formulated with reference to the NRC (1994) nutritional requirements for chickens and combined with the actual production experience of Jianwen Livestock Co., Ltd. Diets were prepared for chickens aged 1-30 days, 31-60 days, and 61-90 days, respectively. The control group (Con group) was fed the basal diet. The protein content of group 1 was reduced by 1.5% compared to group Con, the protein content of group 2 was reduced by 3% compared to group Con, the protein content of group 3 was the same as that of group 1, and the protein content of group 4 was the same as that of group 2. The dosage of compound traditional Chinese medicine added to groups 3 and 4 was the same, which was 0.34%. The nutritional level and ratio of the experimental basal diet are shown in Table 1.

[0027] Table 1. Composition and nutrient levels of the basal diet for each group (air-dried basal diet)

[0028] Note: 1. Each kilogram of premix contains 3.23 mg of manganese sulfate, 3.17 mg of ferrous sulfate, 2.57 mg of zinc sulfate, 0.26 mg of copper sulfate, 0.42 mg of sodium selenite, 0.32 mg of potassium iodide, 10 mg of sodium bicarbonate, 15 mg of choline chloride, 1.5 mg of phytase, 3.0 mg of chicken multivitamins, 2.0 mg of antioxidants, and 58.53 mg of zeolite powder.

[0029] 2. Except for digestible energy, which is a calculated value, all other nutritional levels are measured values.

[0030] 3. In this diet formula, corn is the main energy feed and wheat middlings is the supplementary energy feed (while also considering palatability). When the amount of soybean meal in the low-protein groups (Group 1 and Group 2) is reduced, resulting in an energy deficit, the proportion of corn should be increased first to supplement energy, followed by the proportion of wheat middlings. If the amount of corn added is too high (e.g., corn accounts for 78.71% of the basal diet composition of Group 2 for 61-90 days of age), the amount of wheat middlings should be reduced to avoid excessive energy intake.

[0031] 4. All nutritional levels are calculated values.

[0032] The experiment was conducted at Wenshi Poultry and Livestock Breeding Co., Ltd. in Ji'an County, Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province, with a duration of 90 days. Before the experiment, the chicken houses and related equipment were cleaned and disinfected, and ventilation was ensured after the experiment. The experimental animals were housed in a single-layer, floor-raised enclosure with rice husks as bedding. Each replicate was separated into independent units, and the houses were equipped with automatic feed and water lines, allowing free access to feed and water. The immunization program was standardized according to Wenshi's broiler breeding and management requirements. Temperature, humidity, and lighting within the chicken houses were all set uniformly as required.

[0033] 1.4 Sample Collection and Index Measurement 1.4.1 Slaughter performance testing On day 91 of the experiment, after 12 hours of fasting, one chicken with a weight close to the average was selected from each replicate for bleeding and slaughter. Following the industry standard "Nomenclature and Measurement Calculation Methods for Poultry Production Performance" (NY / T 823—2020), the breast muscles, leg muscles, and abdominal fat were completely removed after euthanasia. The weight of the breast muscles, leg muscles, and abdominal fat were weighed, and the dressing percentage, semi-eviscerated percentage, fully eviscerated percentage, breast muscle percentage, leg muscle percentage, and abdominal fat percentage were determined and calculated.

[0034] Slaughter rate (%) = Slaughter weight / Live weight × 100 Semi-eviscerated yield (%) = Semi-eviscerated weight / Live weight × 100 Full evisceration percentage (%) = Full eviscerated weight / Live weight × 100 Pectoral muscle percentage (%) = (Weight of both pectoral muscles / Total net chest weight) × 100 Leg muscle percentage (%) = (Weight of both legs' muscles / Total net body weight) × 100 Abdominal fat percentage (%) = (Abdominal fat weight / Total net eviscerated weight) + (Abdominal fat weight) × 100 1.4.2 Meat quality determination The redness (a) of the pectoral muscle on the same side was measured using a colorimeter. Yellowness (b) Value) and brightness (L) The values ​​were repeated 3 times, and the average value was taken. The drip loss, cooking loss and pH of each experimental group were determined according to the industry standard "Determination of Meat Quality of Livestock and Poultry" (NY / T 1333—2007).

[0035] 1.4.3 Serum marker determination Two experimental chickens (one male and one female) were randomly selected from each replicate. Blood was collected from the wing vein, centrifuged at 3000 r / min for 15 min, and the supernatant serum was collected, aliquoted into 2 mL centrifuge tubes, labeled, and stored at -20 ℃ for later use.

[0036] The following parameters were measured using a fully automated biochemical analyzer (Dirui Medical Technology Co., Ltd., CS-600B): glucose (Glu), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), uric acid (UA), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST).

[0037] Serum immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM), and secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) were measured according to the instructions of the immunological performance index kit from Nanjing Jiancheng Biological Research Institute Co., Ltd.

[0038] The total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT) were measured according to the instructions of the blood antioxidant index kit from Nanjing Jiancheng Biological Research Institute Co., Ltd.

[0039] 1.5 Data Statistics and Analysis The experimental data were initially statistically analyzed using Excel software. One-way ANOVA was performed using SPSS 20.0 statistical software, and Duncan's method was used for inter-group comparisons. The results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. P < 0.05 indicates a significant difference, and P > 0.05 indicates no significant difference.

[0040] 2 Results and Analysis 2.1 Effects of adding compound traditional Chinese medicine to low-protein diets on broiler slaughter performance Table 2 shows that the dressing percentage, semi-eviscerated percentage, fully eviscerated percentage, and leg muscle percentage of Group 3 were all higher than those of Group Con, while the abdominal fat percentage was lower, but the differences were not significant (P>0.05). Group 3 had the highest leg muscle percentage, which was significantly higher than that of Group 1 (P<0.05), and the abdominal fat percentage showed a decreasing trend, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). The leg muscle percentage of Group 3 was higher than that of Group 2, while the abdominal fat percentage was lower, but the differences were not significant (P>0.05).

[0041] Table 2. Results of broiler slaughter performance indicators / %

[0042] Note: In Tables 2 to 6, data in the same row whose shoulder labels do not contain the same lowercase letters indicate a significant difference (P<0.05), while data containing the same lowercase letters or no letters indicate no significant difference (P>0.05).

[0043] 2.2 Effects of adding compound traditional Chinese medicine to low-protein diets on meat quality As shown in Table 3, the drip loss rate of Group 3 was significantly lower than that of Group Con (P<0.05). The drip loss rate and cooking loss rate of Group 3 were significantly lower than those of Group 1 (P<0.05). The drip loss rate and cooking loss rate of Group 3 were significantly lower than those of Group 2 (P<0.05).

[0044] Table 3. Results of the determination of meat quality indicators

[0045] 2.3 Effects of adding compound traditional Chinese medicine to low-protein diets on serum biochemical parameters of broilers Table 4 shows that serum HDL-C levels in all three groups were significantly higher than those in the Con group (P<0.05), TC levels were significantly lower (P<0.05), and TG levels were lower, but the differences were not significant (P>0.05). Serum HDL-C levels in all three groups showed an increasing trend compared to group 1, while TC and TG levels showed a decreasing trend, but the differences were not significant (P>0.05). Serum HDL-C levels in all three groups showed an increasing trend compared to group 2, while TC levels were lower, but the differences were not significant (P>0.05).

[0046] Table 4. Results of the determination of serum biochemical indicators in broiler chickens

[0047] 2.4 Effects of low-protein diet supplemented with compound traditional Chinese medicine on serum immune factors in broilers As shown in Table 5, the IgM content in groups 3 was significantly higher than that in group Con (P<0.05). The IgA, IgG, and IgM contents in groups 3 were all significantly higher than those in group 1 (P<0.05). The IgA, IgG, IgM, and SIgA contents in groups 3 were all significantly higher than those in group 2 (P<0.05).

[0048] Table 5. Results of serum immune factors in broilers

[0049] 2.5 Effects of low-protein diet supplemented with compound traditional Chinese medicine on serum antioxidant indices in broilers As shown in Table 6, the activities of T-AOC, SOD, and CAT in all three groups showed an increasing trend compared to the Con group, but the differences were not significant (P>0.05). The activities of SOD and CAT in all three groups were higher than those in group 1, but the differences were not significant (P>0.05). The activities of GSH-PX in all three groups were significantly higher than those in group 2 (P<0.05).

[0050] Table 6. Results of determination of antioxidant indicators in broiler serum

[0051] 3. Discussion 3.1 Construction of Compound Traditional Chinese Medicine Formulas Traditional Chinese medicine theory holds that the spleen and stomach are the foundation of acquired constitution and the source of qi and blood production. Strengthening the spleen and stomach can promote the digestion and absorption of feed and the growth and development of livestock and poultry. This formula is based on this principle and combined with modern TCM pharmacological research to identify the effective components (bioactive substances) contained in each herb. It is a compound herbal formula made by supplementing Astragalus polysaccharide and allicin with Atractylodes lancea, Dioscorea opposita, Aucklandia lappa, Crataegus pinnatifida, Lonicera japonica, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis.

[0052] Astragalus polysaccharides are the total extract of dried Astragalus root, and they function in areas such as immune regulation, antioxidation, anti-inflammation, antibacterial and antiviral activity, blood sugar reduction, and maintaining intestinal health. The effects of Astragalus polysaccharides on broiler production performance are mainly reflected in immune regulation and intestinal flora regulation.

[0053] Garlic, a traditional Chinese medicine, is known for its warming, stomach-soothing, qi-regulating, and detoxifying properties. Allicin, the main active sulfur-containing organic compound in garlic, possesses antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. Allicin also has a positive impact on lipid and glucose metabolism, showing significant effects on diabetes, blood lipids, and blood pressure regulation.

[0054] In addition, yam and atractylodes can assist astragalus in replenishing qi. When atractylodes is combined with astragalus, one replenishes and the other dries, promoting the restoration of the spleen and stomach's digestive function. Yam can prevent atractylodes from being too drying and heaty, making the replenishing effect more balanced.

[0055] Honeysuckle has properties such as clearing heat and detoxifying, sterilizing and anti-inflammatory, and improving immunity. When used in combination with allicin, it can work together to exert the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying.

[0056] Hawthorn mainly contains organic acids such as hawthorn acid and citric acid, as well as active ingredients such as flavonoids and polysaccharides. It has the effects of promoting qi circulation, removing blood stasis, aiding digestion, and strengthening the stomach. The citric acid and other active ingredients in hawthorn help digest and absorb fats in the body, improve the palatability of animal feed, enhance appetite, and reduce the feed conversion ratio.

[0057] The active ingredients in licorice mainly include glycyrrhizin triterpenoids, glycyrrhizin flavonoids, and glycyrrhizin polysaccharides. Licorice has the effects of strengthening the spleen and replenishing qi, protecting stomach qi, clearing heat and detoxifying, resolving phlegm and relieving cough, and relieving pain. Furthermore, licorice plays a role in "harmonizing various herbs" in prescriptions, resolving drug conflicts and reducing medication risks. In this prescription, licorice can moderate the strong properties and effects of herbs such as astragalus, making the entire prescription synergistic and balanced.

[0058] This compound herbal formula primarily uses astragalus polysaccharide and allicin. Astragalus polysaccharide strengthens the spleen and stomach to enhance the body's immunity, while allicin clears away pathogenic heat toxins and accelerates lipid metabolism. Other herbs, such as Atractylodes lancea, Dioscorea opposita, Aucklandia lappa, Crataegus pinnatifida, Lonicera japonica, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis, assist the main ingredients to moderate and enrich their medicinal properties. Following the principle of "principal, assistant, adjuvant, and guide" in herbal combinations, the formula invigorates the spleen and stomach through a combination of tonifying and purging, clearing and detoxifying, while also promoting qi circulation and clearing stagnation. It can strengthen the stomach and spleen, improve the immune function of broilers, and promote their growth.

[0059] 3.2 Effects of adding compound traditional Chinese medicine to low-protein diets on broiler slaughter performance Slaughter performance is a crucial indicator of broiler meat production capacity, directly impacting the economic benefits of broiler farming. Studies have found that adding ultrafine powders of traditional Chinese medicine herbs such as Astragalus membranaceus and hawthorn to the diets of Hetian chickens can improve slaughter rate and leg muscle percentage. In this experiment, group 3 showed a significant increase in leg muscle percentage compared to group 1, and a 30% increase compared to group Con. This is because the active substances in the herbal preparations, such as Astragalus polysaccharides, hawthorn polysaccharides, and costus lactones, can strengthen the spleen and stomach, promote gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion, improve gastrointestinal function, and promote broiler growth. Furthermore, groups 1 and 2 showed higher abdominal fat percentages than other experimental groups. Compared to groups 1, 2, and Con, the abdominal fat percentages in groups 3 decreased by 36%, 35%, and 30%, respectively. Furthermore, allicin exerts its lipid-lowering effect by inhibiting the activities of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMG-CoAR), while simultaneously enhancing lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity and activating brown adipose tissue. Therefore, allicin and other ketone compounds in the compound herbal formula work synergistically to reduce abdominal fat deposition by enhancing lipid metabolism. This indicates that adding a compound herbal formula with astragalus polysaccharides and allicin as main components to a diet with a 1.5% reduction in crude protein levels can reduce abdominal fat deposition in broilers, promote nutrient absorption, improve nutrient metabolism, and enhance broiler slaughter performance.

[0060] 3.3 Effects of adding compound traditional Chinese medicine to low-protein diets on broiler chicken quality Chicken meat is the most important component of broiler consumption. Cooking loss and drip loss are key indicators of muscle quality; lower drip loss rates indicate better meat quality and are more conducive to further processing. Adding 0.5% Astragalus polysaccharide complex to the diet significantly reduced cooking and drip losses in Bashang Longtail chickens. Furthermore, adding garlic powder to the diet reduced the cooking loss rate of broiler leg muscles. In this experiment, all three groups exhibited the lowest cooking and drip loss rates. This is because the polysaccharides and polyphenols in the compound herbal formula enhanced the antioxidant capacity of the muscle and the firmness of muscle cell membranes, improving the muscle's water retention capacity and thus reducing drip and cooking losses.

[0061] 3.4 Effects of adding compound traditional Chinese medicine to low-protein diets on serum biochemical indicators of broilers Serum biochemical indicators can reflect the nutritional metabolism and health status of experimental animals to a certain extent. Low-protein diets usually increase the fat content in the diet to achieve energy balance. TC, TG, and HDL-C, as key indicators of lipid metabolism, can reflect the body's fat metabolism level to a certain extent and play an important role in fat deposition in animals. Allicin can significantly reduce the TC and TG content in broiler serum and increase the HDL-C content. Furthermore, astragalus polysaccharides have a positive effect on lipid regulation in rats. Adding an ultra-finely pulverized traditional Chinese medicine formula composed of astragalus and other drugs to the diet of laying hens can reduce the TC and TG content in serum. Low-protein diets cause an increase in abdominal fat percentage in broilers. In this experiment, the HDL-C content in the three groups was significantly increased compared to the control group, the TC content was significantly decreased compared to the control group, and the TG content decreased by 32% compared to the control group, while also showing a certain positive effect compared to other experimental groups. In addition, the expression trends of serum TC, TG, and HDL-C indicators in this experiment were basically consistent with the expression trends of abdominal fat deposition, confirming that this formula can improve the problem of increased abdominal fat percentage in broilers fed a low-protein diet to a certain extent. The reason is that the allicin, polysaccharides, flavonoids, and alkaloids contained in the compound traditional Chinese medicine can increase the HDL-C content in serum. Studies have found that the levels of TC, TG, and HDL-C in serum are related to lipid metabolism in animals. Increased HDL-C levels can promote the hydrolysis of cholesterol in the blood and reduce TC levels. This indicates that adding compound traditional Chinese medicine to a low-protein diet can improve the lipid metabolism level and health of broilers by regulating the expression of lipid metabolism indicators in their serum.

[0062] 3.5 Effects of adding compound traditional Chinese medicine to low-protein diets on the immune function of broilers Immunoglobulins are a class of globulins that specifically bind to invading pathogens, playing a role in enhancing animal immunity, resisting pathogen invasion, and neutralizing toxins. Immunoglobulin expression levels can reflect the health and immune status of livestock and poultry. Avian B lymphocytes mainly produce three types of immunoglobulins: IgA, IgG, and IgM. Studies have found that adding astragalus polysaccharides to the diet of stressed pheasants can significantly increase the levels of IgA and IgG in their serum. Garlic polysaccharides can also increase the levels of IgA, IgG, and IgM in serum. In this experiment, the serum IgA, IgG, and IgM levels in all three groups of broilers were increased compared to groups 1 and 2. IgM, as the first immunoglobulin synthesized and expressed by B cells, is the first antibody to react upon contact with antigens, and is then converted into IgA and IgG as needed, playing a crucial role in the body's initial immune response. In this experiment, the IgM content in group 3 was higher than that in other experimental groups. This is because the compound Chinese herbal medicine can promote the increase of immunoglobulin content in broiler serum. Among them, many Chinese herbal medicines, such as astragalus polysaccharide, allicin, yam, atractylodes, honeysuckle, hawthorn, and licorice, contain more than one bioactive substance. These active substances can promote the production of a large number of immunoglobulins by effector lymphocytes B cells, improve the immune level of broilers, and have a positive impact on the growth and development of broilers.

[0063] 3.6 Effects of adding compound traditional Chinese medicine to low-protein diets on the antioxidant capacity of broilers Free radicals are constantly generated during the growth and development of livestock and poultry. A moderate amount of free radicals is beneficial to the human body, but excessive free radicals can rob electrons from macromolecules such as proteins and DNA, leading to disease. The body develops an oxidative stress response system to maintain health in response to free radical damage. Antioxidant enzymes such as T-AOC, SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px are key to scavenging free radicals. Studies have found that adding 200 g / t of Astragalus polysaccharide to the diet can significantly increase the levels of SOD, CAT, and T-AOC in the serum of Chongren Ma chickens. Furthermore, adding garlic powder to the diet of broilers can increase the activities of GSH-Px, SOD, and T-AOC to varying degrees. In this experiment, the CAT activity in group 3 increased by 25% compared to group Con and by 55% compared to group 1. This is because the polysaccharides, flavonoids, triterpenoid saponins, and other bioactive substances contained in the compound traditional Chinese medicine can help eliminate free radicals in the body and enhance the body's antioxidant capacity. In addition, the GSH-Px activity in groups 2 was significantly lower than that in the other experimental groups. Studies have found that dietary crude protein levels significantly affect serum GSH-Px activity. A 2% decrease in dietary crude protein levels significantly reduces serum GSH-Px activity, while increasing dietary protein levels tends to increase GSH-Px activity, consistent with the results of this experiment. Research has also shown that excessive body fat in broilers easily leads to lipid peroxidation and damages the body. Considering that two groups in this experiment had higher abdominal fat percentages than other groups, both excessively low dietary protein content and excessively high body fat percentages may reduce GSH-Px activity.

[0064] 4. Conclusion Under the conditions of this experiment, adding 0.34% compound Chinese herbal medicine to broiler chickens when the crude protein content was reduced by 1.5% compared to the basal diet could improve their slaughter performance, meat quality, reduce fat deposition, and enhance immunity and antioxidant capacity.

[0065] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application 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 this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A compound traditional Chinese medicine formula for use in low-protein diets for broiler chickens, characterized in that, The compound Chinese herbal medicines include astragalus polysaccharide, allicin, atractylodes lancea, yam, costus root, hawthorn, honeysuckle, and licorice.

2. The compound traditional Chinese medicine formula for low-protein broiler diets according to claim 1, characterized in that, The effective components of the compound herbal medicine are formulated in the following proportions by weight: Astragalus polysaccharide 6-18 parts, allicin 5-15 parts, Atractylodes lancea 1-5 parts, Dioscorea opposita 1-5 parts, Aucklandia lappa 0.5-3 parts, Crataegus pinnatifida 1-5 parts, Lonicera japonica 0.5-4 parts, Glycyrrhiza uralensis 0.2-2 parts.

3. The compound traditional Chinese medicine formula for low-protein broiler diets according to claim 2, characterized in that, The precise weight ratio of each effective component in the compound herbal medicine is as follows: Astragalus polysaccharide 12 parts, allicin 10 parts, Atractylodes lancea 2.5 parts, Dioscorea opposita 2.5 parts, Aucklandia lappa 1.5 parts, Crataegus pinnatifida 2.5 parts, Lonicera japonica 2.0 parts, Glycyrrhiza uralensis 1.0 part.

4. The compound traditional Chinese medicine for low-protein broiler diets according to claim 1, characterized in that, The astragalus polysaccharide is the total extract of dried astragalus root; the allicin is the active component of sulfur-containing organic compounds in garlic.

5. A low-protein broiler diet comprising the compound traditional Chinese medicine formula according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The crude protein content of the low-protein diet is reduced by 1.5% compared with the basal conventional diet; the dosage of the compound Chinese herbal medicine added to the low-protein diet is 0.34%.

6. The low-protein broiler diet according to claim 5, characterized in that, The low-protein diets are formulated according to different age stages of broilers, including diets for 1-30 day old, 31-60 day old, and 61-90 day old.

7. The low-protein broiler diet according to claim 6, characterized in that, The crude protein content of the low-protein diet is specifically as follows: The crude protein content of the low-protein diet for infants aged 1-30 days was 19.50%. The crude protein content of the low-protein diet for infants aged 31-60 days was 16.00%. The crude protein content of the low-protein diet for 61-90 day old infants is 14.50%.

8. The low-protein broiler diet according to claim 5, characterized in that, The raw material composition of the low-protein diet includes: corn, soybean meal, soybean oil, rapeseed meal, cottonseed meal, wheat middlings, L-lysine hydrochloride, DL-methionine, tryptophan, threonine, limestone powder, dicalcium phosphate, salt, and compound premix.

9. The low-protein broiler diet according to claim 8, characterized in that, The corn is the main energy feed, and the wheat middlings is the supplementary energy feed. When the amount of soybean meal used is reduced, resulting in an energy deficit, the proportion of corn is increased first to supplement the energy, and then the proportion of wheat middlings is increased. When the amount of corn added is too high, the amount of wheat middlings is reduced to avoid excessive energy intake.

10. The low-protein broiler diet according to claim 8, characterized in that, The compound premix contains per kilogram: 3.23 mg manganese sulfate, 3.17 mg ferrous sulfate, 2.57 mg zinc sulfate, 0.26 mg copper sulfate, 0.42 mg sodium selenite, 0.32 mg potassium iodide, 10 mg sodium bicarbonate, 15 mg choline chloride, 1.5 mg phytase, 3.0 mg chicken multivitamins, 2.0 mg antioxidant, and 58.53 mg zeolite powder.

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