Effects of dietary fermentation concentrate of Hericium caput‐medusae (Bull.:Fr.) Pers. on growth performance, digestibility, and intestinal microbiology and morphology in broiler chickens

BACKGROUND The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of fermentation concentrate of Hericium caput‐medusae (Bull.:Fr.) Pers. ( HFC ) on growth performance, digestibility, intestinal microbiology, and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens. A total of 600 male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into five dietary treatments (20 broilers per pen with six pens per treatment): CON (basal diet), ANT (basal diet supplemented with 5 mg kg −1 flavomycin) and HFC (basal diet supplemented with 6, 12, and 18 g kg −1 HFC ). The experimental lasted for 42 days. RESULTS The results revealed that the average daily gain [linear ( L ), P < 0.01; quadratic ( Q ), P < 0.01] of broilers increased when the HFC levels increased during the starter (days 1–21), finisher (days 22–42), and the overall experiment period (days 1 to 42). In the small intestinal digesta and the caecum digesta, the Escherichia coli count ( L , P < 0.05; Q , P < 0.001) decreased while the Lactobacilli count ( L , P < 0.01; Q , P < 0.001) and Bifidobacteria count ( L , P < 0.001; Q , P < 0.001) increased when the HFC levels increased. The crude protein digestibility of broilers ( L , P < 0.01; Q , P < 0.001) increased when the HFC levels increased. In the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum of broilers, the villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio ( L , P < 0.001; Q , P < 0.001) increased when the HFC levels increased. CONCLUSION Dietary supplementation with HFC increased gut Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria counts and inhibited E. coli growth, improved nutrient utilisation and intestine villus structure, and thus improved the growth of broilers. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry