Effects of dietary supplementation of chitosan on growth performance and immune index in ducks

Abstract

The effect of dietary chitosan on growth performance and immune index were investigated in ducks. One-day-old ducks were fed on a control diet or diets containing 0.00, 0.30, 0.60, 1.20, 2.40 and 4.80 g/kg of 85.20% deacetylated chitin (chitosan) or 0.45 g/kg aureomycin for 35 days. The results indicate that the ducks in 1.20 g/kg dietary chitosan group had the superior average daily body gain, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratios, while the weight of immune organ and body weight adjusted weights for immune organs in 2.40 g/kg dietary chitosan group were higher than those in other groups. Also, lymphocyte proliferation of 1.20 and 2.40 g/kg were higher than those of other groups. It was concluded that 1.20 and 2.40 g/kg dietary chitosan were suitable for ducks to gain a better growth performance and immune function.

Key words: Chitosan, ducks, growth performance, immune function.