Effect of carvacrol on growth performance,nutrient apparent digestibility,serum antioxidant capacity and immunity of growing female minks

HU Li-jie; ZHANG Bei-bei; GONG Yu; WANG Xiao-long; LI Wen-li

doi:10.13557/j.cnki.issn1002-2813.2023.24.012

Abstract：The experiment was conducted to determine the effect of carvacrol on the growth performance,nutrient apparent digestibility,serum antioxidant capacity and serum immunity of growing grey female minks.Sixty growing grey female minks at 70 days of age with similar body weight were selected and randomly divided into six groups with 10 replicates in each group and one mink in each replicate,feeding in single cage.The minks in the control group were fed a basal diet,the minks in the experimental groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 75,150,225,300 and 375 mg/kg carvacrol.The pre-experimental period lasted for one week,and the experimental period lasted for eight weeks.The results showed that compared with the control group,the basal diet supplemented with 225 mg/kg carvacrol significantly increased the final body weigh and body length(P＜0.05),significantly increased the average daily gain(P＜0.01)and significantly decreased the ratio of feed to gain(P＜0.01).The basal diet supplemented with 75,150,225,300 and 375 mg/kg carvacrol significantly increased the ether extract apparent digestibility(P＜0.05),the basal diet supplemented with 225 and 300 mg/kg carvacrol significantly increased the crude protein apparent digestibility(P＜0.05),the basal diet supplemented with 150 mg/kg carvacrol significantly increased the calcium apparent digestibility(P＜0.05).The basal diet supplemented with 225 mg/kg carvacrol significantly decreased the serum MDA content of the minks(P＜0.05),the basal diet supplemented with 300 mg/kg carvacrol significantly increased the serum total antioxidant capacity of the minks(P＜0.05).The basal diet supplemented with 75,150,225 and 300 mg/kg carvacrol significantly increased the serum IgA content of the minks(P＜0.05),the basal diet supplemented with 300 and 375 mg/kg carvacrol significantly increased the serum IgG content of the minks(P＜0.05),and the basal diet supplemented with carvacrol increased the serum IgM content of the minks(P＜0.05).The study indicates that based on comprehensive indicators such as growth performance,apparent nutrient digestibility,serum antioxidant capacity,and serum immunity,the recommended appropriate addition level of carvacrol in the basal diet for female minks during the rearing period is 225 mg/kg.