تاثیر افزودن سطوح مختلف چای کامبوچا در آب آشامیدنی برعملکرد، فلور میکروبی، ریخت‌شناسی روده باریک و خصوصیات اکسیدانی و آنتی‌اکسیدانی تام سرم در جوجه‌های بلدرچین ژاپنی

Introduction: Population growth has turned food security into a major challenge. Poultry meat, as an important source of animal protein, requires innovative strategies to improve health and growth performance. Quail has attracted attention due to its high reproductive efficiency, low rearing costs, and disease resistance. Digestive health plays an important role in improving poultry performance, and gut microbiota balance is a key factor in this process. With the increasing microbial resistance caused by antibiotic use, alternatives such as probiotics, synbiotics, and organic acids have been suggested. Kombucha tea, a fermented beverage containing a variety of beneficial microorganisms, has been proposed as a natural additive in poultry nutrition. This tea, with its probiotic and synbiotic properties, helps regulate the gut microbiota and improves digestive performance. Additionally, its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting effects have significant potential in enhancing poultry performance. Its active compounds, including organic acids, polyphenols, vitamins, and antioxidants, play an important role in reducing oxidative stress, improving metabolism, and promoting overall health. Studies have shown that kombucha can be a suitable alternative to oral antibiotics in livestock and poultry, improving growth, immunity, reducing triglycerides, and increasing feed efficiency. It also has positive effects on reducing gut dysbiosis, strengthening the immune system, and improving the microbiota. This research aims to assess the impact of adding kombucha tea to drinking water on poultry health and performance. It is hypothesized that adding this tea to drinking water could reduce the need for antibiotics and prevent the development of bacterial resistance.
Materials and methods: This study was conducted randomly with four groups, five replications and 10 quails per replicate. The groups included a control group (T1) and three treatments with 5% (T2), 10% (T3), and 15% (T4) fermented kombucha tea. The quail chicks were kept in 20 standard cages with identical environmental conditions and were fed a corn and soybean-based diet according to NRC 1994 standards. The fermented kombucha tea was prepared by steeping black tea, sugar, apple cider vinegar, and kombucha culture for one week in a warm, dark environment, and was then added to the chicks' drinking water. After one week, the kombucha beverage was ready and stored in the refrigerator. To prepare the housing for the chicks, the room was disinfected, and the temperature was raised to 36°C. The chicks were kept at various temperatures ranging from 36°C to 21°C by the end of the study. Performance was assessed using various indices, including survival rate, feed consumption, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio. Survival rate was evaluated weekly based on the number of deceased chicks. Feed consumption was calculated by measuring the amount of leftover feed. Additionally, the feed conversion ratio was calculated as the ratio of feed intake to weight gain. At the end of the study, samples from the two initial sections of the small intestine (duodenum and jejunum) were collected and fixed in 10% formalin for histological examination. The samples were then placed in alcohol solutions, xylene, and molten paraffin, and sections of 5-6 microns were prepared for staining. Crypt depth and villus length were measured, and the villus-to-crypt ratio was calculated. For microbial flora analysis, DNA was extracted from the cecum of the quail and the presence of microbial genomes, such as Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria, was assessed using PCR. Plasma antioxidant and oxidant capacity were measured using the Arl method. Color changes at specific wavelengths were recorded and analyzed using a spectrophotometer. Data were analyzed using SAS software version 9.2, and descriptive statistics were computed using the Means procedure. For analysis of variance, general linear models (GLM) were used. If the variance was significant, means were compared using Duncan’s multiple range test at the 5% significance level.
Results and discussion: This study investigated the effect of adding fermented kombucha tea to the quail diet on feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, survival rate, intestinal histology, and microbial flora. The results showed that different kombucha tea treatments significantly affected feed intake across different weeks. The 10% group had the highest feed intake in weeks 1, 2, 3, and 4, while the control group showed the lowest feed intake. Additionally, throughout the entire rearing period, feed intake in the kombucha groups was significantly higher than in the control group. Regarding weight gain, the 10% group showed the best performance, with the highest weight gain in most weeks, including weeks 1 and 4. Concerning feed conversion ratio, the 15% group had the best feed conversion ratio throughout the entire period, but no significant differences were observed between the groups over the entire period. In terms of mortality, the 15% group had the highest mortality rate, while the 5% group showed the lowest. However, over the entire period, the 5% and 10% groups had the highest survival rates, and the control group had the lowest survival rate. In the intestinal histology evaluation, the 5% and 10% groups had similar villus length and villus-to-crypt ratio, with villus length being higher in these groups than in the other groups. Additionally, in the jejunum, the 10% group had the highest villus length and crypt depth, indicating better intestinal health in these groups. In the microbiota analysis, different treatments had different effects on gut bacteria. The 10% group had the highest number of Firmicutes, while the control group showed the highest number of Proteobacteria. Additionally, in the kombucha groups, blood peroxide levels were lower than in the control group, indicating the antioxidant effects of kombucha tea. The results of this study suggest that fermented kombucha tea has a positive effect on the growth performance of quail and can improve feed intake, weight gain, gut health, and reduce oxidative stress. The probiotic and antioxidant properties of kombucha, especially in the 10% and 15% groups, significantly contributed to the health and performance of the quails.
Conclusions: This study concludes that adding 10% kombucha solution to water can improve performance traits, economic indices, gut morphology, and microbial flora in quail chicks, making kombucha tea a suitable supplement for industrial quail farming.