Dietary supplementation of lignocellulose promotes the growth of Cherry Valley ducks by improving intestinal function

Dietary fiber contributes to improving intestinal morphology, barrier integrity, and microbial balance, thereby enhancing nutrient utilization and growth performance in animals. This study evaluated the effects of supplementing lignocellulose on intestinal function and growth performance in meat ducks. A total of 180 one-day-old Cherry Valley ducks were randomly assigned to the control group (CON), lignocellulose group 1 (LC1), and lignocellulose group 2 (LC2) (6 replicates each group, 10 ducks each replicate). Ducks in the CON group were fed a basal diet; the LC1 group received the basal diet supplemented with 0.6% lignocellulose from days 1 to 42, while the LC2 group received the basal diet supplemented with 0.3 % lignocellulose from days 1 to 21 and 0.6 % from days 22 to 42. Lignocellulose supplementation increased average daily gain in the LC1 group (<i>P</i> < 0.05), and improved feed conversion ratio in the LC2 group before day 28 (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Additionally, lignocellulose increased intestinal length (<i>P</i> < 0.05) and weight (<i>P</i> < 0.05), and improved the intestinal structure (<i>P</i> < 0.05) and antioxidant capacity (<i>P</i> < 0.05). However, the expression of genes associated with tight junctions, immunity, and inflammation was not significantly affected. Overall, dietary lignocellulose promotes growth in meat ducks by improving intestinal morphology and antioxidant capacity without affecting the expression of genes involved in intestinal tight junction and immunity or inflammation. The magnitude of benefits depends on the supplementation level, duration, and the age of birds.