Effects of sporoderm-broken spores of Ganoderma lucidum on growth performance, antioxidant function and immune response of broilers

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of sporoderm-broken spores of Ganoderma lucidum (SSGL), a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, on growth performance, antioxidant ability, and immunity of broilers. Three hundred male broilers with similar body weights (40.0 ± 1.0 g) at 1 d of age were assigned randomly to 4 treatments. Each treatment contained 5 replicates of 15 birds per replicate. The dietary treatments were corn–soybean meal basal diet supplemented with SSGL at the concentrations of 0 (control), 100, 200 and 500 mg/kg diet. The results showed that diets supplemented with SSGL significantly increased (P < 0.05) the average daily gain and decreased (P < 0.05) the feed:gain (F:G) ratio of birds during the finisher period (22 to 44 d of age). Moreover, the total antioxidant capability, glutathione reductase and catalase activities in the liver and spleen were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in broilers fed diets with SSGL than in broilers fed the control diet. Additionally, dietary SSGL also increased (P < 0.05) the serum interleukin (IL)-2, immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgG levels of broilers compared with the control diet. These results suggest that SSGL have ameliorative effects on growth performance, free radical-scavenging activity, antioxidant capability, and immune function of broilers.