Effects of dietary yam polysaccharide on growth performance and intestinal microflora in growing Huoyan geese

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of dietary yam polysaccharide (YPS) supplementation on growth performance, intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activities and intestinal microflora of growing geese. A total of 400 Huoyan geese (28 days old, sex-balanced) were allotted to four groups (control, YPS100, YPS500 and YPS1000, according to initial body weight), and their diets included 0, 100, 500 and 1000 mg of YPS per kg of basal diet. Each group consisted of 5 replicates, 20 geese each, and the feeding experiment lasted from 28 to 56 days of age. The results showed that compared to the control group, the YPS500 group had higher final body weight, average daily gain, villus height, villus height to crypt depth ratio, amylase and trypsin activity, while lower feed to gain ratio and lipase activity in the small intestine (P < 0.05). In addition, all experimental groups had a higher number of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, and a lower number of Escherichia coil in the caecal content of growing Huoyan geese (P < 0.05). The results indicated that dietary supplementation with 500 mg/kg YPS improved growth performance by regulating digestive enzyme activities, small intestine morphology and intestinal microflora in growing Huoyan geese.