This study explored the variation of ileal endogenous amino acid (IEAA) losses and its influencing factors in chickens offered nitrogen-free diets (NFD) containing different ratios of amylose to amylopectin (AM/AP). A total of 252 broiler chickens at 28d old were randomly allocated into 7 treatment groups for a 3d trial. The dietary treatments included a basal diet (control), a NFD containing corn starch (CS), and 5 NFD with AM/AP ratios of 0.20, 0.40, 0.60, 0.80, and 1.00, respectively. As the AM/AP ratio increased, the IEAA losses of all AAs, starch digestibility and maltase activity linearly decreased (P < 0.05), but the DM digestibility linearly and quadratically decreased (P < 0.05). Compared with the control, the NFD increased the number of goblet cells and its regulatory genes mucin-2 and krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF-4) while decreasing serum glucagon and thyroxine concentrations, ileal villus height, and crypt depth (P < 0.05). Additionally, NFD with lower AM/AP ratios (0.20 and 0.40) decreased the ileal microbiota species richness (P < 0.05). In all NFD groups, the number of Proteobacteria increased whereas the abundance of Firmicutes dropped (P < 0.05). However, the broilers in the AM/AP 0.60 group were closer to the digestive physiological state of chickens fed the control diet, with no significant change in maltase activity and mucin-2 expression (P < 0.05). In conclusion, increasing AM/AP ratio in a NFD decreased the IEAA losses and the apparent ileal digestibility of starch but inevitably resulted in malnutrition and disruption of gut microbiota homeostasis. This study recommends AM/AP in NFD at 0.60 to measure IEAA of broiler chickens.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |