Purpose Adding different dosages of Ganoderma lucidum fermentation products to the basic diet of weaned meat calves, and further analyzing the immune performance of meat calves by evaluating growth performance, blood indicators and intestinal microbiota.
Methods A total of 24 Simmental weaned calves were selected and randomly divided into three groups, of which the control group (CK) was fed the basic diet, while the other two groups were fed the basic diet supplemented with G. lucidum fermentation products, and the supplementation doses were 3 g and 10 g per calf per day, respectively (grouped T3 and T10, respectively). After 60 days, the growth performance, the number of immune cells in the whole blood, the immune cytokines in serum and the changes of intestinal microbiota of the calves were measured.
Results Compared with CK, the hematocrit, lymphocyte count, and the mass concentration of interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), immunoglobulin G, A, and M (IgG, IgA, and IgM) of T10 group were significantly increased (P<0.05); the mass concentration of IL-2, TNF-α, IgG, and IgM of T3 group were significantly increased (P<0.05). The hematocrit, and the mass concentration of IL-2, IgA, and IgG of T10 group were significantly higher than those in T3 group (P<0.05). G. lucidum fermentation products could significantly enhance the richness and community structure of the intestinal microbiota. At the phylum level, on the 45th day of the experiment, the abundance of Firmicutes in T3 and T10 groups was significantly higher than that in CK (P<0.05); at the genus level, on the 60th day of the experiment, the abundance of Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group in T10 group was significantly higher than that in CK (P<0.05).
Conclusion The supplementation of a certain amount of G. lucidum fermentation products in the diet can promote the growth and development of meat calves, improve the immune performance, and improve the diversity of intestinal microbiota.
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