Effects of long-term dietary supplementation of fermented wheat bran on immune performance and inflammatory response in laying hens

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to investigate the effects of solid-state fermented wheat bran on immune performance and inflammatory response in laying hens. A total of 225 18-week-old Hy-Line brown-egg laying hens were randomly divided into 3 groups with 5 replicates per group and 15 hens per replicate. Laying hens were fed a basal diet (corn-soybean meal diet) supplemented with 0 (control group), 10% wheat bran and 10% fermented wheat bran, respectively. The results showed: (1) Compared to wheat bran group, the contents of crude protein, trichloroacetic acid-soluble protein, dietary fibre (DF), mannan and total polyphenols in wheat bran were increased by solid state fermentation. (2) Compared to the control group, fermented wheat bran increased the levels of serum biochemical parameters, reproductive hormones, immunoglobulins and anti-inflammatory factors. Therefore, long-term dietary supplementation of 10% fermented wheat bran plays an important role in improving the immune performance of laying hens.