Abstract:

【Objective】 The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary melamine (MEL) supplementation on the performance, serum parameters and tissue structure of Jinding laying ducks in order to provide a scientific basis for establishment of MEL limit standard in the feed of laying ducks. 【Method】 Six hundred and fourty-eight Jinding laying ducks of 19 weeks old were randomly divided into 6 groups, each of which was replicated 6 times with 18 ducks per replicate. Birds in different replicates had similar average egg weight (1.66±0.16kg) and egg production (75.15±3.29%). 【Result】 The results showed that feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not significantly affected by dietary MEL supplementation (P＞0.05), but the egg weight and egg production tended to be decreased with melamine supplementation levels in the diets (P＞0.05);Dietary MEL supplementation increased urea nitrogen (BUN) level and kidney index significantly (P＜0.05). Blood creatinine (CRE) and alanine transaminase (ALT) tended to increase with the increasing of dietary MEL addition. Dietary MEL supplementation resulted in toxic effects on the kidney. The higher dosage of MEL in the diet, the more injury to the kidney. Dietary MEL addition also produced minor injury to the liver. 【Conclusion】 Dietary MEL supplementation could cause various injuries to the kidney and liver while no obvious effect on performance of laying ducks. Serum BUN and kidney index can be used as a sensitive index to reflect the toxicity of MEL on laying ducks.

Key words: melamine, laying duck, biochemical index, tissue structure, performance