This study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of broilers fed different levels of Hermetia illucens powder. A total of 400 broiler chicks (1-day old Arbor Acres) were fed commercial diets containing H. illucens powder at 0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, and 1% with four replicates (25 chicks per replicate), for 35 days. Weight gain in broilers fed diets containing different levels of H. illucens powder increased significantly at 28 and 35 days, compared with that of the control (p<0.05). However, feed intake and mortality showed no differences among the treatments as a function of time. At 21, 28, and 35 days, broilers fed different levels of H. illucens powder had lower feed conversion rates (p<0.05) than their counterparts fed the control diet. In conclusion, 0.5% H. illucens powder is the optimal level for improved weight gain and feed conversion.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a mixture of bentonite and illite as feed additives on the growth performance and litter quality of 90 Pekin ducks. The ducks were individually weighed and randomly divided into two treatments (control and 1% combination of silicate minerals), with three replicate pens per treatment, and 15 ducks per pen. Growth performance was not significantly affected (p>0.05) by the combination of bentonite and illite, but a trend of increased growth performance was observed in the control groups. Total nitrogen content and pH in the litter decreased following supplementation with the combination of bentonite and illite (p<0.05) when compared with the control group. This data indicates that the dietary supplementation with the combination of bentonite and illite (1% level) has no positive effect on the growth performance and litter quality of Pekin ducks.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of various types of fermented red ginseng marc with red koji to laying hens on eggshell and egg yolk quality characteristics. A total of 240 Hy-line Brown laying hens (40 wk of age) were randomly allotted to 24 pens (6 replicates per treatment and 10 laying hens per replicate). Experimental diets consisted of 4 treatments containing basal diet (control), 1% fermented red ginseng marc powder with red koji, 1% fermented red ginseng marc pelleted with red koji and 1% fermented red ginseng marc coated with red koji. During the 8-wk feeding trial, there were no significant differences in eggshell strength, eggshell thickness and eggshell color among the treatments, except for eggshell strength at 4 and 8 wk and eggshell thickness at 0 wk. In addition, no differences in egg yolk color and egg yolk index were found for all treatments throughout the 8-wk feeding period, except for egg yolk color at 0 wk. Thus, using various types of fermented red ginseng marc with red koji to laying hens did not improve eggshell and egg yolk quality characteristics.

The effects of Houttuynia cordata powder on the growth performance of ducks were investigated. Ninety ducks were assigned into one of three dietary treatments as a completely randomized design for 6 weeks: feeds supplemented with 1% or 2% H. cordata and a control group. No significant difference was observed in feed conversion among the three groups (p > 0.05), but addition of H. cordata had a significantly positive effect (p < 0.05) on initial and final body weight, weight gain, and feed intake of the ducks. Furthermore, the effects of chemical treatment (comprising 50 g and 100 g aluminum chloride [AlCl3] per kilogram litter) on the ammonia (NH3) flux in duck litters were also investigated. Duck litter was treated with AlCl3 at a depth of 8 cm by top-dressing; this resulted in a significant difference on NH3 flux (p < 0.05) during the experimental period (but not at 2 weeks). NH3 flux at 6 weeks were reduced by 25.4% and 37.5% by treatment with 1% and 2% H. cordata, respectively, compared with the control groups. In conclusion, enriching the diets of the ducks with 2% H. cordata and adding 100 g AlCl3 to their litter has beneficial effects on increasing their growth performance and reducing NH3 flux in their environment.