Effects of dietary L-threonine levels on antioxidant capacity, digestive enzyme activities, and antibody production of Xinyang green-shell laying hens

Abstract Xinyang green-shell laying hens (n = 720), 32 wk of age were allocated to 5 dietary treatments groups, each of which included 6 replicates of 24 hens. The control group was given a basal corn-peanut-soybean meal diet containing 0.47% L-threonine (L-Thr). L-Thr levels of the experimental groups were 0.57, 0.67, 0.77, and 0.87%, respectively. The trial lasted 10 wk. Serum concentrations of total superoxide dismutases (T-SOD) and superoxide dismutases (SOD) were maximized at 0.67% L-Thr group. The 0.57% L-Thr group had the highest serum total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC), while the 0.67% L-Thr group had the lowest serum malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. Hens fed 0.67% L-Thr of the diet resulted in the highest SOD and T-AOC levels in the liver. The activity of amylase and lipase in the jejunum was maximized at 0.77% L-Thr level. Hens fed 0.77% L-Thr in the diet resulted in the highest IgM and IgG levels in the jejunum. In conclusion, we suggest that a L-Thr level above 0.67% may have had an antioxidant capacity and positive effect on digestive enzyme activities and antibody production in the jejunum of Xinyang green-shell laying hens.