Effects of a mixed extract of Cortex Fraxini, Pulsatilla chinensis, and Eucommia ulmoides on immunity and antioxidant activity in hemp ducks

Abstract This study was conducted to investigate the effects of a mixed extract of Cortex Fraxini, Pulsatilla chinensis , and Eucommia ulmoides on growth performance, immune function, and antioxidant capacity in hemp ducks. A total of 90 one-day-old hemp ducks were randomly assigned to 5 treatments, each of which was replicated 3 times (6 ducks in each pen). The treatments were: basal control diet (CON), positive control (PC, CON + 0.5% Astragalus polysaccharides), and CON + 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00% mixed extract. The results showed that the weight of thymus gland increased (quadratic, p 0.05) with the increasing levels of the mixed extract at 14 and 21 d, and it was greater in 0.5% mixed extract when compared with the PC ( p 0.05) at 21 d. The serum concentrations of immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin A, and interleukin-2 increased with the increase of mixed extract in diets (quadratic, p 0.05), and the concentration of immunoglobulin A was greater in 0.5% mixed extract when compared with the PC ( p 0.05) at 28 d. The serum concentration of MDA was decreased (quadratic, p 0.05) at 21 d with the increase of mixed extract levels. The serum GSH-Px activity increased linearly and quadratically ( p p