Abstract

Lactobacillus spp. is one of the lactic acid bacteria, has a positive effect on improving the meat and egg quality in poultry. However, there is a paucity of information about the effect of Lactobacillus culture isolated from ensiled swamp grass on meat and egg characteristics. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of supplementing Lactobacillus culture isolated from ensiled Hymenache acutigluma (LHA) via drinking water on the duck meat and egg quality. A total of 60 Pegagan ducks aged 24-week-old were used in the current study and kept for 60 days. Ducks were randomly allocated into 5 treatment groups and 4 replicates per group, consisting of LHA 0 (control group without LHA solution), LHA 1, LHA 2, LHA 3, and LHA 4 (treatment groups supplemented with LHA solutions in drinking water with concentrations of 106, 107, 108, and 109 CFU/ml, respectively). The results showed that the value of cooking loss linearly increased, followed by a linear decrease in the water holding capacity after LHA addition. However, there was no change in the meat pH and moisture content. Further measurements revealed that both the yolk height and yolk index were linearly improved after being administered with LHA solutions, but no difference was found in other egg variables, including the yolk weight, diameter, and color, albumen weight, and height, as well as the eggshell weight and thickness. In conclusion, the provision of LHA via drinking water with a concentration of up to 109 CFU/ml could modulate the meat and egg quality of ducks. The LHA solutions enhanced the ability of meat protein to bind water, thereby inhibiting nutrient loss. Moreover, LHA had a greater effect on improving yolk quality, compared to albumen and eggshell.