The Effect of Fermented Soybean Meal on Performance, Biochemical and Immunological Blood Parameters in Turkeys

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of different levels of fermented soybean meal on growth performance, intestinal morphology, metabolic indicators, and immunity in turkeys. The material for the study consisted of day-old BIG 6 turkeys raised to the age of 112 days. The experiment was carried out on 800 turkey hens (10 replications of 20 individuals each), assigned to 4 experimental groups of 200 birds each. The feed for the control group (FSBM₀) was a standard mix without fermented soybean meal. For turkeys from groups FSBM₇, FSBM₉ and FSBM₁₀ the diet contained 70, 90 or 100 g fermented soybean meal (FSBM) per kg of feed, respectively. The study showed that including fermented soybean meal in feed for turkeys at 7% improved intestinal histology and stimulated the immune and antioxidant systems. The use of higher level of FSBM (9% and 10%) in the diet of the turkeys improved growth performance and had a beneficial effect on the histology of the small intestine. The dietary inclusion of 10% FSBM had beneficial effect on red-blood-cell parameters, but caused negative impact on liver and kidney function (an increase of aminotransferases activity, content of glucose and creatinine in turkeys’ blood). Ten percent share of FSBM in feed contributed to an adverse intensification of oxidation and inflammatory reactions which were reflected by an increase of malonyldialdehyde, lipid peroxides level and proinflammatory inteleukine-6 contents.