Effects of B-Wave Ultraviolet Supplementation Using Light-Emitting Diodes on Caged Laying Hens during the Later Phase of the Laying Cycle

Caged laying hens are prone to calcium deficiencies, resulting in osteoporosis and egg quality deterioration during the later phase of the laying cycle. Fluorescent light and light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which are widely used in poultry houses now, are both deficient in ultraviolet (UV) light, the lack of which is detrimental to chickens’ welfare and health. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of UVB light supplementation using LEDs on the bone traits, blood parameters, laying performance, and egg quality for caged laying hens at 68–75 weeks. In total, 120 Jingfen laying hens were randomly assigned to four different groups, with three replicates in each group (10 hens in each cage as a replicate). UVB-LED lamps installed under the feed troughs were used to provide UVB light (296–316 nm) for the birds in the three treatment groups (1 h, 2 h, and 3 h UVB supplementation per day, respectively), while the control group was not exposed to UVB-LED light. Bone traits, egg quality, and amounts of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), and 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) in both the serum and egg yolks were tested during the experiment. The results demonstrated that UVB-LED exposure significantly increased the bone mineral density (BMD), egg production, and yolk 1,25(OH)2D3 concentrations (p < 0.05), and reduced the content of serum 7-DHC (p < 0.05), especially in the 2 h/day group; however, it did not improve egg quality, vitamin D metabolites, or photoproducts in the serum and yolk 25(OH)2D3 concentrations (p > 0.05). This study concluded that UVB supplementation using LEDs had a positive effect on caged laying hens during the later phase of the laying cycle.

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309 Effects of dietary supplying icariin on the bone metabolism and the laying performance in caged laying hens

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skz258.020 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽

pp. 11-11

Author(s):

Jie Huang ◽

Lei Zhang ◽

Zhongxin Zhou

Keyword(s):

Bone Mineral Density ◽

Bone Metabolism ◽

Bone Mineral ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Control Group ◽

Tartrate Resistant Acid Phosphatase ◽

Mineral Density ◽

Laying Performance ◽

Serum Biochemical

Abstract Icariin, a flavonol glycoside, is one of major active ingredients of the traditional Chinese medicine Herba epimedii. Icariin has been reported to successfully treat the osteoporosis of the rat. However, effects of icariin on the osteoporosis in caged laying hens are still unkown. This study present the effects of dietary icariin supplementation on the laying performance, the egg quality and the bone metabolism in caged laying hens. A total of 216 Lohmann pink-shell laying hens of 54-week-old from a commercial farm in the Hubei province of China were randomly assigned to 3 treatment groups with 6 replications per group and 12 birds per replication. The control group was fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet, and the experimental groups were fed basal diets supplemented with 500 and 2000 mg/kg icariin for 90 d. Layer performance responses, egg quality parameters, the bone mineral density and serum biochemical indicators were measured at the end of the experiment. Results showed that feed/egg ratio decreased as the supplied icariin level increased. The laying rate and the average egg weight were increased compared to the control group. However, no significant effect was observed on the egg quality. The bone mineral density of the tibia was measured by the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, indicating that icariin can increase the bone mineral density. Serum biochemical analysis showed that icariin decreased the level of alkaline phosphatase, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, osteocalcin and calcitonin. Our observations provided evidences that dietary supplementation of icariin increased the bone mineral density and improved the laying performance, and icariin can be used for the prevention of the osteoporosis in caged laying hens.

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Effect of anti-prolactin drug and peppermint on broodiness, laying performance and egg quality in indigenous hens

Asian Journal of Medical and Biological Research ◽

10.3329/ajmbr.v2i4.30995 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 547-554 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mst Nasrin Banu ◽

Md Bazlar Rashid ◽

Md Mahmudul Hasan ◽

Fahima Binte Aziz ◽

Md Rakibul Islam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Control Diet ◽

Egg Laying ◽

Mentha Piperita ◽

Sequence Length ◽

Control Group ◽

Laying Performance ◽

Group B

The study was conducted to determine the effect of antiprolactin drug (Bromergon®) and Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) on broodiness, laying performance and egg quality in indigenous hens. The effect of modulation of prolactin concentration on egg production, sequence length and inter sequence pauses were studied by analyzing the oviposition records. Total sixty indigenous laying hens (30-40 weeks of age), were assigned for treatment with peppermint solution and Bromergon®. Sixty laying hens were randomly divided into 4 groups (A, B, C and D) and each group remained 15 hens. Group A was kept for control, Group B was treated with bromocriptine (Bromergon® SANDOZ) orally @ 640 ?g per bird per day, Group C with 50% peppermint solution @ 10 g per bird orally and Group D was with peppermint and Bromergon® combined at previous dose. Over the course of trial, incremental dietary peppermint (Group C) significantly (p?0.05) increased egg production, body weight of treated indigenous hens than other groups. Egg shell percentage, thickness and haugh unit of hens fed diets supplemented with peppermint were greater than that of hens fed the control diet. However, peppermint supplementation did not influence other egg quality characteristics like albumen and yolk percentages and albumen height. The treated birds had comparatively longer sequences and fewer pauses. It is concluded that the physiological pauses occur during ovulatory sequences can be disrupted effectively using Bromergon® and peppermint. Prolactin levels modulated which may interfere with follicular recruitment and subsequent oviposition thereby improves egg laying potential of the indigenous hens.Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. December 2016, 2(4): 547-554

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Fermented Astragalus in diet improved laying performance, egg quality, antioxidant and immunological status and intestinal microbiota in laying hens

10.21203/rs.3.rs-30575/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hongtao Shi ◽

Baiyu Wang ◽

Chuanzhou Bian ◽

Yingqian Han ◽

Hongxing Qiao

Keyword(s):

Intestinal Microbiota ◽

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Feed Additive ◽

Control Group ◽

Poultry Production ◽

Immunological Status ◽

Laying Performance ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract In the era of increased antibiotic resistance and ever stricter control on antibiotic use, it is urgent to develop green, safe and non-residue alternatives to antibiotics applied to the poultry industry. To this end, we supplied the potential Lactobacillus Plantarum (L. Plantarum) fermented Astragalus in the diet of laying hens, with a final addition of 3‰. Its effects have been assessed on laying performance, egg quality, antioxidant and immunological status and intestinal microbiota, and are compared to the control group, to the Astragalus group containing 3‰ unfermented Astragalus, and to the L. Plantarum group containing 2% L. Plantarum (1 × 108 CFU/mL). During the second half of the experimental period (15 to 28 days), the egg production rate was significantly higher in the fermented Astragalus group than that in the other groups, with the fermented Astragalus group having the lowest feed conversion ratio. No significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed among treatments on egg quality. Fermented Astragalus-treated hens exhibited significantly increased catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum, and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum. Furthermore, fermented Astragalus supplementation resulted in a significant increase in ileal microbiota abundance relative to control. In conclusion, feeding laying hens with L. Plantarum fermented Astragalus has beneficial effects on production, antioxidant potential, immunity and ileal microbiota. L. Plantarum fermented Astragalus is expected to be a novel feed additive used in poultry production.

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Dietary Addition of Astragalus Fermented by Lactobacillus Plantarum Improved Laying Performance, Egg Quality, Antioxidant and Immunological Status and Intestinal Microbiota in Laying Hens

10.21203/rs.3.rs-27804/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hongtao Shi ◽

Baiyu Wang ◽

Chuanzhou Bian ◽

Yingqian Han ◽

Hongxing Qiao

Keyword(s):

Lactobacillus Plantarum ◽

Intestinal Microbiota ◽

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Control Group ◽

Poultry Production ◽

Immunological Status ◽

Laying Performance ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Background In the era of increased antibiotic resistance and ever stricter control on antibiotic use, it is urgent to develop green, safe and non-residue alternatives to antibiotics applied to the poultry industry. To this end, we supplied the potential Lactobacillus Plantarum (L. Plantarum) fermented Astragalus in the diet of laying hens, with a final addition of 3‰. Its effects have been assessed on laying performance, egg quality, antioxidant and immunological status and intestinal microbiota, and are compared to the control group, to the Astragalus group containing 3‰ unfermented Astragalus, and to the L. Plantarum group containing 2% L. Plantarum (1 × 108 CFU/mL). Results During the second half of the experimental period (15 to 28 days), the egg production rate was significantly higher in the fermented Astragalus group than that in the other groups, with the fermented Astragalus group having the lowest feed conversion ratio. No significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed among treatments on egg quality. Fermented Astragalus-treated hens exhibited significantly increased catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum, and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum. Furthermore, fermented Astragalus supplementation resulted in a significant increase in ileal microbiota abundance relative to control. Conclusions Feeding laying hens with L. Plantarum fermented Astragalus has beneficial effects on production, antioxidant potential, immunity and ileal microbiota. L. Plantarum fermented Astragalus is expected to be a novel feed additive used in poultry production.

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Fermented Astragalus in diet improved laying performance, egg quality, antioxidant and immunological status and intestinal microbiota in laying hens

10.21203/rs.3.rs-30575/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Hongtao Shi ◽

Baiyu Wang ◽

Chuanzhou Bian ◽

Yingqian Han ◽

Hongxing Qiao

Keyword(s):

Intestinal Microbiota ◽

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Feed Additive ◽

Control Group ◽

Poultry Production ◽

Immunological Status ◽

Laying Performance ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract In the era of increased antibiotic resistance and ever-stricter control on antibiotic use, it is urgent to develop green, safe, and non-residue alternatives to antibiotics applied to the poultry industry. To this end, we supplied the potential Lactobacillus Plantarum (L. Plantarum) fermented Astragalus in the diet of laying hens, with a final addition of 3‰. Its effects have been assessed on laying performance, egg quality, antioxidant and immunological status, and intestinal microbiota, and are compared to the control group, to the Astragalus group containing 3‰ unfermented Astragalus, and to the L. Plantarum group containing 2% L. Plantarum (5×108 colony-forming unit (CFU) per milliliter (mL)). During the second half of the experimental period (15 to 28 days), the egg production rate was considerably higher in the fermented Astragalus group than that in the other groups, with the fermented Astragalus group having the lowest feed conversion ratio. No significant difference (P>0.05) was noted among treatments on egg quality. Fermented Astragalus-treated hens exhibited significantly increased catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum, and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum. Furthermore, fermented Astragalus supplementation resulted in a significant increase in ileal microbiota abundance relative to control. In conclusion, feeding laying hens with L. Plantarum fermented Astragalus has beneficial effects on production, antioxidant potential, immunity, and ileal microbiota. L. Plantarum fermented Astragalus is expected to be a novel feed additive used in poultry production.

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Effects of Dietary Inclusion of Dry Hydrastis canadensis on Laying Performance, Egg Quality, Serum Biochemical Parameters and Cecal Microbiota in Laying Hens

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11051381 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 1381

Author(s):

Tzuen-Rong J Tzeng ◽

Tzu-Yu Liu ◽

Chiao-Wei Lin ◽

Pei-En Chang ◽

Pei-Xin Liao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biochemical Parameters ◽

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Basal Diet ◽

Response To Treatment ◽

Control Group ◽

Hydrastis Canadensis ◽

Laying Performance ◽

Cecal Microbiota ◽

Dietary Treatments

Alternative growth promoters are able to not only effectively replace the traditional use of antibiotics but also provide additional health benefits for livestock and reduce food safety concerns. This study investigated the effects of dry Hydrastis canadensis on the laying performance and fecal microbial community of laying hens. Twenty-four Lohmann (LSL, white layer strain) hens were reared from 40 to 48 weeks of age and randomly allotted to four dietary treatments (six birds/treatment). The dietary treatments comprised a basal diet with no treatment as control, a basal diet plus 0.6% powder of dry Hydrastis canadensis roots (R) or leaves (L), and a basal diet plus 0.6% powder of a mixture of dry Hydrastis canadensis roots and leaves (1:1, LR). No mortality was observed in the whole experimental period. The results indicated that albumen height in the LR group was significantly greater than that in the control group. The diet supplemented with Hydrastis canadensis had no significant effects on egg production rate, egg weight, eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, Haugh unit, or yolk height during the whole experimental phase. However, principal coordinate analysis, comparative heat map analysis, and cluster dendrogram analysis of cecal microbiota showed distinct clusters among the groups treated with Hydrastis canadensis and the control group. Regarding blood biochemical parameters, serum cholesterol levels were significantly lower in all Hydrastis canadensis-treated groups compared with those in the control group. Moreover, serum low-density lipoprotein levels were lower in hens supplemented with the leaf of Hydrastis canadensis. The abundances of the phyla Fusobacteria and Kiritimatiellaeota were increased (p < 0.05) in laying hens fed with 0.6% Hydrastis canadensis leaves, whereas the abundance of the phylum Firmicutes in cecum digesta decreased in response to treatment with Hydrastis canadensis roots and leaves. The relative abundance of the Fusobacterium genus was higher in the LR group compared with that in the control. On the contrary, we found a different trend in the Synergistes genus. The potential influences of these microbiota on the performance of laying hens were discussed. The results demonstrate that Hydrastis canadensis can improve the egg albumen height and modulate the cecum digesta microbiota composition of laying hens.

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Influence of peeling and inorganic calcium concentration on the utilisation of giant taro (Alocasia macrorrhiza) corm meal by laying hens

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an18625 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 59 (8) ◽

pp. 1553 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S. S. Diarra ◽

I. Wamekeni ◽

A. Vunagilee ◽

H. Lavaka ◽

T. Finau

Keyword(s):

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Shape Index ◽

Egg Mass ◽

Feed Conversion ◽

Shell Quality ◽

Laying Performance ◽

Calcium Source ◽

Main Effects

The effects of peeling and limestone flour level on the utilisation of Alocasia macrorrhiza corm meal (ACM) by laying hens were investigated. Maize-based diets with two concentrations of limestone flour (40 and 60 g/kg) and diets containing 200 g peeled and unpeeled ACM meal/kg with the same levels of limestone flour were fed to five replicate pens containing 10 20-week-old Shaver brown pullets (1635 ± 148 g), each for 105 days. Results showed no interaction or main effects of ACM or limestone concentration on feed intake, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion efficiency, egg shape index, surface area and Haugh unit (P > 0.05). Feeding whole ACM with 40 g limestone/kg diet reduced hen-day production and shell thickness (P < 0.05) but this was overcome by increasing limestone concentration to 60 g/kg diet. Peeled ACM with both concentrations of limestone flour maintained laying performance and egg quality. We concluded that feeding 200 g whole ACM depresses egg production and shell quality in laying hens, but increasing dietary limestone concentration overcomes this adverse effect. The concentration of limestone flour in the diet has no effect on laying performance. Higher inclusion levels of ACM, calcium source and level that will maintain laying performance and reduce feed cost need to be investigated.

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Performance of Laying Hens Fed Sorghum Based Diets Supplemented with Enzymes

Nigerian Journal of Animal Production ◽

10.51791/njap.v43i1.2763 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 224-232

Author(s):

O. M. Agunbiade ◽

P. A. Onimisi ◽

J. J. Omage

Keyword(s):

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Quality Characteristics ◽

Egg Laying ◽

The Other ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Feed Cost ◽

Laying Performance ◽

Dietary Treatments

Sorghum is the primary alternative feedstuff for corn in some developed countries in the production of poultry. Thus, four hundred and fifty 32 weeks old Lohmann Brown laying hens were used in a study to evaluate the effect of replacing maize with sorghum with or without enzymes supplementation, on egg laying performance and egg quality characteristics of laying hens. Birds were distributed randomly into six dietary treatments with three replicates per treatment, each replicate had 25 birds with uniform initial group weights. The treatments included maize without enzymes (T1); sorghum without enzymes (T2); as controls respectively, while T3, T4, T5, and T6 contained sorghum based diets with phytase, protease, G2G, and a combination of protease and G2G respectively. Laying performance, cost of production, and egg quality characteristics were determined for the period of the trial, 33-56 weeks of age of the birds. All data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance, using the completely randomized design (CRD) and significant differences among treatment means were compared using the Tukey test. Significant (p<0.05) differences were observed among dietary treatments but with no defined trend observed for egg production traits. Daily feed intake was significantly (p<0.05) higher in maize control diet compared to the other treatments. Diets supplemented with phytase (T3), protease (14), and combination of protease and roxazyme G2G (T6) had significantly (p<0.05) better feed conversion ratio with T3 having the lowest value of 4.01 compared to the other treatments. For feed cost/dozen egg (N), Kg feed/dozen eggs, income above feed cost at N30 per egg, and income above control treatment; phytase (T3), protease (T4), roxazyme 626 (T5), and protease + roxacyme G2G (T6) diets in this study showed better performance than the control. Sorghum diet without enzyme had significantly (p<0.05) least performance for egg number. Hen housed egg production (HHP) and hen day egg production (HDP) compared to the other treatments while sorghum diet with phytase had the highest value (60.12g/day) for average egg weight compared to the other treatments. Egg quality characteristics showed the best performance for dietary treatments supplemented with phytase (T3) in all the other parameters considered, apart from the albumen height, yolk diameter, and yolk index. It was concluded therefore, that sorghum with phytase and protease supplementations can be used in layers' diets as a substitute for maize for optimum egg production.

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EDIBLEEGGQUALITYWHENIODINEISINTRODUCEDINTOLAYINGHENBODY

Vestnik Altajskogo gosudarstvennogo agrarnogo universiteta ◽

10.53083/1996-4277-2021-203-09-65-70 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 65-70

Author(s):

L.V. Rastopshina ◽

Keyword(s):

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Federal District ◽

Egg Yolk ◽

Egg White ◽

Egg Laying ◽

The Body ◽

Control Group ◽

Trace Element Deficiency

The Altai Region along with the regions of the Siberian Federal District belongs to the zone with trace element deficiency including iodine deficiency. The research goal was to study the effect of iodine on edible egg quality of laying hens of the Rodonit cross. At the final stage of egg-laying, 4 groups of 4 laying hens were formed. No iodine was administered to the hens of the 1st control group. Starch-based iodine product was administered to the birds of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th trial groups into the lower third of the neck, under the wing and into the rump area in a dose of 1.5 mg per head. The egg production intensity in the trial groups was higher by 21.3-28.8%. Egg weight in the 1st control group was 65.6 ± 1.33g which was lower than that in the trial groups by 4.4% (2nd group); 3.7% (3rd group) and 1.5% 4th group). All eggs belonged to “select” grade. The 3rd and 4th trial groups had less egg white by 3.8 and 2.7%; the egg-yolk content increases in the eggs of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th trial groups by 1.2%, 9.4% and 2.4%, respectively, and the eggshell weight by 1.2-9.4% as com-pared to the control. The ratio of egg white and egg-yolk weight in the eggs of the trial groups was lower than in the control group by 9.38-19.29%, but the ratio of egg-yolk to egg white was by 10.4-23.9% higher. The following indices were higher in the trial groups as compared to the control: egg white index -by 1.4-17.1%; egg-yolk -by 3.2-6.4%; Haugh unit -by 7.2-11.1%; eggshell thickness -by 3.9-8.3%. The best results were obtained with the administra-tion of iodine to the hens in the region of the lower third of the neck. The enrichment of the body of laying hens of the Rodonit cross with iodine makes it possible to obtain the profitability of edible egg production at the level of 28.6-41.0%.

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The Effect of Clove Oil Supplementation in Laying Hen Diets on Performance, Egg Quality, Some Blood Parameters, and Yolk TBARS

Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology ◽

10.24925/turjaf.v9i12.2213-2218.4482 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 2213-2218

Author(s):

Melek Şehitoğlu ◽

Hatice Kaya

Keyword(s):

Egg Production ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Egg Quality ◽

Live Weight ◽

Blood Parameters ◽

Feed Consumption ◽

Control Group ◽

Clove Oil ◽

Feed Conversion ◽

Treatment Groups

In this study, it was investigated the effect of clove oil supplementation at increasing levels into laying hens’ diets on performance, egg quality traits, some blood parameters and yolk TBARS (Thiobarbituric Acid Reagent) values. For this purpose 96 Lohman white laying hens, 28 weeks of age, were divided into four treatment groups. Control group was fed with basal diet (C) and treatment groups were fed with diets formed by addition of clove oil at 50 ppm (CO1), 100 ppm (CO2) and 150 ppm (CO3), respectively. During the trial, feed and water were given as ad-libitum, and poultry house was illuminated for 17 hours. Experiment lasted for 13 weeks. Addition clove oil at increasing rates into diet did not affect the live weight. The data analysed as polynomial showed that supplementation of clove oil into layer diet linearly improved feed conversion ratio and increased the egg production. But, daily feed consumption, egg weight, damaged egg ratio and egg quality parameters were not affected by treatments. Serum parameters such as triglyceride, glucose, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and calcium were not affected by the clove oil supplementation. TBARS values in C, CO1, and CO2 were found higher than the CO3 group fed with diet including 150 ppm clove oil. In conclusion, clove oil at 150 ppm level in diets of laying hens could be used due to extend the egg shelf life and to decline serum cholesterol content.

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