Title : Effects of supplementation of dietary probiotic at different levels on laying performance, egg quality and yolk fatty acid profile of laying hens
Abstract:
This study was carried out to determine the effects of different levels of dietary probiotics (Control, 0.3, 0.6) supplementation on laying performance, egg quality characteristics and yolk fatty acid compositions of Lohmann laying hens. A total of 72 Lohmann layers at age of 28 weeks were used in three groups, and the research was lasted for 16 weeks. Except for egg production and egg weight, probiotic levels did not affect laying performance parameters. As probiotic level increased, egg production and egg weight also increased linearly. Except for cracked egg, time significantly affected all of the performance parameters (P<0.01). The effect of probiotic level by time interaction had significant effect on feed consumption from performance parameters (P<0.01). Egg quality characteristics were not affected by the probiotic level except for shell thickness and yolk color. In addition, the effect of time on egg quality parameters except shape index, shell thickness and yolk color was very significant (P<0.01). Groups fed diets containing probiotics produced darker egg yolk color than the control group. Probiotic level by time interaction on other egg quality parameters was found to be insignificant except for the shell strength and shell thickness. As for the fatty acid compositions of yolk were examined, while stearic and oleic acids decreased in the groups supplemented with probiotics compared to the control group, myristoleic acid, palmitoleic acid, heptadecaenoic acid and elaidic acid increased,. In conclusion, it was determined that egg production and egg weight increased in groups fed with diets containing probiotics at different level. Adding probiotics to the laying hen diet increased some unsaturated fatty acids and decreased saturated fatty acids such as stearic and oleic acid compared to control group.
Keywords: Laying hen, Probiotic, Performance and egg quality, Fatty acid composition