Production Performance and Some Biochemical Traits of Layer Hens Fed on Date Palm Kernel Supplementation

To enhance the well-being and productivity of poultry, researchers have conducted investigations into various botanical sources, including date palm kernel, and their bioactive components. The present investigation was conducted to assess the productive performance and certain biochemical characteristics of layer hens that were administered date palm kernel supplementation in their diet. To this end, 40 ISA Brown laying hens (48 weeks old) were used in the current study. The adaptation phase for the chickens lasted for 10 days before the initiation of the experiment. The study lasted 8 weeks. The chickens were then randomly assigned into two groups of 20, with 4 replications (5 chickens per replication). Chickens in the treatment group received 5% of dry matter ground date palm kernel (GDPK), as an additive to the basal diet, and the control group (CL) chickens were fed the basal diet. The eggs were collected daily during the study. At the end of weeks 1, 2, 4, and 6 of the study, egg production percentage, egg weight, and the feed conversion ratio were measured. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected to measure the serum levels of glucose, total protein, cholesterol, creatinine, and uric acid. The study findings revealed significant increases in the daily egg production percentage and egg weight during the experiment in the GDPK group, compared to the CL group. The feed conversion ratio recorded significant decreases in the GDPK group when compared to the CL group. Furthermore, the findings indicated significant increases in the serum total protein and significant decreases in the glucose, cholesterol, creatinine, and uric acid concentrations in the GDPK group, compared to the CL group. In conclusion, the results indicated the positive effects of adding ground date palm kernel to the diet of layers on production performance, such as egg weight, conversion ratio, and some biochemical traits, including total protein, glucose, cholesterol, creatinine, and uric acid.