Effect of Feeding Thymus vulgaris Powder on the Productivity, Egg Quality and Egg Yolk Fatty Acid Composition in Laying Hens
2012
Park, S.B., Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea | Lee, K.J., Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea | Lee, W.H., Industry, Academy, Research, Cooperation Company for Herb, Republic of Korea | Ryu, K.S., Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding dried Thymus vulgaris powder (TVP) on the layer performance, egg quality and egg yolk fatty acid composition. Two hundred eighty eight, 35 weeks old Brown nicks were allocated in the cage for five TVP (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0%) diets with four replicates in each treatment. Each basal diet contained 16.0% CP and 2,800 kcal/kg ME and supplied to layers for 8 weeks. Egg production and egg weight were not statistically different but numerically increased in birds fed 2.0% TVP than other treatments. Egg mass was not consistent depending on the TVP addition levels in diets. Feed intake was significantly lower in TVP addition treatments than the control (p less than 0.05), however, feed conversion was not significantly differed among control and treatments (p less than 0.05). Dietary addition of 2.0% TVP showed high values on albumin height, Haugh unit and egg yolk color and they are 7.93, 86.79 and 7.20, respectively (p less than 0.05). Palmitic and arachidonic acids were remarkably lowered when 2.0% TVP added to basal diets and then fed to birds for 8 weeks, in contrast, significantly higher linolenic acid composition was determined in birds fed 2.0% TVP (p less than 0.05). As the results, the highest unsaturated fatty composition and UFA/SFA ratio were observed in 2.0% TVP treatment as compared to those of control and other treatments. Therefore, the results indicate that the Thymus vulgaris powder addition to basal diet tended to have positive effects on egg quality and egg yolk fatty acids composition, and the optimum addition of Thymus vulgaris powder may be 2.0%.
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