![]() ![]() The control group (CG) were fed a basal diet and the EO group were fed a basal diet with 300 mg/kg of EO. Birds, Experimental Design and DietsĪ total of 252 (55-week-old) Dawu Golden Phoenix laying hens were randomly divided into two groups (21 hens per replicate, 6 replicates per group). ![]() This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary EO on production, biochemical indicators and gut microflora during the late stage of hens.Ģ.1. However, there are still relatively few studies about the effects of EO on the performance, serum biochemical indices and gut microbes of aged hens. In numerous studies, plant essential oils are further claimed to improve intestinal health indices in poultry. A variety of microorganisms reside in the chicken digestive tract, forming symbiotic relationships that affect nutrition, metabolism and immunity. Maintaining a healthy level of intestinal development is essential to ensuring animals’ health and growth performance. With the gradual realization that plant extracts have natural antioxidant capacity and immune-promoting effects, the research on plant essential oils as feed supplements in laying hens’ performance has received more and more attention. In another study, dietary supplementation with plant essential oils significantly improved laying hen performance, egg production, ovarian morphology, serum lipid parameters and egg sensory quality. One study found phytogenic plant extracts improved immunity in layer chickens, increased egg production and reduced cholesterol in serum and yolk. The presence of bioactive compounds (hydrocarbons, phenols, esters, alcohols, acids and steroids) in products of plant origin, which have positive effects on animal production and health. Therefore, it is necessary to find an effective feed additive to deal with this problem.Įssential oils (EO) (carvacrol, thyme and cinnamaldehyde) have garnered widespread interest due to the presence of bioactive compounds with antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties and have provided a significant level of protection and enhancement in broiler productivity. However, using genetics and other forms of biotechnology to boost the productivity of laying hens is extremely challenging. Furthermore, lipid metabolic abnormalities, as well as visceral and abdominal fat deposition, develop with age, thereby impacting hen health and laying capacity. Poor laying performance is indicated by a reduction in the laying rate, a drop in eggshell quality, and a rise in the feed-to-egg ratio. After the peak egg-laying period, the number of follicles entering the preovulatory level of laying hens decreases, and the synthesis and accumulation of yolk also decreases, which ultimately leads to a decrease in the production performance. The cycle of commercial laying hens has been increased from 72 weeks to 80 weeks. It can also regulate the abundance of cecal flora and serum biochemical indicators.Įggs are a high-quality, nutritious protein food one needs on a daily basis and are well-known as major providers of human nutrition, comprising proteins, lipids, vitamins, minerals and embryo development factors. In conclusion, a dietary supplementation of 300 mg/kg EO can improve the production performance of laying hens and the egg quality. At genus levels, the EO supplementation increased the relative abundance of Intestinimonas ( p < 0.05) and Megamonas ( p < 0.01). It is worth noting that Firmicutes were increased considerably ( p < 0.05), while Spirochaetota and Proteobacteria were significantly reduced in the EO group. However, there were no differences in alpha diversity indicators between the two groups. The EO group had substantially higher total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) ( p = 0.04 and p =0.03, respectively). The treatment group’s alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were considerably lower than those of the control group ( p = 0.03). In our study, dietary supplementation with EO considerably decreased the egg breaking rate ( p = 0.01) and increased the shell-breaking strength ( p = 0.04). During the experiment’s last week, 36 eggs out of each group were chosen at random to test. The trial started at week 55 and lasted for 8 weeks. The average egg weight, feed-to-egg ratio, and egg production rate were determined every week. The number of 252 Dawu Golden Phoenix laying hens (55 weeks old) were randomly sorted into two groups: the control group (CG) fed a basal diet and the EO group fed a basal diet with 300 mg/kg of essential oils. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of adding essential oils (EO) to diets on egg quality, biochemical parameters and intestinal flora of late laying hens. ![]()
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