Pasture, multi-enzymes, benzoic acid and essential oils positively influence performance, intestinal organ weight and egg quality in free-range laying hens. 2018

Z Iqbal, and J Roberts, and R A Perez-Maldonado, and F Goodarzi Boroojeni, and R A Swick, and I Ruhnke
a School of Environmental and Rural Science, Department of Animal Science , University of New England , Armidale , Australia.

1. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of range type, multi-enzyme applications, and a combination of benzoic acid (BA) and essential oils (EO) on the productive performance, organ weight and egg quality of free-range laying hens. 2. Three hundred laying hens were evaluated for the short-term (6 weeks) and long-term (12 weeks) effects of range type (G = no pasture, P = pasture) and feed additives (T1 = control; T2 = betaglucanase/pectinase/protease; T3 = BA/EO). Body weight, feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), egg production (EP), digestive organ weight, and egg quality (EQ) were evaluated. Data were analysed using SPSS 2.2 in a 2×2×3 factorial arrangement. 3. Hens that ranged on pasture were significantly heavier (2043 g vs. 1996 g; p < 0.001), laid heavier eggs (61.9 g vs. 60.3 g; p < 0.001) and produced darker yolk colour (4.3 vs. 7.0; p < 0.001) compared to hens ranged on gravel. Hens fed T2 were significantly heavier (2050 g) compared to hens fed T1 (2005 g) or T3 (2008 g). Organ weights (gizzard, liver and pancreas) were significantly heavier in hens ranged on pasture (16.8 g/kg BW, 22.3 g/kg BW and 1.89 g/kg BW, respectively) compared to hens ranged on gravel (14.2 g/kg BW, 21.7 g/kg BW and 1.83 g/kg BW, respectively). Over time, body weight (1970-2070 g; p < 0.001) and egg weight (59.5-62.8 g; p < 0.001) increased, FI (123-120 g; p = 0.024) was reduced and FCR (2.36-2.10; p = 0.002) improved 4. In conclusion, hens housed on pasture and fed multi-enzyme supplemented diets had significantly heavier body weight and produced heavier eggs with darker yolk colour. Pasture intake and enzyme supplementation increased digestive organ weight significantly.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007422 Intestines The section of the alimentary canal from the STOMACH to the ANAL CANAL. It includes the LARGE INTESTINE and SMALL INTESTINE. Intestine
D009097 Multienzyme Complexes Systems of enzymes which function sequentially by catalyzing consecutive reactions linked by common metabolic intermediates. They may involve simply a transfer of water molecules or hydrogen atoms and may be associated with large supramolecular structures such as MITOCHONDRIA or RIBOSOMES. Complexes, Multienzyme
D009822 Oils, Volatile Oils which evaporate readily. The volatile oils occur in aromatic plants, to which they give odor and other characteristics. Most volatile oils consist of a mixture of two or more TERPENES or of a mixture of an eleoptene (the more volatile constituent of a volatile oil) with a stearopten (the more solid constituent). The synonym essential oils refers to the essence of a plant, as its perfume or scent, and not to its indispensability. Essential Oil,Oil, Essential,Oil, Volatile,Oils, Essential,Volatile Oil,Essential Oils,Volatile Oils
D009929 Organ Size The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness. Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D010063 Ovum A mature haploid female germ cell extruded from the OVARY at OVULATION. Egg,Egg, Unfertilized,Ova,Eggs, Unfertilized,Unfertilized Egg,Unfertilized Eggs
D012098 Reproduction The total process by which organisms produce offspring. (Stedman, 25th ed) Human Reproductive Index,Human Reproductive Indexes,Reproductive Period,Human Reproductive Indices,Index, Human Reproductive,Indexes, Human Reproductive,Indices, Human Reproductive,Period, Reproductive,Periods, Reproductive,Reproductive Index, Human,Reproductive Indices, Human,Reproductive Periods
D002645 Chickens Common name for the species Gallus gallus, the domestic fowl, in the family Phasianidae, order GALLIFORMES. It is descended from the red jungle fowl of SOUTHEAST ASIA. Gallus gallus,Gallus domesticus,Gallus gallus domesticus,Chicken
D004032 Diet Regular course of eating and drinking adopted by a person or animal. Diets
D005260 Female Females
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia

Related Publications

Z Iqbal, and J Roberts, and R A Perez-Maldonado, and F Goodarzi Boroojeni, and R A Swick, and I Ruhnke
January 2021, Poultry science,
Z Iqbal, and J Roberts, and R A Perez-Maldonado, and F Goodarzi Boroojeni, and R A Swick, and I Ruhnke
June 2017, Animal nutrition (Zhongguo xu mu shou yi xue hui),
Z Iqbal, and J Roberts, and R A Perez-Maldonado, and F Goodarzi Boroojeni, and R A Swick, and I Ruhnke
March 2019, Poultry science,
Z Iqbal, and J Roberts, and R A Perez-Maldonado, and F Goodarzi Boroojeni, and R A Swick, and I Ruhnke
June 2020, Animals : an open access journal from MDPI,
Z Iqbal, and J Roberts, and R A Perez-Maldonado, and F Goodarzi Boroojeni, and R A Swick, and I Ruhnke
September 2017, Poultry science,
Z Iqbal, and J Roberts, and R A Perez-Maldonado, and F Goodarzi Boroojeni, and R A Swick, and I Ruhnke
June 2018, Poultry science,
Z Iqbal, and J Roberts, and R A Perez-Maldonado, and F Goodarzi Boroojeni, and R A Swick, and I Ruhnke
June 2020, Animal : an international journal of animal bioscience,
Z Iqbal, and J Roberts, and R A Perez-Maldonado, and F Goodarzi Boroojeni, and R A Swick, and I Ruhnke
December 2019, Poultry science,
Z Iqbal, and J Roberts, and R A Perez-Maldonado, and F Goodarzi Boroojeni, and R A Swick, and I Ruhnke
December 2021, Animals : an open access journal from MDPI,
Z Iqbal, and J Roberts, and R A Perez-Maldonado, and F Goodarzi Boroojeni, and R A Swick, and I Ruhnke
June 2012, Asian-Australasian journal of animal sciences,
Copied contents to your clipboard!