Effect of dietary supplementation of Moringa oleifera leaf meal on egg quality, composition and anti-stress activity of Vanaraja laying hens

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of dietary supplementation of Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MLM) on egg quality, composition and anti-stress activity of Vanaraja laying hens. One hundred twenty, Vanaraja laying hens of 24 weeks of age were randomly divided into four groups of 30 each with three replicates of 10 in each group. Four experimental diets were fed to birds in which T1 (control-antibiotic - oxytetracycline powder @ 50 g/ quintal) and in rest of the 3 treatment groups T2, T3 and T4, the birds were fed with MLM at levels of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0%, respectively. The egg quality parameters studied at 36 weeks of age did not show any significant difference between the treatment groups except for the yolk index. The activities of serum enzymes like alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase were also not differed significantly, except for alkaline phosphatase. The heterophil / lymphocyte ratio showed significant difference (P<0.05) between the treatment groups of MLM, where in the highest mean value was showed by T4 (1% MLM). No significant influence of dietary MLM was noticed on the nutrient composition and amino acid profile of eggs. From the above findings, it is concluded that MLM up to 1% level in the diet of Vanaraja laying hens is beneficial in terms of egg quality, composition and anti-stress activity.