Effect of garlic powder on the performance, egg traits and blood parameters of laying hens

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of garlic powder on the performance, egg traits and blood parameters of laying hens. One hundred and sixty-two SHSY-type brown layers aged 21 weeks were chosen at random from a large flock. They were allocated to three dietary treatments. Each treatment comprised six replicates of nine layers in groups of three. The diets were supplemented with 0, 5 and 10 g kg −1 garlic powder. The experimental period lasted 22 weeks. Garlic powder addition did not significantly affect body weight, egg production, feed consumption, feed efficiency, egg shell index, egg breaking strength, egg shell thickness, egg albumen index, egg yolk index, egg Haugh unit, egg yolk weight and serum protein concentration. Egg weight increased (P < 0.01) with garlic powder supplementation. There was a significant (P < 0.01) reduction in egg cholesterol concentration as mg g −1 yolk when the dietary level of garlic powder was increased from 0 to 10 g kg −1 . Hen serum triglyceride (P < 0.05) and total cholesterol (P < 0.01) concentrations decreased with garlic powder supplementation. This study demonstrated that garlic powder addition increased egg weight and decreased egg yolk cholesterol concentration (mg g −1 yolk) and serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations without adverse effects on performance and egg traits. INTRODUCTIONGarlic (Allium sativum) and its products are known to have potential hypolipidemic/hypocholesterolemic, hypotensive, hypoglycemic, hypothrombotic and hypoatherogenic properties. 1 -4 Garlic contains a variety of organosulfur compounds such as allicin, ajoene, S-allylcysteine, diallyl disulfide, S-methylcysteine sulfoxide and S-allylcysteine sulfoxide. 5 Despite the fact that the mechanisms primarily responsible for the hypocholesterolemic action of garlic are uncertain at present, the composition and quantity of the sulfur components of different garlic preparations used in various studies could account in part for the inconsistent findings. 6 Other contributing factors may include subject recruitment, duration of experiment, dietary control, lifestyle and methods of lipid analysis. 3,4 S-Methylcysteine sulfoxide 7,8 and S-allylcysteine sulfoxide 8 had a potent antihypercholesterolemic effect on cholesterol-fed rats. However, previous studies with laying hens and broilers showed controversial results on the hypocholesterolemic effect of garlic. 9 -13 In experiments with diets containing garlic paste at 38 g kg −1 or solvent fractions or garlic oil equivalent to 38 g kg −1 garlic paste, the activity of hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase decreased by 50-69% in 12-week-old

Effect ofLeuconostoc mesenteroidesKCCM35046 fermented aged garlic extract on egg production, egg quality, odour gas emissions, targetedE. colicolony, haematological characteristics and fatty acids composition of egg yolk in laying hens

“…Moreover, Aporn and Adcharatt (2008), who reported that there were no significant differences in feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio across treatments in broilers fed .7-1.3% garlic powder diets. In addition, Yalçin et al (2006) found no effects of garlic addition (5-10 g/kg) on body weight, feed consumption or feed efficiency in laying hens. In contrast with the current study, Qureshi et al (1983) reported that garlic supplementation in diets decreased the feed intake because of the specific odour of garlic.…”

Effect of <i>Cordyceps Militaris </i>Waster Medium on Production Performance, Egg Traits and Egg Yolk Cholesterol of Laying Hens

“…Botsoglous et al (2005) pointed out that feeding layer hens with oregano or rosemary spices which contain a wide range of antioxidants, such as phenolic compounds, did not have an effect on yolk shape or egg shell thickness. Yalçin et al (2006) presented that dietary garlic powder (a kind of phytogenic material) added to laying hen diets could increase egg weight but not egg yolk weight and egg shell thickness. Similarly, in this study, the 20.0 g/kg CMWM addition had higher egg weight than the other groups did.…”

Effect of humic-plant feed preparations on biochemical blood parameters of laying hens in deep litter housing system

“…Ognik and Sembratowicz (2012) using Aloes-plus preparation noted significant lysozyme and hemoglobin increase with monocytes and basophiles fraction decrease in turkey hens. Yalçin et al (2006) noted significant decrease in serum triglyceride and total cholesterol in garlic powder-fed hens. Dietary cassava leaf meal 10% addition to laying hens diet caused significant decrease in total protein, albumen, globulin and phosphate serum concentration, while 5% dose did not result in such physiological reactions (Zanu et al 2013).…”

“…Blood serum TCh and TAG in hens may be modified by some dietary components. An addition of Jerusalem artichoke (Yildiz et al 2008), tamarind (Chowdhury et al 2005) or powdered garlic (Yalçin et al 2006) to the fodder causes a significant decrease in these lipid indices concentration. These relationships were not fully confirmed by Nobakht et al (2012), in the study with an application of 2% dietary addition of herbs like Melissa, Tanacetum and Ziziphora in hens.…”