Effect of mentha on performance, haematological and biochemical parameters in laying hens

Abstract

Effects of Mentha piperita (peppermint) extract and juice on performance and immune parameters were evaluated in laying hens. A total of 252 Babcock laying hens were allocated to seven treatments with four replications of nine hens. The control hens were fed a basal diet without supplementation. Other hens were given diets supplemented with mentha extract (ME) at 50 (50ME), 100 (100ME), and 200 (200ME) mg/kg of feed or with 50 mentha juice (50MJ), 100 (100MJ) and 200 (200MJ) mg/L that was provided in the drinking water. No significant differences were detected among treatments in bodyweight, feed intake, egg mass, egg production, eggshell breaking strength, Haugh unit, and haematological and serological parameters. The ratio of gram feed to gram egg mass (feed conversion) was significantly better in the birds that received 100ME and 200ME compared with the control hens. The yolk colour index was higher in mid trial analysis (28th day). Thus, although the ME supplementation had a positive effect on feed conversion ratio and egg yolk colour at dosage rates up to 200 mg/kg, further research is needed to establish the efficacy of this herbal product and to determine the most appropriate amount to include in diets for laying hens.

Dietary Phytogenic Extracts Favorably Influence Productivity, Egg Quality, Blood Constituents, Antioxidant and Immunological Parameters of Laying Hens: A Meta-Analysis

“…Beneficial effects on productive performance and egg quality were obtained by supplementing the laying hen’s diet with Pinus massoniana [ 40 ], Curcuma longa [ 32 ], Geranium thunbergia , and Mentha arvensi [ 42 ]. However, egg production, FCR, and egg weight were not increased with the addition of dietary Thymus vulgaris L. [ 43 ] and Mentha piperita [ 8 ]. Sharma et al [ 6 ] stated that the administration of garlic and thyme to the diets of laying hens did not increase egg weight.…”

“…However, several studies have also discovered a negligible effect of phytogenic extracts supplementation on the productive parameters or egg quality [ 5 , 6 ]. On the other hand, they may only produce a negative impact on poultry when added to diets at high levels [ 7 , 8 ]. For instance, a phenolic group such as tannins exhibits anti-nutritional properties at high concentrations.…”

Peppermint extract improves egg production and quality, increases antioxidant capacity, and alters cecal microbiota in late-phase laying hens

“…It has also been found that 296 mg/kg of peppermint oil positively affected feed intake, egg production, and the conversion ratio of laying hens (Abdel-Wareth and Lohakare, 2020 ), whereas, in the present study, we found that dietary PE supplementation could improve egg production but did not affect the feed efficiency of laying hens during the late-phase laying period. Rahman et al ( 2021 ) also revealed that an ethanolic extract of peppermint had no detectable differences in the feed conversion ratio of laying hens. Our findings indicated that dietary PE supplementation of 0.30 and 0.37% was required for optimal laying performance in late-phase laying hens.…”

The use of peppermint (Mentha piperita) leaves meal reduces ammonia excreta, increases egg production, and egg quality of laying hens

“…Studies on the effect of peppermint on the production of eggs have been reported by several workers (Rahman et al 2021;Abdel-Wareth and Lohakare 2020). Supplementation of the diets with peppermint up to 3% did not increase hen day production and egg mass in the present study.…”

“…The effects of peppermint on egg quality have been studied by several workers (Centigul et al 2008;Rahman et al 2021;Abdel-Wareth and Lohakare 2020). Lower yolk height, albumen height, and HU found in the eggs produced by laying hens in the current study indicate that eggs underwent biochemical and physical changes when they were stored at room temperature for 2 weeks.…”