Effects of Grape (Vitis vinifera L.) Seed Oil and St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) Extract Supplementation into Diets of Laying Hens at Different Levels on Performance, Egg Quality and Some Blood Parameters

Abstract

This study set out to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of grape seed oil and Hypericum perforatum L. extract to the laying hens (Lohmann White, 40 weeks of age) on performance, egg quality and some blood parameters. For this purpose, a total of 336 hens were randomly distributed to the control and other treatment groups, 12 replicates/group with 4 hens/replication. Birds were fed with basal diet only (control group) and the basal diet supplemented with different levels (100, 200, 300 mg/kg) of grape seed oil (GSO-1, GSO-2, and Hypericum perforatum L. extract (HPE-1, HPE-2, HPE-3). Dietary treatments had no significant effect on performance parameters. GSO-3 and HPE-1 supplemental groups presented with increased shell weight (p<0.01) while only GSO-1 group showed increased egg albumen index (p<0.01) and Haugh unit (p<0.05). Among blood parameters, except for serum HDL and total protein, the other blood parameters (serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL, AST, Ca and P) were not affected by the treatments. In conclusion, results showed a partial improvement in some egg quality traits, however, further studies are needed to fully investigate the beneficial effects of these additives in laying hens reared under different stresses.

Effect of papaya (Carica papaya) seed as phytogenic feed additives on egg performance, egg quality and blood serum biochemical constituents of layer hens

“…This may be because papaya seed supplementation does not negatively affect liver AST enzyme, and the finding at standard reference ranges for chicken is 70–220 U/L (Meluzzi et al., 1992). A similar result was reported by Gozde and Mevlut (2020), who noted that laying hens supplemented with H. perforatum to layer diet did not affect the liver enzyme of AST.…”

“…The total albumin, glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides were not changed due to the PFAs of papaya seed to layer chicken and the serum total albumin were within the standard reference range 1.17–2.74 g/dL (Meluzzi et al., 1992); serum glucose 130–270 mg/dL and total cholesterol: 125–200 mg/dL (Reece et al., 2015). A similar result was reported by Gozde and Mevlut (2020), who noted that laying hens supplemented with 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg of grape seed oil and Hypericum perforatum to layer diet showed no change in total cholesterol and triglyceride.…”

“…Two layers per replication were randomly selected, and 3 mL of blood per bird was drawn from the brachial vein using a 5 mL sterile disposable syringe and transferred into a sterilized tube. The blood serum was extracted from the tubes using a centrifuge and kept at −20 • C after being spun for 5 min (Kilinc & Karaoglu, 2020). Serum blood biochemical constituents were determined by the chemistry auto analyser COBAS 6000.…”