Egg yolk colour and retinol concentration of eggs from laying hens fed diets containing carrot and beetroot meal

Abstract

Compounds such as pigments, antioxidants, and pro-vitamins A are found in carrots and beetroots and could increase the nutritional value of eggs when added to diets for laying hens. This research evaluated retinol concentrations and egg yolk colour with addition of freeze-dried carrot (Daucus carota L.) and beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) meal in the diets of 240 Hisex Brown laying hens. The hens were distributed in a completely randomized design in five groups according to five experimental diets: (1) maize and soybean meal; (2) sorghum and soybean meal; (3) sorghum and soybean meal plus 0.8% of freeze-dried carrot meal; (4) sorghum and soybean meal plus 0.8% of freeze-dried beetroot meal; (5) sorghum and soybean meal plus 0.4% of freeze-dried carrot meal and 0.4% freeze-dried beetroot meal. The diet containing maize and soybean meal resulted in a more intense egg yolk colour and higher retinol levels in comparison to other diets (P < 0.05). However, carrot meal increased egg yolk colour and beetroot meal increased egg yolk retinol concentration in comparison to sorghum and soybean meal diets (P < 0.05). The inclusion of 0.8% of the carrot and beetroot meal in the diet is not enough to reach the intensity of yolk colour and yolk retinol concentration obtained through the diet containing maize, however, it increases retinol level and yolk colour in comparison to the diet containing sorghum without carrot and beetroot meal.

Effect of supplementation of red beetroot powder in quail diets

“…This clearly indicated the DFI was not affected by the RBP used on different levels. The results of this study were similar to those reported by Souza et al (2019). The researchers reported that red beet pulp added to the diets of laying hens up to 0.8% did not affect DFI.…”

“…The differences between the groups were found to be insignificant. The results of this study were consistent with those of Souza et al (2019), in which 0.8% red beet pulp was added to the diets of laying hens. The results of both Pettersson and Razdan (1993) and Selim et al (2013) supported our results, whereas the results reported by Kumari et al (2014) differed from those in the present study.…”

“…However, the egg yields were negatively affected when the percentage of beet powder added to the diet exceeded 1%. Souza et al (2019) reported that egg yield in laying hens was not affected when 0.8% red beet pulp was added to their diets (Souza et al 2019). The results of this study regarding egg yields were similar to those in the literature.…”

“…The results of this study regarding EW were similar to those of another study in which red beet pulp was added to the diets of laying hens (Souza et al 2019).…”

Annatto seed by-product in diets containing sorghum for commercial laying hens

“…Research results show the possibility of replacing up to 100% of corn by sorghum without causing damages on poultries performance (FAGUNDES et al, 2017;MORAES et al, 2016;SALEH et al, 2019). However, the use of sorghum causes a decrease in pigmentation of the meat and egg yolk of the birds (MOURA et al, 2010;SOUZA et al, 2015;SOUZA et al, 2019).…”