Flour of mushroom Agaricus blazei as additive functional in food of laying hens

Abstract

SUMMARY The current study aims to evaluate the zootechnical performance, quality of eggs, and the immune system of the laying hen's upon supplementing their feed with the flour of the mushroom Agaricus blazei. A total of 210 Hisex Brown® hens, 67 weeks old, were distributed in a completely randomized design with five treatments (control [0%], 0.04%, 0.08%, 0.12% and 0.16% of mushroom meal) with seven replicates and six birds per experimental unit. Were evaluated the zootechnical performance (feed intake, egg production [per day and housed], marketable egg production, egg weight and egg mass, feed conversion per dozen and egg mass, and viability);egg quality (specific weight, Haugh units, weight and percentage of components, shell thickness and yellow intensity of the egg yolks); and the hemogram (erythrogram and leukogram). Mainly, different levels of mushroom meal, were includedin laying hens feeds significantly (p<0.05)egg mass and feed intake. However, the leukogram and the erythrogram remained within the reference values, indicating that the birds were healthy. The addition of different levels of Agaricus blazei flour in the laying hens feed did not promote changes in the egg quality, in the immune system, and in the zootechnical performance, except for the feed intake which reduced with the inclusion of mushroom flour and eggs mass in which the 0.07% level promoted the maximization of this parameter.

Biotechnological Addition of β-Glucans from Cereals, Mushrooms and Yeasts in Foods and Animal Feed

“…The parameters taken into consideration were the egg production rate, their weight and mass, along with the percentages of components, the yolks' color intensity and the shell thickness. No significant variations have been registered in general, but a level of 0.07% of mushrooms, adding substances like β-glucans, chitin, hemicellulose, galactans and xylans promoted beneficial effects on the immune system and on the gastrointestinal tract of the birds [78].…”

“…Freitas et al [78] have evaluated changes in the immune system and the quality of eggs of hens, as well as general zootechnical performances, after the introduction of A. blazei mushroom flour into the animals' daily diet. The percentages of mushroom flour additions were 0% (control sample), 0.04%, 0.08%, 0.12% and 0.16%.…”