Nutritional impact of inclusion of garlic (Allium sativum) and/or onion (Allium cepa L.) powder in laying hens’ diets on their performance, egg quality, and some blood constituents

Abstract

Background: Many studies mentioned that using medicinal herbs and plants as feed additives to ruminants seems to be a recent trend depending on the availability and their cost but using them with monogastric animals and birds, as pharmaceutical tool, is available. As an example, the importance of garlic or onion in recent years, thanks to a wide range of useful properties, has been increasingly used as an additive in nutrition and protection of farm animals. Their action was manifested in a reduced expanding range of pathogenic microorganisms in the digestive tract, which resulted in the rapid growth of poultry, efficient digestion, and increased immunity and health of poultry. Methods: One hundred and eight 30-week-old laying hens were randomly divided into six dietary treatment groups {G 1 control, G 2 contained 0.5% garlic powder (GP), G 3 contained 1% GP, G 4 contained 1% onion powder (OP), G 5 contained 1% OP + 0.5% GP, and G 6 contained 1% OP + 1% GP}. Each group included 18 hens in six replicates (3 birds/each). So, this work carried out to investigate the impact of incorporating garlic powder (GP) and/or onion powder (OP) in laying hens' diets on their performance, egg quality, and some blood constituents. Results: Incorporating GP, OP, and the mixture of them in laying hen diets had no significant effect on the average egg weight and consumption/hen/day throughout the three stages of egg collection, but had a significant improvement in the number of eggs/hen, percentage of egg production, egg mass/hen, and feed conversion. Inclusion of GP, OP, or the mixture of them in laying hen diets had no significant effect on the shape index, Haugh unit, albumin, and shell percentages; also, an insignificant increase for shell thickness was observed, but egg weight increases (P < 0.05). Incorporation of GP, OP, and the mixture of them significantly decreased (P < 0.05) total cholesterol concentration. Also, an inclusion of 0.5% GP, 1% GP, and 1% OP + 1% GP decreased (P < 0.05) high-density lipoprotein. Inclusion of only 1% OP + 1% GP (G 6) decreased (P < 0.05) glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase; meanwhile, supplementation of 1% OP, 1% OP + 0.5% GP, or 1% OP + 1% GP increased (P < 0.05) creatinine. Conclusion: From the results obtained and under conditions suitable for this study, it can be mentioned that the incorporation of garlic or onion powder or the mixture of them can be safely used with improvement in the general health of hens, egg weight, and feed conversion and decrease in the blood cholesterol.

The nutritional applications of garlic (Allium sativum) as natural feed additives in animals

“…Mixing layer diets with 1–3% garlic powder could improve total immunoglobulin, but yolk height, egg weight, fertility, and hatchability were not affected in White Leghorns chickens ( Tesfaheywet et al, 2017 ; Meseret et al, 2018 ). A recent study conducted by Omer et al (2019) reported that the incorporation of garlic or onion powder or the mixture of them in laying hen diets could increase shell thickness and egg weight. In contrast, Reddy, Lightsey & Maurice (1991) and Chowdhury, Chowdhury & Smith (2002) did not find garlic paste or garlic oil affect egg weight.…”

Supplementation of garlic powder and Lactobacillus casei to improve nutrient digestibility, physiological conditions, and performance of broiler during starter phase

“…This finding suggests that diets with GLC, especially as much as 2 and 3% of the total rations, may preclude the chickens from infections, inflammation, or stress. These phenolic compounds in garlic powder could act as antimicrobial agents, and prevent the broiler chickens from infections and inflammation (Omer et al, 2019). Garlic contains allicin, alliin, ajoene, diallyl sulfide, dithiin, Sallylcysteine.…”

Soothing effect of dietary Allium sativum supplementation on immuno-biochemical alterations, and oxidative stress parameters in E. coli–experimentally infected broiler chickens

“…The fourth group infected with E. coli and supplemented with A. sativum improved serum MDA levels, which revealed a significant decrease in serum MDA levels compared with the infected non-treated group. This may occur due to the active components present in A. sativum, which have antioxidant activities that help eliminate free radicals and prevent cellular destruction (Omer et al 2019).…”

“…The present study also showed an increase in serum NO levels in A. sativum supplemented chickens. The active compounds in A. sativum have antioxidant and immunostimulant effect, which NO generated during an immune response (Arreola et al 2015;Omer et al 2019). E. coli-infected chickens showed a significant increase in the serum NO.…”