Use of Tea Tree Essential Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) in Laying Hen’s Nutrition on Performance and Egg Fatty Acid Profile as a Promising Sustainable Organic Agricultural Tool

Abstract

The level of production in a variety of organic production systems is often lower than in other traditional production systems. In poultry production, there is also a direct negative effect of the small scale regarding sustainable organic poultry production. Regardless of differences between organic and conventional production systems, this experiment aimed to investigate the usage of tea tree Melaleuca alternifolia (Maiden and Betche) Cheel essential oils as a natural alternative to antibiotics in hen nutrition on productive parameters, table egg quality and eggs fatty acid profile as a promising sustainable organic agricultural tool. A total of 360 Lohmann Brown hens, aged 54 weeks, divided into three different treatment diets, were supplemented with 0 (T1), 40 (T2) and 80 mg/kg (T3) of M. alternifolia essential oil, respectively. Experimental treatments were replicated four times within 30 birds each. The experiment lasted for a total of 56 days (55 to 62 weeks of hens age). A 56-day experimental had two timetable periods of 28 days each: period 1 (55 to 58 weeks of hen age) and period 2 (59 to 62 weeks of hen age). For compound feed supplemented with M. alternifolia essential oil, daily egg production and the efficiency of nutrient utilization (FCR) was improved significantly (p < 0.05) until the end of week 58, with a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the thickness of eggshell, as well as egg production (p < 0.05). However, egg mass, feed consumption, FCR and albumen height, Haugh unit, and eggshell strength did not show any significant (p > 0.05) differences influenced by essential oil feed supplementation. Lower concentrations of saturated fatty acid (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), and higher concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), were recorded with M. alternifolia essential oil supplementation, but without significant (p > 0.05) differences. At the end of the experiment, the obtained results showed that the addition of M. alternifolia essential oil to hen nutrition had a positive effect on production parameters and eggs fatty acid profile, with increased eggshell thickness (p < 0.05).

A Profile of Organic Food Consumers—Serbia Case-Study

“…A system of organic production includes the uttermost application of renewable energy sources, safeguarding genetic diversity of the agroecosystem, conservation of the environment, and the reduction of all types of pollution caused by agricultural production to create conditions in which agricultural producers can satisfy their basic needs and make an adequate profit [1,2]. For all these reasons, the study of the organic food market is highly significant because of the great demand for these products, which correlates with consumers' increased awareness and their attentiveness to health and environmental concerns [8]. Furthermore, there are also differences in the purchasing power and lifestyle between groups of consumers who can and want to afford these products.…”

Usos potenciais de óleos essenciais em remediação ambiental: Uma revisão

“…A Melaleuca ou Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) é uma planta utilizada tradicionalmente e tem seu óleo essencial extraído por destilação a vapor das suas folhas, apresentando vários componentes químicos (aromadendreno, cadineno, cimeno, cineole, globulol, ledeno, limoneno, pineno, sabineno, terpineol, viridiflorol, entre outros) com fortes propriedades antissépticas e usado para combater infecções e fungos (Puvača et al, 2020). Os estudos sobre os mecanismos de ação antimicrobiana do óleo essencial de Melaleuca indicam que esse óleo essencial causa lise e perda da integridade da membrana das bactérias, devido à saída de íons e inibição da respiração (Carson et al, 2006).…”

“…Os estudos sobre os mecanismos de ação antimicrobiana do óleo essencial de Melaleuca indicam que esse óleo essencial causa lise e perda da integridade da membrana das bactérias, devido à saída de íons e inibição da respiração (Carson et al, 2006). Diversos estudos mostram a redução do número de bactérias, quando linhagens foram submetidas aos vapores de óleos essenciais, durante a desinfecção de ambientes fechados, bem como nos sistemas de ventilação (Pibiri et al, 2006;Puvača et al, 2020).…”

Effect of The Tea Tree Oil on Meat Quality, Antioxidant Status, and Serum Biochemical Indices in Finishing Pigs

“…Broiler fed with essential oil in diet exhibited increased T-SOD and T-AOC levels, but down-regulation of MDA concentration has been reported [49][50]. Puvaca et al [51] reported that diet supplemented with TTO improve the anti-oxidative ability of laying hens by increasing SOD and GSH-Px activities. Supplementation of animal diets with essential oil to fed can improve the antioxidant status of the animal body and increase meat quality [52].…”