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https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/22815
Title: | Pasture, multi-enzymes, benzoic acid and essential oils positively influence performance, intestinal organ weight and egg quality in free-range laying hens | Contributor(s): | Iqbal, Zafar (author); Roberts, Julie R (author); Perez-Maldonado, R A (author); Goodarzi Boroojeni, F (author); Swick, Robert A (author)![]() ![]() |
Publication Date: | 2017 | DOI: | 10.1080/00071668.2017.1403566 | Handle Link: | https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/22815 | Abstract: | 1. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of range type, multi-enzyme applications, and a combination of benzoic acid (BA) and essential oils (EO) on the productive performance, organ weight and egg quality of free-range laying hens. 2. Three hundred laying hens were evaluated for the short-term (6 weeks) and long-term (12 weeks) effects of range type (G = no pasture, P = pasture) and feed additives (T1 = control; T2 = betaglucanase/pectinase/protease; T3 = BA/EO). Body weight, feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), egg production (EP), digestive organ weight, and egg quality (EQ) were evaluated. Data were analysed using SPSS 2.2 in a 2×2×3 factorial arrangement. 3. Hens that ranged on pasture were significantly heavier (2043 g vs. 1996 g; p < 0.001), laid heavier eggs (61.9 g vs. 60.3 g; p < 0.001) and produced darker yolk colour (4.3 vs. 7.0; p < 0.001) compared to hens ranged on gravel. Hens fed T2 were significantly heavier (2050 g) compared to hens fed T1 (2005 g) or T3 (2008 g). Organ weights (gizzard, liver and pancreas) were significantly heavier in hens ranged on pasture (16.8 g/kg BW, 22.3 g/kg BW and 1.89 g/kg BW, respectively) compared to hens ranged on gravel (14.2 g/kg BW, 21.7 g/kg BW and 1.83 g/kg BW, respectively). Over time, body weight (1970-2070 g; p < 0.001) and egg weight (59.5-62.8 g; p < 0.001) increased, FI (123-120 g; p = 0.024) was reduced and FCR (2.36-2.10; p = 0.002) improved 4. In conclusion, hens housed on pasture and fed multi-enzyme supplemented diets had significantly heavier body weight and produced heavier eggs with darker yolk colour. Pasture intake and enzyme supplementation increased digestive organ weight significantly. | Publication Type: | Journal Article | Source of Publication: | British Poultry Science, 59(2), p. 180-189 | Publisher: | Taylor & Francis | Place of Publication: | United Kingdom | ISSN: | 1466-1799 0007-1668 |
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: | 070204 Animal Nutrition | Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: | 300303 Animal nutrition | Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: | 970107 Expanding Knowledge in the Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences | Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: | 280101 Expanding knowledge in the agricultural, food and veterinary sciences | Peer Reviewed: | Yes | HERDC Category Description: | C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal |
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Appears in Collections: | Journal Article School of Environmental and Rural Science |
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