EFFECT OF ADDING DRY YEAST OR ASPERGILLUS AWAMORI AS NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS TO DIETS CONTAINING OXIDIZED PALM OIL ON THE PERFORMANCE OF GIMMIZAH LAYING HENS

Abstract

In this study, one hundred and eighty (180), 28 weeks old Gimmizah laying hens were used to study the effects of adding a probiotic (dry yeast or Aspergillus awamori) as natural antioxidant agents to diets containing oxidized palm oil on the productive performance, egg quality traits, some blood components, economic efficiency and relative economic efficiency of Gimmizah laying hens. Hens were distributed at random into 6 similar treatment groups. Each treatment group was divided into 3 replicates of 10 layers each in a completely randomized design. Layers were housed in individual cages. The first group was fed a basal diet contains 16.41% crude protein, 2748 ME kcal/ kg diet (positive control). The second group was fed basal diet contained 2% oxidized dietary palm oil supplementation (negative control). Other groups three and four were fed negative control supplemented with 0.5% and 1% dry yeast (Saccharomyces cervices), respectively. While, five and six groups were fed the negative control with 0.5% and 1% Aspergillus awamori, respectively. Results obtained; the addition of 1% Aspergillus awamori to the negative control group containing 2% of the oxidized palm oil improved: Hen-day egg production percentage, egg weight, egg number and egg mass. Feed conversion ratio was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved by adding 0.5% or 1% of both dry yeast and Aspergillus awamori to the negative control diet. A significant increase in the amount of feed intake was observed compared to the negative or positive control. The 6th birds which feeding of the negative control diet + 1%Aspergillus awamori significantly recorded the highest improvement in egg shell quality (weight, percentage and thickness) also the highest value of egg shape index at the age of 40 weeks. Some of the qualities of albumen, yolk and Haugh units were also improved. The addition of 1% Aspergillus awamori to the negative control diets (the basal diet + 2% oxidized palm oil) resulted in a significant improvement in some traits of blood plasma (total protein, albumin, globulin and AST enzyme in comparison with the positive and the negative control diets. A significant decrease was observed in the level of total cholesterol and triglyceride concentration as well as LDL, while HDL was significantly increased (P ≤ 0.05) in the blood plasma by increasing the levels of probiotics (dry yeast or Aspergillus awamori) added to negative control. The best economic efficiency and relative economic efficiency for the sixth treatments were observed at the level of 1% Aspergillus awamori compared to other treatments. Conclusion: The obtained results in the present study encouraging and indicated that adding 1% of probiotics (dry yeast or Aspergillus awamori) as antioxidant agents to the basal diet containing 2% of oxidized palm oil led to a significant improvement in productive performance, egg quality traits, some blood traits, economic efficiency and relative economic efficiency of Gimmizah laying hens under experimental conditions.