Effect of Spirulina-Chinese herbal medicine on quality of eggs and serum biochemical indexes of egg-laying hens

Abstract

This study used three-factor linear regression orthogonal design to examine the impacts of traditional Chinese herbal medicine on egg quality and egg-laying hens’ biochemical indexes. 495 and 210d Hy-Line gray commercial egg-laying hens were selected and spirulina powder was added to their diet at 5 g/kg, 10g/kg, 15g/kg in the diet, rchmannia glutnosa polysaccharides were added at 2.5g/kg, 3 g/kg, 3.5 g/kg, and Leonurus Japonicas was added at 0.7 g/kg, 0.9g/kg, 1.1 g/kg. The hens were randomly allocated to a control group and ten test groups, in order to study the herbs’ effects on laying performance and immunity parameters. The results showed that: (1)When spirulina-Chinese herbal medicine was added, the average egg weight, yolk color, and Hartz unit increased significantly.(2) When spirulina powder levels were increased, the egg yolk color and iron content significantly increased while the cholesterol and triglyceride levels were significantly lower (P>0.05). With the increase of rchmannia glutnosa polysaccharides extracts, eggshell strength increased significantly (P>0.01). Egg yolk color and eggshell strength increased significantly (P>0.05 and P>0.01, respectively) when Leonurus Japonicas increased. (3) Spirulina powder and rchmannia glutnosa polysaccharides extracts were significantly antagonistic to average egg weight and eggshell strength (P>0.01). Leonurus Japonicus and rchmannia glutnosa polysaccharides were significantly antagonistic to eggshell strength and cholesterol levels (P>0.05).