EFFECTS OF DIETARY TURMERIC AND FENUGREEK POWDER SUPPLEMENTATION ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF LOCAL LAYING HENS

Abstract

This experiment was performed to study the effect of adding turmeric(TU) or fenugreek seeds (FE) and both of them in laying hen diets on productive performance. A total number of 90 hens of Sinai local strains, at 59-wks-old were used, weighed individually and allotted randomly into six experimental groups, with three equal replicates, five hens each. Hens had almost similar of initial average live body weights. The 6 treatments were: control treatment (T1) fed on basal diet. The second treatment (T2) was fed on basal diet with 0.1 % turmeric powder. While third and fourth treatments (T3 and T4) supplemented with fenugreek seeds powder levels 0.1 or 0.2 % , respectively. Then, the fifth and sixth treatments (T5 and T6) were given turmeric at level 0.1 % plus 0.1 % or 0.2 % fenugreek seeds, respectively. The results showed that hen group fed on a diet supplemented with 0.1 % TU + 0.2 % FE (T6) achieved the best records of average egg numbers produced per hen and total egg number (60.3). Also, the same treatment attained higher laying rate and egg mass among experimental periods for overall period. Fenugreek seeds alone or with turmeric (T3, T4 and, T5) had positive effects on average egg weight, the heavier egg weight (53.7 g) for T4 during 71-74 wks of age compared with 50.6 g for the control treatment. Feed intake during the overall period was not significantly affected by studied feed additives. Meanwhile, T6 obtained the best FCR as compared with other treatments. Shell index, yolk index and albumin % did not significantly affect by feed supplements. There was improvement in yolk %, shell %, shell thickness and Haugh units due to evaluated additives in hen layer diets. Hens fed on diet with 0.1 % TU + 0.2 % FE (T6) recorded the highest net return and economic efficiency compared to other treatments. In conclusion, the results elucidate that adding turmeric, fenugreek or combination of them enhanced egg production, FCR and egg quality. Also, economic efficiency was improved by adding the mixture of the additives to elderly Sinai local hen diets at the late stage of productive age, 59 – 74 weeks of age.