Tarragon (Artemisia Dracunculus L.) Could Alleviate Negative Effects of Stocking Density in Laying Hens

H Kaya,E Tekçe,A Aksakal,M Karaalp,Ö Kaynar,B Bayram

doi:10.1590/1806-9061-2020-1309

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study was conducted to determine the effects of stocking density (SD, 5 or 7 layers/cage) and tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.) diet supplementation at four levels (0, 1.2, 6 and 12 g/kg feed) on performance, certain egg characteristics, serum, liver, egg yolk and small intestine bacteria parameters in laying hens. The experiment was carried out over a period of 8 weeks, with 192 Lohman Brown commercial hybrids at 50-w-age. The results showed that an increased SD reduced feed intake (FI; p 0.05) parameters. The supplementation of tarragon to the diet reduced the FI and damaged egg ratio (p<0.01), and improved egg production and FCR (p<0.01). While an increased SD reduced serum total antioxidants (p<0.05), it elevated corticosterone (CORT) and total oxidant serum (TOS) (p<0.05). Tarragon was found to enhance total immunoglobulin (p<0.05), but to decreased the CORT and TOS of the serum (p<0.05). An increased SD raised the malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum (p<0.001), liver (p<0.05) and yolk (p<0.001). Tarragon supplementation reduced MDA of the serum (p<0.05), liver (p<0.001) and yolk (p<0.001). E. coli and total Mesophilic Aerobic Bacteria counts in the small intestine were raised (p<0.001) with increased SD. Tarragon decreased (p<0.05) mesophilic aerobic bacteria. It was thus found that, tarragon supplementation can be considered generally effective in improving performance parameters, alleviating stress-induced negativities, reducing lipid peroxidation, regulating the immune system and controlling some intestinal microorganisms.

Highlights

A high (H) stocking density (SD) is one approach to increasing profitability in conventional poultry production, HSD decreases animal welfare and increases stress
Tarragon doses had no effect on body weight between the beginning and end of the test, Weight gain (WG) and average egg weight (AEW) (p>0.05)
SD and tarragon doses had no effect on body weight between the beginning and end of the test, WG and AEW (p>0.05)

Summary

Introduction

A high (H) stocking density (SD) is one approach to increasing profitability in conventional poultry production, HSD decreases animal welfare and increases stress. In the event of stress, the adrenocorticotropic hormone secreted from the anterior pituitary affects the adrenal cortex for the synthesis of glucocorticoids (corticosterone [CORT] and cortisol). The primary glucocorticoid released from the hypothalamic-hypophysis-adrenal (HPA) axis with the effects of stress factors is corticosterone in poultry (Ralph & Tilbrook, 2016). An increase in the CORT hormone in poultry has been found to decrease performance (Kutlu & Forbes, 1993; Mirfendereski & Jahanian, 2015; Sahin et al, 2002; and immunity parameters (Mirfendereski & Jahanian, 2015; von Eugen et al, 2019). Stress factors effect total serum antioxidant (TAS) and oxidant (TOS) concentrations (Sohail et al, 2011). Contradictory data has been presented with regards to the reaction of the HPA axis in connection with the period and intensity of the stressors in chickens (Ericsson, 2016)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion