The Effect of Rosemary Hydro-alcoholic (Rosmarinus Officinalis L.) Extract on Performance and Egg Quality in Laying Hens

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Respectively

2 Professor, Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Respectively

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects using of different levels of rosemary hydro-alcoholic extract (Rosmarinus Officinalis L.) on productive performance and egg quality indicators, in laying hens. The levels of rosemary hydro-alcoholic extract in this experiment were 0, 500, 1000 and 1500ppm. This experiment was conducted in a Blok Completely Randomized Design with 160 “hy-line-W36” laying hens in 4 treatments and 4 replicate (with 10 hens in each replicate) from 29 until 38 weeks of age. The results showed that the using of different levels of rosemary hydro-alcoholic extract had significantly effects on some parameters of performance and egg traits in laying hens (p<0.05). Hence, the highest rate of egg production and egg mass (g/b/d) and the lowest feed conversion ratio were belong to birds fed diets containing 1000ppm rosemary hydro-alcoholic extract. Also the albumen quality (HU) of eggs maintained for 21 days at 4 ° C in the resulting eggs from the birds that fed with diets containing rosemary hydro-alcoholic extract was higher than birds fed the control diet. The overall results showed that the additions of rosemary hydro-alcoholic extract in the diet of laying hens lead to improving performance and maintaining egg quality during storage.

Keywords


  1.  

    1. Alçiçek, A., Bozkurt, M. & Çabuk, M. (2003). The effects of an essential oil combination derived from selected herbs growing wild in Turkey on broiler performance. South African Journal of Animal Science, 33, 89-94.
    2. Alçiçek, A., Bozkurt, M. & Çabuk, M. (2004). The effect of a mixture of herbal essential oils, an organic acid or a probiotic on broiler performance. South African Journal of Animal Science, 34, 217-222.   
    3. Asmundson, V.S. & Baker G.A. (1940). Percentage shell as a function of shell thickness, egg volume and egg weight. Poultry Science, 19, 227-232.
    4. Basmacioglu, H., Tokusoglu, O. & Ergul, M. (2004). The effect of oregano and rosemary essential oils or alpha-tocopheryl acetate on performance and lipid oxidation of meat enriched with n-3 PUFAs in broilers. South African Journal of Animal Science, 34, 197-210.
    5. Botsoglou N.A., Florou-Paneri, P., Christaki, E., Fletouris, D.J. & Spais, A.B. (2002). Effect of dietary oregano essential oil on performance of chickens and on iron-induced lipid oxidation of breast, thigh, and abdominal fat tissues. British Poultry Science, 43, 223-230.
    6. Carter, T.C. (1975). The hen’s egg: Estimation of shell superficial area and egg volume, using measurements of fresh egg weight and shell length and breadth alone or in combination. British Poultry Science, 16, 541-543.
    7. Cross, D.E., McDevitt, R.M., Hillman, K. & Acamovic, T. (2007). The effect of herbs and their associated essential oils on performance, dietary digestibility and gut microflora in chickens from 7 to 28 days of age. British Poultry Science, 48, 496-506.
    8. Cuvelier, M.E., Richard, H. & Berset, C. (1996). Antioxidative activity and phenolic composition of pilot-plant and commercial extracts of sage and rosemary. Journal of the American Oil Chemists Society, 73, 645-652.
    9. David, P.E. & Chistopher, D.M. (2004). A practical manual for understanding the shell structure of broiler hatching eggs and measurements of their quality. Bulletin 1139. Mississippi State University.
    10. Etches, R.J. (1996). Chapter 7. Egg Formation in: Reproduction in Poultry. CAB International. University Press, Cambridge, UK.
    11. Hamilton, R.M.G. (1978). Observations on the changes in physical characteristics that influence eggshell quality in ten strains of White Leghorns. Poultry Science, 57, 1192-1197.
    12. Hernandez F., Madrid, J., Garcia, V., Orengo, J. & Megias, M.D. (2004). Influence of two plant extracts on broilers performance, digestibility and digestive organ size. Poultry Science, 83, 169-174
    13. Jamroz, D., Wertlecki, TJ., Orda, J., Wiliczkiewicz, A. & Skorupińska, J. (2003). Influence of phatogenic extracts on gut microbial status in chickens. In: Proc. 14th European Symp. On Poultry Nutrition, August, Lillehammer, Norway. Pp: 176.
    14. Lee, K., Everts, W. & Beyen, A.C. (2006). Dietary carvacrol lowers body gain but improves feed conversion in female broiler chickens. Journal Applied Poultry Resserch, 12, 394-399.
    15. Lee, K.W., Everts, H., Kappert, H. J., Frehner, M., Losa, R. & Beynen, A. C. (2004). Effects of dietary essential oil components on growth performance, digestive enzymes and lipid metabolism in female broiler chickens. British Poultry Science, 44, 450-457.
    16. Najifi, P. & Torki, M. (2010) Performance, blood metabolities and immune competance of broiler chicks fed diets included essential oils of medicinal herbs. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advance, 9, 1164-1168.
    17. National Research Council (NRC). (1994). Nutrient requirements of poultry. 9th rev. National Academy Press. Washington. DC.
    18. Ocak, N., Erener, G., Burak Ak, F., Sungu, M., Altop, A. & Ozmen, A. (2008). Performance of broilers fed diets supplemented with dry peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) or thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) leaves as growth promoter source. Czech Journal Animal Science, 53(4), 169-175.
    19. Offord, E.A., Guillot, F., Aeschbach, R., Löliger, J. & Pfeifer, A.M.A. (1997). Antioxidant and biological properties of rosemary components: Implications for food and health. Pages 88-96 in: Natural Antioxidants. Chemistry, Health Effects and Applications.F. Shahidi, ed. AOCS Press.
    20. Platel, K. & Srinivasan, K. (2004) Digestive stimulant action of spices: A myth or reality.  Indian Journal of Medical Research, 119, 167-179.
    21. Rao, R. R., Platel, K. & Srinivasan, K. (2003). In vitro influence of spices and spice-active principles on digestive enzymes of rat pancreas and small   intestine. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 47, 408-412.
    22. Richheimer, S. L., Bernart, M. W., King, G. A., Kent, M. C. & Bailey, D. T. (1996). Antioxidant activity of lipid-soluble phenolic diterpenes from rosemary. Journal of the American Oil Chemists Society, 73, 507-514.
    23. Samsam Shariat, S. H. (2004). Special herbal drug. (pp. 78-125). Mani press.(In Farsi)
    24. SAS: User's guide: Statistics, .2003.Version 9.1.Vol. 2, S.A.S Institute Cary, NC.
    25. Suresh, D. & Srinivasan, K. (2007). Studies on the in vitro absorption of spice principles-curcumin, capsaicin and piperine in rat intestines. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 45, 1437-1442.
    26. Yesilbag, D., Gezen, SS., Biricik, H. & Meral, Y. (2013). Effects of dietary rosemary and oregano volatile oil mixture on quail performance, egg traits and egg oxidative stability. British Poultry Science, 54(2), 231-7.
    27. Zargar, A. (2002). Herbal drug. (Vol. 2). (pp. 25-36). Tehran university press. (In Farsi)