EFFECT OF ECHINACEA PLANT SUPPLEMENTATION AS A SOURCE OF ANTIOXIDANTS ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF SINAI LAYING HENS AND COCKS

Mohamed, Nahla Abdel Razik; Fawzy, Azza Rafat; Shazly, Soheir Abdel Naby; Alazab, Ahmed Monir

doi:10.21608/epsj.2021.213286

EFFECT OF ECHINACEA PLANT SUPPLEMENTATION AS A SOURCE OF ANTIOXIDANTS ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF SINAI LAYING HENS AND COCKS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of poultry breeding, animal production research institute, Egypt

² Department of poultry nutrition, Aminal production research institute, Egypt

³ Department of the rabbits, turkey's and ducks, Animal production research institute, Egypt

10.21608/epsj.2021.213286

Abstract

Two experiments were desigen to evaluate the effect of Echinacea powder (EP) as a feed additive in layer̛s diet on the egg production and reproductive properties of both Sinai laying hens and cocks. In Experiment 1, one hundred and thirty two laying Sinai birds (120 ♀+ 12 ♂) at 34-wks-old were weighed and randomly distributed into four experimental groups, as follow, the 1^st was the basal diet without supplementation, while 2^nd , 3^rd and 4^th groups were supplemented with 1,2 and 3 g EP/kg diet respectively. In Experiment 2, ninety six of Sinai birds (36 ♂ + 60 ♀) were weighed and randomly distributed into same four experimental groups to feeding the cocks) 9 cocks / treatment distributed in 3 three replicates( on experimental diets, while the all hens were fed on the control diet. In experiment 1, no significant alternations were reported in egg number /hen, egg weight and egg mass due to use any of the dietary treatments. But, the results confirmed the superiority of diet supplemented with 3g EP/ kg diet to hatchability of set and fertile eggs as it was significantly greater (P≤0.05) than control group. Results in experiment 2 cleared that the diets supplemented with different levels of EP recorded significantly (P≤0.05) higher values of fertility percent than control diet. Also, hatchability of set eggs% was significantly (P≤0.05) improved by feeding on diets supplemented with 1 and 2 g EP/kg diet compared to the control diet. Thus, the Sinai cocks fed diets supplemented with 1 and 2g EP/ kg diet as an antioxidant can be used to enhance cock's welfare, fertility, and hatchability percent and to improve the economic efficiency.

Keywords