The effects of the usage of solvent extracted safflower meal with soybean oil in the laying hen diets on the performance, egg quality and egg yolk fatty acid composition

Abstract

This study examined the effects of the usage of solvent extracted safflower meal (SM) with soybean oil (SO) in laying hen diets. The experimental diets were prepared with 0 (control), 4, 8, and 12% SM, with the SO content being 0.3, 0.62, 1.9 and 3.17%, respectively. A total of 216 ATAK-S hybrid laying hens were tested at between 22 and 52 weeks of age. No differences in liveability, body weight gain, egg production, egg weight and mass, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and shape index were observed among the groups. SM at 4 and 12% increased eggshell breaking strength, SM at 8% increased eggshell thickness, and SM at 8 and 12% increased egg yolk colour, compared to the control. The addition of 8% SM decreased albumen height, and the addition of 4 and 8% SM decreased the Haugh unit, compared to the control and SM at 12%. SM supplementation at 12% increased vitamin E content of the egg yolk compared to other groups. As the SM and SO content of the diet increased, the amount of palmitic acid in the egg yolk decreased, while linoleic, linolenic and docosahexaenoic acids increased. We conclude that SM could be used to supplement the laying hen diets at a rate of up to 12%, together with SO, with no negative effects while simultaneously having a positive impact on egg quality.

Keywords

• safflower meal
• soybean oil
• egg production and quality
• fatty acids
• vitamin e