EFFECT OF ECHINACEA PURPUREA ON BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF MEAT POULTRY HATCHING EGGS

Abstract

The effect of a plant stimulator, Echinacea purpurea, on the biochemical parameters of hatching eggs was studied. The study was conducted in laying hens of Cobb-500 broiler parent flocks under conditions of AO Vasilyevskaya Poultry Factory of Penza Oblast. Study showed a significant effect of Echinacea purpurea supplementation to the basic ration on the content of carotenoids and vitamins in the hatching eggs of the parent broiler flock. It was found that the content of most vitamins and carotenoids in the eggs increased with bird’s age. It was noted that the stimulating supplement had positive effect on the content of vitamins in the 32 and 38 weekold laying hens, with the exception of tocopherol. The average content of tocopherol in the experimental groups of 32 and 45 week-old birds was lower than that of the control group. At 45 weeks of age, laying hens showed a decrease in retinol and riboflavin in the eggs of an experimental bird compared to the control group. The decrease was the result of a more intensive increase in the egg productivity of the experimental birds compared to the control group. When analyzing the acid value, it was found that this indicator was lower in young layers, at the beginning of the experiment, and increased with age, but it did not go beyond the limits of the norm. So at 32 weeks of age, the average acid value was 5.701, at 38 weeks of age – 5.799, and at 45 weeks of age – 5.898 mg KOH/g.

Keywords

• laying hens
• parent broiler flock
• albumen
• egg yolk
• carotenoids
• vitamins