The Effect of Essential Oils on Performance of Laying Hens

Abstract

Herbs, spices and their extracts (botanicals) have a wide range of activities. They may have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal micro flora of animals, performance and quality of animal products. In this experiment the effects of supplementation of the diet for laying hens with different doses of thyme or oregano essential oil addition on body weight, feed consumption and egg production were studied. Hens of laying hybrid Hy-Line Brown (n=50) were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=10) and fed for 20 weeks with diets with thyme or oregano essential oil supplemented. In the control group hens received feed mixture with no additions. The diets in the first and second experimental groups were supplemented with 0.5 ml/kg or 1.0 ml/kg thyme essential oil. The diets in the third and fourth experimental groups were supplemented with 0.5 or 1.0 ml/kg oregano essential oil. Average body weight for the whole period was in the order of the groups 1791.2±80.83; 1809.0±66.88; 1742.6±65.43; 1819.1±78.54 and 1803.9±98.00 g (p>0.05). In the feed consumption per feeding day, per egg, or in the feed conversion were observed statistically non-significant differences compared to the control group (p>0.05). Number of eggs per hen during the reporting period was in order of the groups: 135.6; 140.7; 139.1; 137.3 and 138.5 pcs at an average intensity of laying 90.4; 93.80; 92.73; 91.53 and 92.33%. The results suggest that the body weight, feed consumption, feed conversion, egg production, egg mass and egg weight were not significantly influenced with thyme or oregano oil addition (p>0.05).

Keywords

• body weight
• feed consumption
• laying hens
• oregano essential oil
• thyme essential oil