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Background <p>Global egg production is increasing particularly in low- and middle-income countries where populations and incomes are growing rapidly. In addition, currently consumers are looking for alternatives to conventional poultry products that are nutritious, natural and organic. This study aimed to examine laying performance and egg quality characteristics in Lohmann brown laying hens in response to dietary inclusion of cinnamon (<i>Cinnamomum cassia</i>) and fennel (<i>Foeniculum vulgare</i> Mill) as natural feed additives.</p> Materials and methods <p>A total of 150 laying hens of 41 weeks of age were randomly assigned into five dietary treatments, each with three replicate pens of ten hens per replicate (<i>n</i> = 30). Different dietary inclusion levels (0.75%, 1.75%) of cinnamon bark (CNP) and fennel seed (FNP) in powder form were used in different treatment groups. The first group (T1) was provided with a basic diet alone; whereas the other treatment groups consisted of T2 (basic diet + 0.75% FNP); T3 (basic diet + 1.75% FNP); T4 (basic diet + 0.75% CNP) and T5 (basic diet + 1.75% CNP). The experiment was conducted for 6 weeks from 25 August to 5 October in 2024. Collected data on egg production performance, internal and external quality characteristics of eggs were analyzed using one-way ANOVA according to the GLM procedure of SAS (2004 ver9.1) and means compared using Duncan’s Multiple Range significant difference test.</p> Results <p>The addition of fennel and cinnamon to the diets of laying hens improved egg production performance, feed conversion ratio and egg weight. Improved egg production performance (<i>p</i> = 0.077) was found in laying hens fed a diet containing 0.75% CNP (87.5%) and 1.75% CNP (87.2%) when compared to control (80.4%). In addition, significantly (<i>p</i> = 0.033) higher egg mass was recorded for laying hens fed 0.75% CNP (55.6&#xa0;g/hen/day) and 1.75% CNP (54.1&#xa0;g/hen/day) compared with the control. Similarly, the inclusion of FNP at 0.75% and CNP at 1.75% in layers diet had statistically significant (<i>p</i> = 0.012) effect on shell thickness. Furthermore, laying hens fed a diet containing 0.75% FNP demonstrated significantly (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) higher albumin height, yolk height, Haugh unit, yolk index, indicating substantial effects of dietary inclusion of fennel on albumen and egg yolk quality.</p> Conclusion <p>Based on the results of the present study, fennel and cinnamon dietary inclusion specifically at 0.75% can be beneficial as a suitable natural feed additives for the purpose of achieving improved egg production performance and egg quality characteristics in Lohmann brown laying hens.</p>

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Production performance and egg quality characteristics of laying hens fed with different levels of fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) and cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) as natural feed additives

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月14日

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  • Demessie Abebe Bezahegn,
  • Berhan Tamir,
  • Gezahegne Mamo

摘要

Background

Global egg production is increasing particularly in low- and middle-income countries where populations and incomes are growing rapidly. In addition, currently consumers are looking for alternatives to conventional poultry products that are nutritious, natural and organic. This study aimed to examine laying performance and egg quality characteristics in Lohmann brown laying hens in response to dietary inclusion of cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill) as natural feed additives.

Materials and methods

A total of 150 laying hens of 41 weeks of age were randomly assigned into five dietary treatments, each with three replicate pens of ten hens per replicate (n = 30). Different dietary inclusion levels (0.75%, 1.75%) of cinnamon bark (CNP) and fennel seed (FNP) in powder form were used in different treatment groups. The first group (T1) was provided with a basic diet alone; whereas the other treatment groups consisted of T2 (basic diet + 0.75% FNP); T3 (basic diet + 1.75% FNP); T4 (basic diet + 0.75% CNP) and T5 (basic diet + 1.75% CNP). The experiment was conducted for 6 weeks from 25 August to 5 October in 2024. Collected data on egg production performance, internal and external quality characteristics of eggs were analyzed using one-way ANOVA according to the GLM procedure of SAS (2004 ver9.1) and means compared using Duncan’s Multiple Range significant difference test.

Results

The addition of fennel and cinnamon to the diets of laying hens improved egg production performance, feed conversion ratio and egg weight. Improved egg production performance (p = 0.077) was found in laying hens fed a diet containing 0.75% CNP (87.5%) and 1.75% CNP (87.2%) when compared to control (80.4%). In addition, significantly (p = 0.033) higher egg mass was recorded for laying hens fed 0.75% CNP (55.6 g/hen/day) and 1.75% CNP (54.1 g/hen/day) compared with the control. Similarly, the inclusion of FNP at 0.75% and CNP at 1.75% in layers diet had statistically significant (p = 0.012) effect on shell thickness. Furthermore, laying hens fed a diet containing 0.75% FNP demonstrated significantly (p < 0.05) higher albumin height, yolk height, Haugh unit, yolk index, indicating substantial effects of dietary inclusion of fennel on albumen and egg yolk quality.

Conclusion

Based on the results of the present study, fennel and cinnamon dietary inclusion specifically at 0.75% can be beneficial as a suitable natural feed additives for the purpose of achieving improved egg production performance and egg quality characteristics in Lohmann brown laying hens.