The effect of the clove essential oil to the production and quality of lyaing hens eggs

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determinate the effect of the clove (Syzygium aromaticum) essential oil to the egg production parameters and egg quality of laying hens. A total of 40 Lohmann Brown laying hens were divided into 4 groups (n = 10). The laying hens were fed 20 weeks ad libitum. The control group was fed with complete feed mixtures without additives. The first group of hens was fed a diet with complete feed mixtures with 0.3 mg.kg^-1 of clove essential oil. The second group of hens was fed a diet with complete feed mixtures with 0.6 mg.kg^-1 of clove oil and the third group of hens was fed a diet with complete feed mixtures with 1 mg.kg^-1 of clove oil. Egg production, egg weight (g), specific egg weight, albumen weight (g), albumen index, Haugh Units (HU), yolk weight (g), yolk index, yolk color (HLR) were studied. The results show that the addition of clove oil, especially in the group of laying hens with the addition of 1 mg.kg^-1 clove oil had no significantly different (P>0.05) to the egg production (the order of the groups: 90.3; 91.8; 91.3; 92.6 %). In egg weight were found no significant differences between groups. The addition of 1 mg.kg^-1 clove oil had significant (P>0.05) influenced the albumen index and the addition of 0.6 mg.kg^-1 and 1 mg.kg^-1 clove oil had significant (P>0.05) influenced Haugh units. In the control group was found not significant (P>0.05) different in yolk weight compared with other groups. In the other parameters of egg quality (albumen weight, yolk index, yolk colour) with the addition of clove oil were found no significant differences between groups.