HUBEI AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES ›› 2020, Vol. 59 ›› Issue (12): 124-128.doi: 10.14088/j.cnki.issn0439-8114.2020.12.028

• Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Medicine • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of capsaicin on production performance, egg quality and antioxidant capacity of laying hens

GU Yun-feng1, ZHOU Yan-min1, TAO Zheng-guo2, CHENG Zong-jia2, WEN Chao1   

  1. 1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China;
    2. Guangzhou Leader Bio-technology Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510663, China
  • Received:2019-06-15 Published:2020-08-26

Abstract: A total of 720 40-week-old Hyline Brown laying hens were randomly divided into 5 groups. The control group was fed a basal diet, and the experimental groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 50 mg/kg (Group 1), 100 mg/kg (Group 2), 150 mg/kg (Group 3), and 200 mg/kg (Group 4) capsaicin for 56 days, for investigating the effects of capsaicin on the production performance, egg quality and antioxidant capacity of laying hens. The results showed that compared with the control group, the average daily feed intake of laying hens in Group 1 and Group 2 was increased significantly in the 8th week (P<0.05). The egg production rate, average egg weight, and feed-to-egg ratio did not change significantly, but the egg production rate had a certain improvement in the 8th week. The color of egg yolk and eggshell thickness in Group 1 were significantly increased in the 8th week (P<0.05), and the eggshell thickness in Group 2 was significantly increased in the 8th week (P<0.05). The yolk cholesterol content in Group 1 and Group 2 significantly decreased in the 4th week (P<0.05), and cholesterol content in Group 2 was significantly decreased in the 8th week (P<0.05). Yolk fat and cholesterol content were significantly decreased in Group 4 in the 8th week (P<0.05). The activity of T-SOD in egg yolk in Group 1 was significantly increased in the 4th and 8th week (P<0.05). The activity of serum T-SOD in Group 2 was significantly increased in the 8th week (P<0.05). The content of yolk and serum MDA in Group 3 was significantly decreased in the 8th week (P<0.05), and serum T-SOD activity was significantly increased (P<0.05). T-SOD activity of egg yolk in Group 4 was significantly increased in the 8th week (P<0.05). It is concluded that the addition of different levels of capsaicin in the diet slightly improved production performance and egg quality of laying hens. Moreover, it could improve the antioxidant capacity of laying hens.

Key words: capsaicin, laying hen, production performance, egg quality, antioxidant capacity

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