Evaluation of Chicken Oil as a Dietary Energy
Source in Caged Layers and its Impact on Egg Production, Egg Quality
and Intestinal Morphology
S Liaqat1, M
Yousaf*2, F Ahmad2 and MK Saleemi3
1Faculty
of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of
Bahawalpur-63100 Pakistan
2Institute
of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Faculty of Animal Husbandry University
of Agriculture Faisalabad-38000, Pakistan
3Department
of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of
Agriculture Faisalabad-38000, Pakistan
*Corresponding author:
yousaf@uaf.edu.pk
Abstract
The purpose of this
experiment was to investigate how chicken oil affects production performance,
egg quality and gut morphology of layers. A total of 120 Lohmann Single Comb
White Leghorn commercial layers (25-week-old) were randomly assigned to four
treatments having three replicates each (10 layers per replicate) under a
completely randomized design. Chicken oil was used in feed @ 0.0, 1.5, 3.0 and
4.5% in various treatment groups (20 weeks duration). Chicken fat obtained from
broiler skin is a very good economical source of energy in the animal feed
industry. Results of the present study indicated that feed intake significantly
increased up to level of 3% chicken oil whereas4.5% chicken oil group had higher body weight, egg
weight and egg mass. Weekly egg production and feed conversion ratio/dozens of
eggs were significantly increased in 1.5% chicken oil treatment group. Laying hens fed 1.5% chicken oil diet had better
egg specific gravity and eggshell thickness.Eggshell weight, Haugh unit score, yolk weight, albumin weight and yolk
color improved by addition of 4.5% chicken oil in layer diet. Adding 3% chicken
oil improved albumin height, yolk height and yolk diameter. Hens raised on 4.5%
chicken oil showed increased villus height in ileum while duodenum and jejunum
showed lower villus height. However, 3% chicken oil increased crypt depth in
duodenum and ileum. Villus height to crypt depth ratio was decreased in all
parts of intestine. It was concluded that addition of chicken oil in layer diet
@ 1.5% improved hen production performance, egg quality without negative effect
on gut morphology.
To Cite This Article:
Liaqat S, Yousaf M,
Ahmad F and Saleemi MK, 2023.
Evaluation of chicken oil as a dietary energy source in caged layers and its
impact on egg production, egg quality and intestinal morphology. Pak Vet J, 43(3): 611-615. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2023.066