紫锥菊及其活性成分对换羽蛋鸡产蛋性能和蛋品质的影响OA

[Objective]The study aimed to explore the impacts of Echinacea purpurea and its active components on laying performance and egg quality in molting laying hens.[Method]In the experiment,600 Jingfen No.6 molting laying hens at 88 weeks of age with similar body weights(2.16 kg±0.20 kg)were selected and assigned to five treatment groups,with 8 replicates per group and 15 hens in each replicate.Laying hens in Control group were fed a basal diet without any additives throughout the experiment.Groups A,B,C,and D were supplemented with 1%whole plant of Echinacea purpurea,0.5%Echinacea purpurea extract,0.2%Echinacea purpurea polysaccharides,and 0.2%cichoric acid in the basal diet,respectively.The experiment lasted for 42 days.Daily records were kept of laying performance-related indicators.Blood samples,reproductive organs,and eggs were collected from the laying hens at 21st and 42nd days of the experiment.Relevant data were recorded,and serum reproductive hormone levels were measured.[Result]In terms of egg-laying performance,at the 21st day,the eggshell breakage rate of group A was significantly lower than that of control group(P<0.05).At the 42nd day,the eggshell breakage rates of groups B and C were significantly lower than those of control group(P<0.05).The average egg weight of group D was significantly higher than that of control group and other experimental groups(P<0.05).In terms of egg quality,compared with control group,at the 21st day,the eggshell strength of the laying hens in groups B and C was significantly enhanced(P<0.05),and the Haugh units of eggs of the laying hens in groups A,B,and C were significantly increased(P<0.05);At the 42nd day,the egg shape index and yolk ratio of the laying hens in groups C and D were significantly increased(P<0.05),and the Haugh units of eggs of the laying hens in groups B and D were significantly increased(P<0.05).In terms of follicle development,compared with control group,the number of large yellow follicles in the laying hens of group A and the number of large white follicles in the laying hens of group D significantly increased at the 42nd day(P<0.05),and the number of small white follicles in all experimental groups also significantly increased(P<0.05).In terms of reproductive hormones,compared with control group,the serum luteinizing hormone(LH)content of laying hens in groups C and D significantly increased at the 21st day(P<0.05),the serum progesterone(PROG)content of laying hens in groups A,C,and D significantly increased(P<0.05),and the serum follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH)content of laying hens in group D significantly increased(P<0.05);At the 42nd day,the serum LH content of laying hens in groups A and C and the serum PROG content of laying hens in all experimental groups significantly increased(P<0.05).[Conclusion]By supplementing the diet with Echinacea purpurea and its active component extracts,the quality of eggshells,Haugh units,the number of specific follicles,and reproductive hormone levels could be significantly improved,thereby enhancing egg quality,optimizing follicular development,and regulating reproductive hormone levels.Notably,the most favorable effects were observed with a 0.2%supplementation of chicoric acid.