EFFECT OF CITRIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION TO DIETS ON PERFORMANCE, CALCIUM RETENTION AND EGGSHELL QUALITY OF AGED LAYERS.
El-Afifi, Shaban; H. A. El Alaily;
Abstract
An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding graded levels of citric acid on performance and eggshell quality of aged layers. The effects on calcium retention percentage, serum calcium and pH value of diets and lumen content were also investigated. One hundred and fifty Hy-line white (w-36) layers at 63 weeks of age were fed for 12 weeks on diets supplemented with five graded levels of citric acid as 0.0%, 0.4%, 0.8%, 1.2% and 1.6%.
The results indicated that, there were non-significant improvement in egg production percentage and feed conversion ratio due to feeding 0.8%, 1.2% and 1.6% dietary citric acid. Average egg weight and daily feed consumption were not affected by feeding different levels of citric acid except for 1.6% level which reduced average egg weight and feed consumption compared to other treatment groups. The pH values of diets and ileal content decreased gradually as citric acid inclusion levels increased. Both of calcium retention percentage and serum calcium increased significantly by feeding dietary citric acid. The values of 55.54, 55.80, 59.51, 65.78, and 60.95% were recorded for calcium retention of layers fed 0.0%, 0.4%, 0.8%, 1.2%, and 1.6% dietary citric acid, respectively. Eggshell quality in terms of eggshell percentage, eggshell thickness and eggshell strength was improved significantly by feeding different levels of citric acid. The results suggested that, citric acid supplementation into diets can reduce lumen pH value, which may enhance calcium retention and absorption thereby improved eggshell quality and egg production of aged layers.
The results indicated that, there were non-significant improvement in egg production percentage and feed conversion ratio due to feeding 0.8%, 1.2% and 1.6% dietary citric acid. Average egg weight and daily feed consumption were not affected by feeding different levels of citric acid except for 1.6% level which reduced average egg weight and feed consumption compared to other treatment groups. The pH values of diets and ileal content decreased gradually as citric acid inclusion levels increased. Both of calcium retention percentage and serum calcium increased significantly by feeding dietary citric acid. The values of 55.54, 55.80, 59.51, 65.78, and 60.95% were recorded for calcium retention of layers fed 0.0%, 0.4%, 0.8%, 1.2%, and 1.6% dietary citric acid, respectively. Eggshell quality in terms of eggshell percentage, eggshell thickness and eggshell strength was improved significantly by feeding different levels of citric acid. The results suggested that, citric acid supplementation into diets can reduce lumen pH value, which may enhance calcium retention and absorption thereby improved eggshell quality and egg production of aged layers.
Other data
| Title | EFFECT OF CITRIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION TO DIETS ON PERFORMANCE, CALCIUM RETENTION AND EGGSHELL QUALITY OF AGED LAYERS. | Authors | El-Afifi, Shaban ; H. A. El Alaily | Keywords | citric acid – aged layers – egg production – calcium retention – shell quality | Issue Date | 2001 | Publisher | Egyptian J. Nutrition and Feeds | Journal | Egyptian J. Nutrition and Feeds | Volume | 4 | Issue | (Special Issue) | Start page | 25- | End page | 38 |
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