Vol. 6, Issue 11 (2017)

Author(s):
Promila, Nand Kishore, Rakesh Verma, Jyoti Shunthwal and Sajjan Sihag

Abstract:
An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementing different levels of linseed oil in the laying hens’ diet on cholesterol content, fatty acid profile and shell quality of egg during a period of 16 weeks. One hundred forty White Leghorn layers were randomly allocated into seven experimental groups having 5 replications of 4 birds in each and sited in individual cages from 22 to 38 weeks of age. The laying hens of control group (T₁) were fed a basal diet formulated as per ^[7] standards. The layers of treatment groups T₂, T₃, T₄, T₅, T₆ and T₇ were fed basal diet supplemented with linseed oil at levels of 1, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5 and 4%, respectively. The results indicated a significant (p<0.05) decrease in cholesterol content in layers fed @ 1, 2.5, 3, 3.5 and 4% linseed oil as compared to control. Birds fed linseed oil had significant (p<0.05) decrease in palmitic (C: 16), stearic(C: 18) &oleic acid (18:1) being lowest in T₇ (4% linseed oil). Linoleic acid (C18:2) linolenic acid (18:3) & arachidonic acid (C20:4) significantly (p<0.05) increased being highest in T₇ (4% linseed oil) and lowest in T₁ (control). The results showed significant (P<0.05) decrease in egg shell thickness in treatment groups T₆and T₇ as compared to T₁, T₂& T₃.Egg shell weight percentage decreased but, egg shell weight increased due to increased level of linseed in the diet. Thus, from the present study it can be concluded that supplementation of linseed oil at different levels in laying hens’ diet significantly (P<0.05) decreased egg cholesterol, egg shell thickness, egg shell weight percentage and saturated fatty acid whereas there was significant increase in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and egg shell weight.