Effect of peat-based feed additive on performance of laying hens

Abstract

A strategy for improving the efficiency of the poultry industry is balanced nutrition for poultry, which plays a key role in achieving maximum productivity while maintaining health and reducing production costs through the use of feed additives or unconventional feed ingredients. Feed additives are mainly used to meet the needs of birds, improve their health, stimulate digestion, increase feeding efficiency, and enhance disease resistance. They positively affect the gastrointestinal tract, metabolism, immune system, suppress pathogens, and improve intestinal integrity. For this purpose, the research aimed to determine the impact of using a peat-based bioregulatory feed additive on the egg productivity of laying hens of the same-age industrial flock of the "Hy-Line Brown W-36" cross and to conduct a qualitative assessment of the eggs. A total of 480 laying hens (day-old), divided into five groups, were raised for 240 days. The feeding of hens in the groups consisted of five experimental diets: a basal diet and the basal diet mixed with a peat-based feed additive at levels of 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, and 1.25 kg/t. Experimental data showed a positive effect of using a peat-based feed additive in the composition of compound feeds for laying hens on their growth, overall productivity and product quality. The feed intake, calculated at a gram/hen/day rate, was high in Groups 1 and 2; however, the control group exhibited an even greater overall feed intake. A larger egg weight was noted for Groups 3 and 4. Based on these results, this study found that certain supplements did successfully improve egg shell integrity in older laying hens compared to a control. Thus, the use of peat-based feed additive for laying hens has a greater effect on egg-laying intensity (85.38%), average egg weight (63.24g), egg mass yield (664.1kg). The results obtained emphasize the necessity of including organic bioregulators in the diets of laying hens to achieve optimal productivity.