article · Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition
Evaluating dietary supplements for poultry under heat stress is crucial for sustaining productivity. A study investigated adding cumin seed oil at levels of 250 or 500 grams per ton to the feed of laying hens kept at ambient summer temperatures between 30 and 36 degrees Celsius. Adding 500 grams per ton improved the feed conversion ratio and increased egg weight without affecting overall feed intake or egg production rate. Both supplement levels enhanced egg quality, showing increases in yolk width, yolk weight, yolk colour, shell weight, and shell thickness, alongside a notable decrease in yolk cholesterol. Birds fed cumin seed oil also displayed lower liver enzymes and blood triglycerides, higher beneficial cholesterol, and boosted antibody titres against Newcastle disease. Hen reproductive organs were unaffected, demonstrating that cumin seed oil safely improves egg quality, feed efficiency, and immune status under heat stress.
High environmental temperatures can suppress laying hen performance and compromise bird welfare. Finding natural feed additives that maintain productivity and health in hot climates offers a practical solution for egg producers. Cumin seed oil supports bird immunity, improves feed efficiency, and enhances physical egg quality characteristics, including shell thickness and yolk colour, while reducing cholesterol levels in the resulting eggs.
The findings point to an application for poultry feed manufacturers and commercial egg producers seeking natural feed additives to combat heat stress. The study represents applied research tested on a flock over a six-week period. Additional commercial-scale trials and cost-benefit evaluations would be required before this feed additive strategy can be introduced into near-market poultry nutrition programmes.
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The objective of the present study was to find the effect of cumin seed oil (CSO, Cuminum cyminum L.) on the laying performance, ovarian follicular development and immune response in laying hens under high ambient temperature. A total of 162 Boven hens were randomly divided into three treatments and were fed, ad libitum, diets containing 0 (control), 250 or 500 g CSO per ton from 24 to 30 weeks of age. The experiment was done during summer season where the average temperate was 30 to 36°C. Feed intake and egg mass were recorded. Egg quality characteristics and egg-yolk cholesterol content were evaluated. Ovary and oviduct samples were immediately weighted, and ovarian follicles were classified. Plasma total protein, albumin, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), and glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) were measured. Yolk width, yolk weight, yolk colour, shell weight and shell thickness were increased by feeding CSO. Egg production rate was not affected. However, dietary 500 g CSO per ton had a significantly positive impact on egg weight in comparison with control. The FCR was improved by feeding 500 g CSO per ton; however, feed intake and egg mass were not affected by CSO treatments. Plasma GOT, GPT and triglycerides were significantly decreased, while, plasma HDL-cholesterol was significantly (p < .05) increased due to CSO treatments. Yolk cholesterol content was significantly decreased; however, liver malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration was insignificantly decreased due to dietary treatments. Interestingly, the inclusion of CSO in laying hens' diets improved the antibody titres against Newcastle disease (ND, p < .05) and against avian influenza H9N1 (p > .05) when compared with the control diet. It could be concluded that dietary inclusion of CSO improved egg weight, FCR, yolk and shell quality characteristics and did not have a negative effect on the reproductive morphology parameters in laying hens.
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DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13206
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