EFFECT OF ADDING CRUSHED SEEDS OF FENUGREEK AND BLACK SEED TO LAYER DIETS ON EGG QUALTY TRAITS

Abstract

This study was carried out at the poultry farm of Animal Resources Dept. / College of Agriculture / University of Baghdad during the period from 10/11/2007 to 10/5/2008 to investigate the effect of adding different levels of crushed seeds of Fenugreek and black seed to layer diets on some egg quality characteristics. One hundred and forty four laying hens (Lohmann Brown) at the age of 20 weeks were used in this study . At the age of 22 weeks , the hens were individually weighed and randomly distributed into nine treatments and each treatment with two replicates (8 hens / replicate). The treatments were as follows : T1 (control) : no addition, T2 and T3 included the addition of 1 and 2% crushed seeds of Fenugreek respectively, T4 and T5 included 1 and 2% crushed seeds of black seed respectively and treatments 6 , 7 , 8 and 9 included combinations crushed seeds of fenugreek and black seed at the levels of 1:1 , 1:2 , 2:1 and 2:2% respectively. Results revealed that the addition of fenugreek and black seed to diets of laying hens enhanced all egg quality characteristics such as : egg shell weight, albumin weight and yolk weight , however they decreased cholesterol level of egg yolk during the different production periods comparing with control group