Amira Mahmoud Refaie1*, Marwa Hosni Abd El-Maged2, Hassan Abd El-Kriam Hassan Abd El-Halim2, Hanan Abd El-Rahman Hassan Alghonimy2, Sayed Ahmed Mohamed Shaban1

Abstract | The current study aimed to investigate the effect of supplementation of date palm pollen (DPP) on the performance, physiological parameters and egg quality traits of laying hens. A total number of 240 Fayoumi chicken hens were classified into two equal experiments, 120 hens each (4 groups × 3 replicates × 10 birds). In each experiment, birds were divided into 4 treatment groups as follow: Normal control, positive control (0.0125% Butylated hydroxytoluene; BHT), 0.1% and 0.3% DPP, respectively. The DPP was used in two forms i.e., powder (DPP) for Exp.1 and aqueous extract (DPPE) for Exp.2. The results revealed that egg production was significantly improved (P<0.01) in the 0.1% DPP group (Exp.1) whereas, all groups exhibited higher (P<0.05) egg production (Exp.2) comparing to normal control. All treated groups exhibited an enhancement (P<0.01) in yolk total cholesterol comparing to either normal or positive control groups (Exp.1 and Exp.2). Spleen percentage (Exp.1) and carcass percentage (Exp.2) was significantly improved (P<0.01) in the 0.3% DPP group compared with all other groups. Hens fed control positive and 0.3% DPP (Exp.1), and control positive and 0.1% DPPE (Exp.2) exhibited significantly higher (P<0.01) yolk percentage compared with the normal control. From the obtained results it could be concluded that the supplementation of DPP up to 0.3% in either powder or extract forms enhances laying hens performance, and egg quality traits.

Keywords | Date Palm Pollen, Aqueous extract, Laying hens, Productive performance, Egg quality.