Search

The present experiment was conducted to estimate the effect of adding different levels of Annatto seeds (Bixa orellana) (BO) to the laying chicken diets as antioxidants on oxidation indicators in the egg yolk. Two hundred forty, ISA Brown laying hensat the age of 67-week-old(producing brown eggshell) were employed in this experiment. The hens were weighed individually and the hens with weights above and below the standard weights (± 10) wereexcludedaccording to the index of producing company (ACE Brown standard index), randomly and homogeneously distributed into four treatments by three replicates per treatment (20 hens per replicate). The experimental treatments included: T1 basal diet as control, T2 basal diet +1% of the BO powder, T3basal diet + 2% of the BO seed powder, T4 basal diet + 3% of the BO seed powder. The obtained results of the present study indicated that adding 1, 2, 3% of BO seed powder to the diet resulted in a significant difference (P <0.05) between treatments T2, T3 and T4 compared to T1in the oxidation indicators and for all periods of the experiment. The lowest ratio was observed in T4 with a decrease in the levels of free fatty acids (FFA), peroxidevalue (PV) and the amount of dehydrogenate (TBA). It can be concluded that adding Annatto seed powder (BO) seed powder at levels of 1, 2, and 3% to laying chicken diets improved oxidation indicators in the egg yolk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]