Single or combined effects of dietary supplemental vitamin C and ethanol extracts of propolis on productive traits, egg quality and some blood biochemical parameters of laying hens

Figures & data

Table 1. Composition and calculated chemical analysis of the experimental diet.

Ingredients	Percentage
Corn	66.07
Soybean meal	20.91
Alfa alfa	2.84
Limestone	3.98
DCP	1.23
Iodine common salt	0.29
Oyster	4.00
Vitamin premix^a	0.25
Mineral premix	0.25
Dl-Met	0.18
Calculated composition
ME (kcal/kg)	2720
Crude protein (%)	14.58
Ether extract (%)	4.52
Crude fibre (%)	2.84
Calcium (%)	3.75
Available phosphorus (%)	0.30

^aVitamin and mineral mixture provides per 2.5 kg of diet: vitamin A, 7700,000 IU; vitamin D3, 3300,000 IU; vitamin E, 6600 mg; vitamin K3, 550 mg; thiamine, 2200 mg; riboflavin, 4400 mg; vitamin B6, 4400 mg; Ca pantothenate, 550 mg; nicotinic acid, 200 mg; folic acid, 110 mg; choline chloride, 275,000 mg; biotin, 55 mg; vitamin B12, 8.8 mg; Trace mineral (milligrams per 2.5 kg of diet): Mn, 66000; Zn, 66000; Fe, 33000; Cu, 8800; Se, 300; I, 900.

Table 2. Effects of dietary EEP and supplemental vitamin C on egg production, egg mass, feed conversion ratio and feed intake of the laying hens.^a

		Egg production (%)			Egg mass (g egg/hen/day)			Feed intake (g Feed/hen/day)			FCR (FI/EM)			Egg weight (g)
EEP		1–4 (week)	5–8 (week)	Overall	1–4 (week)	5–8 (week)	Overall	1–4 (week)	5–8 (week)	Overall	1–4 (week)	5–8 (week)	Overall	1–4 (week)	5–8 (week)	Overall
0 (mg/kg diet)		86.5	89.9	88.2	56.22^b	58.9	57.55^b	114	117	116	2.02	1.991^a	2.01	65.03	65.49	65.27
150 (mg/kg diet)		89.7	94	91.9	59.61^a	63	61.27^a	118	118	118	1.98	1.877^b	1.93	66.45	66.97	66.71
300 (mg/kg diet)		89.3	92	90.6	59.91^a	61.1	60.50^a	117	117	117	1.96	1.921^ab	1.94	67.1	66.42	66.76
Vitamin C
0 (mg/kg diet)		87.3	90.9	89.1	57.6	60.3	59	116	118	117	2.02	1.96	1.99	66.04	66.32	66.18
250 (mg/kg diet)		89.5	92.9	91.2	59.3	61.6	60.5	116	117	117	1.96	1.9	1.93	66.26	66.26	66.29
Interaction
EEP	Vitamin C
0	0	85.9	89.8	87.8	55.7	58.5	57.1	115	120	118	2.07	2.05	2.06	64.89	65.21	65.04
0	250	87.1	90	88.5	56.7	59.2	58	112	115	113	1.98	1.94	1.96	65.20	65.78	65.49
150	0	88.7	92.6	90.6	59.1	62.4	60.7	117	119	118	1.98	1.9	1.94	66.65	67.41	67.03
150	250	90.7	95.5	93.1	60.1	63.5	61.8	119	118	118	1.98	1.85	1.91	66.25	66.53	66.38
300	0	87.3	90.3	88.8	58.3	59.9	59.1	117	115	116	2.01	1.92	1.96	66.77	66.34	66.55
300	250	90.8	93.3	92	61.1	62	61.6	117	119	118	1.92	1.92	1.92	67.35	66.48	66.92
SEM ^b		0.73	0.94	0.73	0.6	0.73	0.59	1.24	1.37	1.14	0.02	0.02	0.02	0.37	0.30	0.298
P values
EEP		0.16	0.22	0.11	0.02	0.08	0.02	0.44	0.96	0.73	0.55	0.05	0.12	0.089	0.15	0.084
Vitamin C		0.13	0.3	0.14	0.12	0.36	0.16	0.9	0.83	0.85	0.21	0.17	0.12	0.816	0.93	0.917
EEP × Vitamin C		0.8	0.79	0.76	0.72	0.92	0.8	0.7	0.46	0.56	0.6	0.48	0.66	0.846	0.59	0.685

^aMeans within column with different superscripts are significantly different, P < 0.05.

^bStandard error of the mean.

Table 3. Effects of dietary EEP and supplemental vitamin C on egg weight, egg gravity, shell weight, shell thickness, Haugh unit, egg shape index, yolk index, yolk colour and abnormal egg of the laying hens.^a

EEP		Egg weight (g)			Egg gravity	Shell weight (g)	Shell thickness ( × 10^–2 mm)	Haugh unit	Egg shape index	Yolk index	Yolk colour	Abnormal egg (%)
		1–4 (week)	5–8 (week)	Overall	Overall	Overall	Overall	Overall	Overall	Overall	Overall	1–4 (week)	5–8 (week)	Overall
0 (mg/kg diet)		65.03	65.49	65.27	1.081	5.838	38.06^b	94.32	74.96	40.56	8.63	1.55	1.426	1.488
150 (mg/kg diet)		66.45	66.97	66.71	1.083	6.145	39.66^a	94.76	72.92	40.23	8.75	1.53	1.103	1.308
300 (mg/kg diet)		67.1	66.42	66.76	1.08	6.106	39.37^a	95.15	72.8	40.59	8.75	1.55	1.112	1.318
Vitamin C
0 (mg/kg diet)		66.04	66.32	66.18	1.08	6.003	38.85	94.53	73.51	40.66	8.67	1.18	1.302	1.233
250 (mg/kg diet)		66.26	66.26	66.29	1.082	6.05	39.2	94.96	73.61	40.26	8.75	1.91	1.125	1.51
Interaction
EEP	Vitamin C
0	0	64.89	65.21	65.04	1.08	5.713	37.75	93.41	74.22	41.22	8.5	1.197	1.66	1.432
0	250	65.2	65.78	65.49	1.082	5.96	38.37	95.23	75.69	39.89	8.75	1.905	1.192	1.545
150	0	66.65	67.41	67.03	1.082	6.405	40.04	95.33	73.38	40.07	8.75	0.722	0.852	0.782
150	250	66.25	66.53	66.38	1.085	5.885	39.28	94.19	72.47	40.39	8.75	2.342	1.355	1.835
300	0	66.77	66.34	66.55	1.08	5.891	38.78	94.85	72.93	40.68	8.75	1.615	1.395	1.485
300	250	67.35	66.48	66.92	1.08	6.322	39.95	95.46	72.67	40.49	8.75	1.477	0.83	1.152
SEM ^b		0.37	0.3	0.298	0.001	0.098	0.268	0.276	0.425	0.293	0.094	0.229	0.199	0.201
P values
EEP		0.089	0.15	0.084	0.151	0.365	0.026	0.447	0.074	0.877	0.855	0.999	0.784	0.928
Vitamin C		0.816	0.93	0.917	0.287	0.776	0.464	0.42	0.9	0.535	0.695	0.128	0.684	0.525
EEP × Vitamin C		0.846	0.59	0.685	0.744	0.115	0.247	0.093	0.474	0.56	0.855	0.316	0.541	0.42

^aMeans within column with different superscripts are significantly different, P < 0.05.

^bStandard error of the mean.

Table 4. Effects of dietary EEP and supplemental vitamin C on glucose, cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, total protein, albumin and cortisol concentrations of the laying hens.^a

EEP		Glucose (mg/dL)	Cholesterol (mg/dL)	LDL (mg/dL)	Triglycerides (mg/dL)	Total protein (g/dL)	Albumin (g/dL)	Cortisol (micro g/dL)
0 (mg/kg diet)		281.8	217.50	115.63	3354.4^a	5.562	3.125	0.791
150 (mg/kg diet)		262.5	218.13	100.63	2636.3^ab	5.187	2.812	1.267
300 (mg/kg diet)		263.1	201.88	100.63	2271.9^b	5.375	3.000	0.626
Vitamin C
0 (mg/kg diet)		285.0^a	214.17	109.58	2840.8	5.375	2.833	0.952
250 (mg/kg diet)		253.3^b	210.83	101.67	2667.5	5.375	3.125	0.838
Interaction
EEP	Vitamin C
0	0	293.8	226.25	130.00	3626.3	5.625	3.000	0.803
0	250	270.0	208.75	101.25	3082.5	5.500	3.250	0.780
150	0	277.5	226.25	103.75	2646.3	5.250	2.625	1.242
150	250	247.5	210.00	97.500	2626.3	5.125	3.000	1.293
300	0	283.8	190.00	95.000	2250.0	5.250	2.870	0.810
300	250	242.5	213.75	106.25	2293.8	5.500	3.125	0.443
SEM ^b		6.529	7.141	5.180	169.7	0.176	0.114	0.123
P values
EEP		0.340	0.616	0.413	0.032	0.737	0.578	0.108
Vitamin C		0.015	0.827	0.455	0.584	1.000	0.243	0.646
EEP × Vitamin C		0.832	0.461	0.311	0.704	0.902	0.970	0.757

^aMeans within column with different superscripts are significantly different, P < 0.05.

^bStandard error of the mean.