Effects of fennel seed supplementation of ration on performance, egg quality, serum cholesterol, and total phenol content of egg yolk of laying quails

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of fennel seed (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) supplementation of ration on performance, egg quality, and serum cholesterol of laying quails during an eight-week period. For this purpose, 96 quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) of 16 weeks of age were evenly separated into one control group and three treatment groups. Each group was divided into four replicates, each containing six quail. The fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare) were added to the diets of the first, second, and third treatment groups at levels of 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9%, respectively. No significant effect of dietary fennel seed supplementation was recorded on body weight, feed intake, egg production, and egg weight. Feed efficiency (kg feed per kg egg) of the 0.6% treatment group was negatively affected by fennel seed supplementation; however, kilogram of feed:dozen egg ratio was not affected when compared with the control group. The effects of dietary treatments on shape index, albumen height, albumen index, Haugh unit, yolk index, yolk colour, blood cholesterol level, and total phenol content of egg yolk had no significance. Dietary fennel seed do not affect the egg quality and blood cholesterol level of laying quail. The amount of 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9% dietary fennel seed supplementation do not have any adverse effect on performance and egg quality of laying quail.

摘要 本研究旨在评估日粮中添加茴香籽（Foeniculum vulgare Mill.）对8周试验周期内产蛋鹌鹑（Coturnix coturnix japonica）生产性能、蛋品质及血清胆固醇水平的影响。为此，选取96只16周龄的日本鹌鹑，平均分为1个对照组与3个试验组，每组再设置4个重复，每个重复包含6只鹌鹑。试验组1、2、3的日粮中分别添加0.3%、0.6%及0.9%的茴香籽（Foeniculum vulgare）。研究结果显示，日粮添加茴香籽对鹌鹑的体重、采食量、产蛋率及蛋重均无显著影响。0.6%添加组的饲料转化率（以每千克鸡蛋消耗饲料千克数计算）受到茴香籽添加的负面影响，但以每打鸡蛋消耗饲料千克数计算的料蛋比，相较于对照组并未出现显著变化。日粮处理对蛋形指数、蛋白高度、蛋白指数、哈氏单位（Haugh unit）、蛋黄指数、蛋黄颜色、血清胆固醇水平及蛋黄总酚含量均无显著影响。日粮添加茴香籽不会影响产蛋鹌鹑的蛋品质与血清胆固醇水平。0.3%、0.6%及0.9%的日粮茴香籽添加量均不会对产蛋鹌鹑的生产性能与蛋品质产生任何不良影响。