Moringa leaf powder as natural feed additive on productive performance and egg quality of ISA Brown laying hens

Nguyen Tuyet Giang^1,2, Ngo Tri Dung⁴, Do Vo Anh Khoa³, Le Thi Thuy Hang^1,2, Phan Phuong Loan^1,2, Pham Thi Hue⁵ and Vo Thi Kim Hoang^1,2

¹ An Giang University, An Giang, Vietnam
ntgiang@agu.edu.vn
² Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
³ Animal Husbandy Association of Can Tho, Vietnam
⁴ Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary of An Giang province, Vietnam
⁵ Vietnam National University of Forestry, Vietnam

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of using different levels of Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MOLP) in the ration of laying hens. A total number of 108 ISA Brown hens, aging 33 weeks, was evenly distributed into four dietary treatments. Each treatment consisted of nine replication cages with three hens randomly assigned to each cage. The four groups corresponded to four dietary treatments containing 0% (control), 5%, 10%, and 15 % of MOLP, respectively. The results revealed that the feed conversion ratio and most of the egg quality traits such as egg weight, shell thickness, yolk colour, and Haugh unit, were better in groups fed MOLP. These findings suggested that Moringa leaf powder could be included up to 15% for higher egg production and egg quality.

Key word: egg quality, ISA Brown layers, Moringa leaf, productive performance

Introduction

Feed is a major component of poultry enterprise, making up to 70% of total production cost which mostly depends on the prices of conventional ingredients such as soybean meal and fish meal. However, the rising global demand and present shortage of these protein sources has placed an impact on stockholders to find alternatives for ideal improvement of animal health, performance, and product quality (Birhanu et al 2021; Brunetti et al 2022). Moringa (Moringa oleifera) is a small to medium-sized food crop, native to India, which has been known as an excellent source of nutrition and a natural energy booster. The primary and bioactive secondary metabolites such as protein, minerals, vitamins, and various phenolic compounds are found in Moringa plant (Shivangini et al 2022). With a diverse chemical composition, Moringa is described as a multipurpose or a "miracle" tree because all parts of the plant have certain uses. Moringa leaf, bark, flower, pod, root, and seeds show diverse nutritional, pharmacological and antimicrobial properties, and act as an antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anthelmintic, and antiarthritic agents (Daba 2016; Pachava et al 2018).

Moringa leaf provide a large amount of essential nutrients, almost equivalent to soybean meal and superior to maize meal. On a dry matter basis, moringa leaf contains approximately 22.4% protein, 5.0% lipid and 14.6% total minerals. Notably, there are about 10 essential amino acids, accounting for 52.2% of the total amino acid content of the leaf (Moyo et al 2011; Abdel-Azeem et al 2017).

Given excellent nutritional value, Moringa leaf has been used since the 1960s as a rich source of protein, vitamin and mineral for human, a daily intake of M. oleifera leaf powder (MOLP) can improve the health status of malnourished children in a short time (Abd El-Hack et al 2018; Falowo et al 2018; Su and Chen, 2020). In recent years, scientists devoted to animal research also highlighted that Moringa leaf could be used as an alternative for a short supply of the conventional protein sources, to sustain poultry production and improve the profit margin (Sánchez-Machado et al 2010). Considering the valuable content of nutrients and bioactive compounds, Moringa oleifera leaf could be used as natural feed additive to promote productive performance and egg quality, but data is still limited on the use of Moringa leaf in the layer ration. This study, therefore, aimed to determine the optimum inclusion level of MOLP in the diet of ISA Brown chickens to improve the hen performance with respect to the egg production and egg quality.

Materials and methods

Site and time

The study was conducted at a private chicken farm in Chau Thanh district (An Giang province, Vietnam), from March to June, 2022, given a period of 12 weeks (33 to 45 weeks) for egg production.

Preparation of Moringa oleifera leaf powder

Fresh matured Moringa oleifera leaf was collected and dried in the electric convection oven at 55^oC in 4-5 hours and hammer-milled to produce a uniform powder, as described by Nguyen and Le (2021). The MOLP was stored in polythene bags at refrigerator temperature (2-4^oC) for further feed formulation. The proximate chemical composition of the MOLP was determined according to the AOAC (2005) official standards and shown in Table 1. The non-fiber carbohydrate was also calculated by subtracting the other components (moisture, ash, crude protein, crude lipid and crude fiber) from 100.

Experimental birds and design

A total of 108 ISA Brown hens, aging 33 weeks (average body weight at 1770 ± 77.6 g,) supplied by the Experimental farm of Vemedim Animal Health Company (O Mon district, Can Tho city, Vietnam), were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments with nine replications. Each replication was one cage of three hens. The treatments consisted of dietary inclusion with Moringa oleifera leaf (MOLP) at 0, 5, 10 and 15% for a period of 12 weeks. The four experimental diets (MOLP0, MOLP5, MOLP10 and MOLP15) were formulated to meet the requirement of layer chicken (NRC, 1994).

The chickens were kept in 36 cages with 40 × 50 × 50 cm³ dimensions. The cages were arranged with separate feeders and drinkers. After one week of acclimatization, the diets were offered in mash form and chickens had free access to feed and water. A photoperiod regime of 16:8 hours lightness: darkness was applied throughout the experiment.

Measurement for productive performance and egg quality

Traits of productive performance (including mortality, body weight change, egg production, daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio) were recorded throughout the experimental period. The hens were individually weighed at the onset (age 33 weeks) and at the end (age 45 weeks) of the experiment to calculate body weight change. Feed offered and the refusals were weighed and recorded daily. During the experimental period, the eggs from each replicate were manually collected at 4:00 pm every day. Egg production was calculated as average hen-day egg production. Eggs were collected everyday and weighed individualy. Egg production was calculated as the hen-day egg production. The feed intake was recorded weekly, and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated as weight of feed consumed and egg mass production.

Egg quality traits were evaluated at analysis at 33, 36. 39, 42 and 45 weeks of hen age. Ten eggs per group were randomly selected each week, given a total of 200 eggs (4 treatments × 5 time-points × 10 eggs) were used. Samples of one-day-old eggs were evaluated for external and internal parameters. Egg shape index was the ratio of the width to the length of the egg. The collected eggs were weighed and broken onto a flat surface for albumen and yolk measurements. The dimensions of yolk and albumen were measured using a Vernier caliper and a Spherometer to calculate the albumen and yolk indices. A colourimetric fan Roche was used to score the yolk colour which ranging from one to fifteen (light yellow to dark orange). The egg components (shell, albumen, and yolk) were carefully separated and weighed to calculate their proportions in relation to the whole egg weight. Egg shell thickness was measured at three positions (blunt, equatorial, and sharp regions), using a dial gauge micrometer. Haugh units (HU), reflecting the extent of albumen height (H) and egg weight (W), was calculated accoring to formula: HU = 100 log10 (H + 7.56 − 1.7W^0.37), as described by Haugh (1937).

Statistical analysis

All analyses were performed using the general linear model (GLM) procedures of Minitab 16. Differences were deemed to be statistically significant at P<0.05, and data are expressed as mean and pooled SEM.

Results and discussion

Productive performance

The birds were healthy without any abnomalities and mortalities records during the experimental period. The results of body weight, feed consumption, egg production, and feed conversion ratio of the experimental birds are shown in Table 3. The hens fed diets with MOLP inclusion exhibited higher significant differences (p<0.05) on final body weight and lower FCR than the control group. No significant differences (p>0.05) in the body weight change, feed intake and egg production were observed among the dietary groups. It is observed that the initial body weight of hens was similar among the experimental groups, ranging from 1734g to 1850g, reflecting insignificant differences at the onset of experiment. While, at the end of the experiment, the statistical analysis indicated that birds fed diet included 15% MOLP recorded significantly highest final body weight (1872g), compared to other dietary treatments. The changes in body weight recorded higher positive values for birds fed 15% MOLP, however, the difference is non-significant. The feed intake was also non-statistically different among experimental groups. The incremental dietary MOLP at 5%, 10%, and 15% non-significantly enhanced the hen-day egg production (p>0.05), compared to the control group (Table 3). Interestingly, the FCR was linearly and quadratically decreased (p<0.05) with the increasing levels MOLP in the ration during experimental phase.

Egg quality

The internal and external criteria of the eggs are considered to be the important determinants of the egg quality and direct contributes to economic value of the layer production (Ledvinka and Klesalová, 2012). The external quality includes shell hardness and egg shape index, whereas the internal quality refers to traits of egg white (albumen) and egg yolk, which may affect consumer acceptability and preference (Beardsworth and Hernandez, 2004). Table 4 shows the effects of dietary MOLP supplementation on egg quality. Hens fed Moringa leaves at levels of 5%, 10%, and 15% exhibited higher egg weight, yolk index, and Haugh units than those fed the control treatment (p<0.05). However, Moringa oleifera leaves supplementation did not influence other quality traits like albumen proportion, albumen: yolk ratio and egg shape index (p>0.05). Notably, the addition of Moringa leaves powder resulted in a significant (P<0.05) increase in shell thickness and egg yolk colour (Table 4). The increase in shell thickness and egg yolk colour can be attributed to the mineral and carotenoid contents of MOLP which are efficiently absorbed and utilized by the birds, as suggested by El-Sheikh et al (2015).

Using linear and quadratic regression models, positive and negative regression intercepts were observed for some equations in the study period. Figures 1 shows the linear relationship between levels of MOLP in the ration and the FCR of the experimental hens with high coefficient of determination (R² = 0.96) for the fitted function. However, the relationship between MOLP levels and the egg quality measurements were best described by the quadratic function with coefficients of determination varied from 0.85 to 0.96. As shown in Figure 1, there is a negative relationship between MOLP levels and FCR; while negative trends were respectively obtained in the results of egg weight and shell thickness when level of dietary MOLP were increased in the ration (Figure 2 and 3). In contrast, the yolk colour improved with the increased MOLP levels (Figure 4).

Figure 1. Effect of MOLP on FCR	Figure 2. Effect of MOLP on egg weight
Figure 3. Effect of MOLP on shell thickness	Figure 4. Effect of MOLP on yolk colour

The results of external and internal egg quality traits of experimental birds were similar to the findings of previous studies in ISA Brown layers (Gakuya et al 2014; Teteh et al 2016). The improvement in the egg quality of layers fed dietary 15% MOLP may be due to the outstanding nutraceutical and pharmacological properties found in Moringa oleifera leaves (Kou et al 2018). It also supplied sufficient amounts of carotene, iron, and vitamin C which may enhance egg performance of female birds. In addition, Mariana et al (2018) reported that Moringa leaf was a potential feed ingredient that could be used to enhance intestinal health and improve immune response of the chickens. These findings were also harmony with the previous result of Abdel-Azeem et al (2017), who observed that the higher significant values of egg production are recorded at low and moderate levels (0.5-2.0%) of MOLP in the ration, compared to the control. In accordance, Gakuya et al (2014) reported that MOLP could be used up to 10% in the ration of ISA Brown layers without negative effect on feed intake, live weight gain and the egg weight.

Conclusions

• From this study, it can be conluded that the FCR and most of the egg quality traits such as egg weight, shell thickness, yolk colour, and Haugh unit, were better in groups fed Moringa leaf powder.
  
  
• The current findings suggested that Moringa leaf powder could be acceptable up to 15% in ISA Brown hen diet for egg production with advantage.
  
  
• This work provides new perspectives for using Moringa leaf in chicken ration to meet the increasing demand of animal protein which is free from antibiotics and other growth promoters.

Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to group of DH18CN students for their technical assistance. The support and encouragement from our colleagues in the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources (AGU) are also worth mentioning.

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