EFFECT OF CHAMOMILE ESSENTIAL OIL APPLICATION ON THE WEIGHT OF EGGS IN LAYING HENS HISEX BRAUN

Chamomile essential oil (Matricaria recutita L.) was applied to 16 laying hens – hybrid Hisex Braun.
In this model experiment, hens of 15 weeks in age were divided into 2 groups including 8 hens in each – a control group (CG) and an experimental group (EG). They were housed in battery cages system having water intake ad libitum. Hens in EG were fed feed mixture HYD 6 and HYD 10 enriched with chamomile essential oil (0.1%) daily for a period of 8 weeks.
Weight of eggs was checked daily during the whole experiment.
Significant difference (p<0.001) in weight of eggs comparing CG and EG was found from week 4 to 8 of the experiment.
Although only a small number of animals was involved in this model experiment, application of chamomile essential oil indicated probability of a positive influence (increase) on the weight of eggs of laying hens.
Experiments using higher amounts of hens will be processed to confirm this positive achievement.

I International Symposium on Chamomile Research, Development and Production

J. Poráčová, M. Blasčáková, M. Zahatňanská, B. Taylorová, I. Sutiaková, J. Sály

egg, essential oil, chamomile, laying hens, weight

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2007.749.23