title: Effects of black cumin seed (Nigella sativa L.) on performance and immune system in newly evolved crossbred laying hens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A limited number of studies have tested the effect of diets supplemented with black cumin seed (BCS) on the performance of laying hen.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effects of various levels of dietary BCS on the performance of laying hen. BIRDS AND METHODS: Three hundred 40-week-old rural Leghorn (White Leghorn males X F1 females of Fayoumi male X Rhode Island Red female) crossbred hens were randomly assigned to four groups with five replicates of 15 birds each (75 laying hens per group), and fed diets supplemented with 0%, 3%, 4% or 5% BCS for 60 days. Statistical analysis was performed by means of ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BCS at all levels revealed greater egg production, egg weight and egg mass than the control group. Similarly, feed conversion was improved by 0.50, 0.55 and 0.36 points compared to controls with the addition of 3%, 4% or 5% levels of BCS, respectively. Haugh units and yolk weights of eggs from hens that were fed diets containing 3%, 4% and 5% BCS were significantly greater than those from the control group. Supplementation of 4% or 5% BCS significantly increased shell thickness and decreased serum LDL cholesterol and egg yolk cholesterol concentration as compared to other groups. Mean hemagglutination inhibition titers against Newcastle disease virus were higher than in controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BCS at levels of 4% or 5% positively influenced egg production, egg weight and shell quality. Furthermore, it decreased the concentration of serum LDL cholesterol and egg yolk cholesterol concentrations and enhanced immunity against Newcastle disease virus.
authors.affiliation: Poultry Research Institute, Murree Road, Shamsabad, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. sohailhassan64@gmail.com
authors.forename: Sohail Hassan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Muhammad Ashraf
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Anjum
authors.forename: Abida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parveen
authors.forename: Tabinda
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Khawaja
authors.forename: Naeem Mehmood
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Ashraf
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D009521:Newcastle Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D009522:Newcastle disease virus / Q000502:physiology; D031881:Nigella sativa / Q000737:chemistry*; D010063:Ovum / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D012098:Reproduction; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral