title: Single and combined effects of peppermint and thyme essential oils on productive performance, egg quality traits, and blood parameters of laying hens reared under cold stress condition (6.8 ± 3 °C).
abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of adding peppermint essential oil (PEO), thyme essential oil (TEO), or their combination to diet on productive performance, egg quality traits, and blood parameters of laying hens reared under cold stress condition (6.8 ± 3 °C). Feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), egg weight (EW), egg production (EP), and egg mass (EM) were evaluated during the 56-day trial period using 120 Lohmann LSL-lite laying hens. Significant interactions between PEO and TEO on FCR, EP, and EM were observed (P < 0.05). The EP and EM increased, whereas FCR decreased (P < 0.05) in the hens fed the diets supplemented by the combined form of PEO and TEO compared to those fed the basal diet. Also, increased EW and FI were observed in the laying hens fed the diet added by PEO compared to the birds fed the basal diet. There were significant interactions between PEO and TEO on the serum level of cholesterol, shell thickness, and Hough unit of egg (P < 0.05), so that serum content of cholesterol decreased, but egg shell thickness and Hough unit increased in the hens fed the diet supplemented by the combined form of PEO and TEO compared to those fed the basal diet. From the results of the present experiment, it can be concluded that diet supplementation by combined form of PEO and TEO could have beneficial effects on performance parameters of hens reared under cold stress condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Razi University, Imam Avenue, 6715685418, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akbari
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Razi University, Imam Avenue, 6715685418, Kermanshah, Iran. torki@razi.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Mehran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torki
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Razi University, Imam Avenue, 6715685418, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors.forename: Keyomars
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaviani
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002645:Chickens / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003080:Cold Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D058639:Cold-Shock Response / Q000502:physiology*; D004435:Eating; D004531:Eggs; D005260:Female; D036142:Mentha piperita; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D046930:Thymus Plant; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014280:Triglycerides; D014527:Uric Acid; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Cold stress; Egg production; Essential oils; Laying hens; Serum biochemicals