The effect of dietary Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) on performance, egg quality characteristics and egg cholesterol content in laying hens (original) (raw)

2011, Czech Journal of Animal Science

This research was carried out to determine the effect of Jerusalem artichoke (JA) with or without 5, 10% vetch (V) supplementation on performance, egg quality characteristics and egg cholesterol content. In the study, seventy-five 25 weeks-old commercial white laying hens were randomly divided into one control and 4 treatment groups each containing 15 hens. Control group was fed basal diet without JA or V. Treatment group 1, 2, 3 and 4 were fed diets containing 5% V, 5% JA, 5% JA + 5% V and 10% JA + 10% V, respectively. The feeding period lasted 16 weeks. In the study, it was determined that dried-ground JA contained dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre, crude ash, inulin and metabolizable energy (ME) at the level of 93.30, 10.02, 0.36, 5.64, 9.05, 15.80% and 3 060 kcal/kg, respectively. At the end of the study, live weight was lower by 4.36–10.09% in the treatment group 10% JA + 10% V compared with the other groups, but feed efficiency was improved in this group. T...