Effects of chicory, turmeric, artichoke and sage powder in high energy and low protein diets on yield, egg quality and fatty liver status in laying hens

In present study the effects of chicory, turmeric, artichoke and sage powder on yield, egg quality and fatty liver status in laying hens fed high energy and low protein diets. A total of 270 LSL laying hens at 80 weeks of age were randomly assigned to 5 treatments, 6 replications and 9 birds per replicate. Experimental treatments were included high energy (3000 kcal/kg) and low protein (13%) diet as control, and four diets containing 0.15% of chicory stem and root powder, turmeric rizhom powder, artichoke leaf powder or milk thistle powder. The results showed that treatments decresed feed intake and turmeric increased egg weight (P<0.05). Yolk color, white weight, and shell weight were affected (P<0.05) positively by medicinal plants. Diet containing turmeric significantly reduced blood glucose compared to control diet (P<0.05). The effect of treatments on biochemical and hematological parameters of blood was not significant (P>0.05). Abdominal fat weight was significantly lower in birds received milk thistle diet (P<0.05). The results showed that the medicinal plants used in the present study had no effect on bird’s performance however milk thistle powder by lowering the abdominal fat and with lower histological and hemoragic scores had more potential for improvement of fatty liver and more researches with higher level of milk thestle is needed.