The Effect of Clinoptilolite in Low Calcium Diets on Performance and Eggshell Quality Parameters of Aged Hens

Gezen, Şerife Şule; Eren, Mustafa; Balcı, Faruk; Deniz, Gülay; Biricik, Hakan; Bozan, Birgül

doi:2009.22.9.1296

Article

Poultry and Laboratory Animal Nutrition

Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 2009;22(9): 1296-1302.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2009.80671 Published online August 26, 2009.

The Effect of Clinoptilolite in Low Calcium Diets on Performance and Eggshell Quality Parameters of Aged Hens

Şerife Şule Gezen, Mustafa Eren, Faruk Balcı, Gülay Deniz, Hakan Biricik, Birgül Bozan

Abstract

Ninety six beak-trimmed 72 week-old Lohmann Brown hens were randomly divided into four equal groups. Each group comprised 4 replicates. Isoenergetic and isonitrogenous experimental diets contained low calcium (3.5%); optimum calcium (4.2%); low Ca (3.5% Ca)+1% Clinoptilolite (CLP); low Ca (3.5% Ca)+2% CLP. Data were collected biweekly and the experiment lasted 6 weeks. Egg production, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, egg weight, tibia Ca, P, ash and eggshell thickness were not affected by addition of CLP to the diets (p>0.05). There were no significant differences in egg shell strength and ash when data were analyzed individually in measurement periods (74th, 76th and 78th weeks). However, according to pooled data (74th-78th weeks), eggshell strength was increased (p<0.05) only by 2% CLP supplementation versus low Ca (3.5%) diet, and shell ash was significantly increased by 2% CLP supplementation compared with the other diets. The damaged egg ratio on 1% and 2% CLP diets was significantly decreased between 76-78 weeks’ data when compared with the low Ca diet. However; damaged egg ratio on the 2% CLP diet was significantly decreased when pooled data (74-78) were compared with no CLP diets. The differences in marketable egg ratio paralleled damaged egg ratio. The plasma calcium level at the end of experiment was increased on the 2% CLP diet when compared with the low Ca (3.5%) diet (p<0.05). Furthermore, at the end of the experiment a marked decrease of manure moisture was observed on both CLP diets (p<0.01). In conclusion, Clinoptilolite (2%) supplementation to layer diets tends to improve eggshell quality and manure dry matter (1% and 2% CLP) after six weeks.

Keywords: Aluminosilicate; Clinoptilolite; Laying Hen; Eggshell Quality; Manure Dry Matter; Tibia