Restricted feeding of laying chicken and its effect on quality and lipid profile of the eggs

Abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate the quality and the lipid profile of table eggs obtained from laying chickens fed on restricted diets. The experimental design was the completely randomized design. Seven-two laying birds which were 74 weeks old were assigned to three treatments which were made up of three replicate each. They were subjected to the same management conditions. The treatments consisted of the control, T1 (ad libitum feeding), T2 (7 am-11 am, 4 hours feed restriction) and T3 (7 am – 3 pm, 8 hours feed restriction). On completion of the 10 weeks feeding trial, fifteen fresh eggs were collected per treatment (5 eggs per replicate) for analysis of the external (egg weight, egg width, egg length, shell weight and thickness, egg shape index), internal (albumen weight and height, yolk weight, yolk height and yolk diameter, yolk ratio, yolk: albumen ratio, yolk index and the haugh unit) and the lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, HDL and low-density lipoprotein, LDL). The result indicated that significant differences (P < 0.05) existed in the egg weight, egg width, egg length and egg index and most of the internal characteristics and the lipid profile examined. The birds that were fed the restricted diets had the best egg weight, width, egg length and Haugh unit (HU). The eggs collected from the four-hours feed restriction (7 am – 11 am) had the best high density lipoprotein (HDL) and lowest low lipoprotein (LDL). It was concluded that farmers can confidently practice restricted feeding regime, especially for four hours (7 am – 11 am) when using commercial layers feed.