Marigold flower extract as a feed addiilve in the poultry diet Effects on laying quail performance and egg quality.

Abstract

Background: Marigold (Tagetes ererra) Flower Extract (MFE) is a natural source of carotenoid as a feed additive in the poultry diet. Obje<tive:Thisstudywasconducted to determinethe effectof MFEasfeed additive on production performances and egg qualityof quail. lfateriats and Methods: Two hundred and seven week old Corurnk coturnix japonica lalng quail were used in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four dietary treatments:0,5, 10and 1 5 ppm MFE in the diets with five replicates each. Variable measured were feed intake, hen-day egg production, egg weight, egg mass production, feed conversion, egg cholesterol, egg fat and yolk color. Result;: lt was observed that feecj intake, egg production, feed conversion, egg choiesterol and yolk color were significantiy affected (p<0.05) by increasing MFE content in the diet. Feed intake, hen-day egg production and yolk color achieved the best results when .l 5 ppm MFE was included in the diet and resulted in the lowest levels of egg cholesterol and feed conversion. Conclusion: This study shows that l5 ppm MFE in the poultry diet improved production performance and increased egg quality (reduced egg cholesterol and increased egg yolk color) of Coturnix coturnkiaponica taying quail