Effect of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) leaf meal supplementation on production performance and egg quality of laying hens

This experiment was conducted to investigate the supplemental effect of rosemary leaf meal (RLM) on egg production and egg quality in Lohmann-Brown laying hens. For each treatment, six replicates were performed with four 24-week-old laying hens for a total of 96 chickens. Dried rosemary leaf meal (RLM) was present in the commercial laying hen ration at 0, 1.7, 3.5 and 5.2%, respectively. The interactions between dietary treatments, egg storage temperatures (4 °C, 21.5 °C), and egg storage durations (7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days) were examined in factorial designs using a fully randomized design. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Analysis System (SAS, 2014, Ver. 9.3) and Tukey's multiple range tests to separate the means. The inclusion of dried RLM at a level of 5.2% (p < 0.05) significantly improved the hens' daily egg production (78.9%). Feed conversion ratio (2.25) and egg weight (56.7 g) compared to control treatment. Similarly, at 3.5% and 5.2% RLM supplementation, eggshell weight (5.876 g) and eggshell strength increased significantly (p < 0.05) (compared to control, a weight of 3.76 kg/cm2 and a shell thickness (0.37 mm) was observed. In addition, the groups fed 5.2% RLM had significantly higher albumin weight (34.9 g/L), albumin height (6.9 mm), and yolk weight (15.6 g/L). l), yolk height (15.9 mm), yolk color (5.3 points), and Hough unit (83.9 points) than the control groups. Regarding the external characteristics of stored eggs, a group of hens fed at rates of 3.5 and 5.2% RLM showed significantly greater (p < 0.05) egg weight with increases in storage temperature and duration as a control group. There was a significant interaction effect between stored eggs collected from the supplemented groups in terms of egg weight, weight loss, shell weight, shell strength, and shell thickness stored at specific temperatures and storage durations. There was a decrease in albumen level and Haugh unit (HU) with an increase in storage temperature and duration over treatment (P < 0.05). Therefore, better external quality was observed in eggs collected from a group of chickens fed 4.5 and 5.2% RLM after 35 days of storage compared to a control group. Mean albumen height, albumen weight, HU, yolk height, and yolk color of eggs stored in the refrigerator (4 °C) were an exception for yolk weight, which was higher compared to room temperature (21.5 °C). Significantly low (P < 0.05) albumen height (6.61 to 2.96 cm), Hough unit (82.49 to 47.64 points), and yolk height (14.66 to 12.35 mm) were observed at 35 days storage recorded in the control group. In conclusion, supplementation with RLM at 3.5% and 5.2% improved the performance and quality of both fresh and stored eggs.

Iodine concentration in salt at household and retail shop levels in Shebe town, south west Ethiopia

OBJECTIVES

To determine the level of iodine in the salt at the retail shop and consumption levels and assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of food caterers and shopkeepers about iodized salt and iodine deficiency disorders (IDD).

DESIGN

Cross-sectional community based.

SETTING

Retail shops and households in Shebe town-Jimma zone, southwest Oromiya region.

SUBJECTS

Thirty three shopkeepers and 299 food caterers of households in Shebe town.

RESULTS

The iodine content of household salt samples ranged, from 0-75 PPM and that of the shop samples ranged from 0.1-75 PPM. Eighty one per cent of household salt samples and 82% of shop salt samples have iodine levels below the minimum standard set by the Quality and Standard Authority of Ethiopia. Knowledge about iodized salt was fairly lower for food caterers (21%) than shopkeepers (57.6%). More (80%) of shopkeepers have favourable attitude than household food caterers (50.6%). Improper practices of food caterers related to iodized salt were found to be associated with female sex (P<0.01), Amhara ethnicity (P<0.001), Orthodox religion (P=0.008), literacy status (P=0.04) and occupation (P=0.01). Good knowledge, about iodized salt was significantly associated with favourable attitude among food caterers (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that high proportions of residents in Shebe town were consuming inadequately iodized salt. There is a marked loss of iodine from salt by the time it reaches to consumption level in that some households were found to use salt with zero iodine content, whereas, all salt samples collected from the shops have at least some iodine. Poor awareness about iodized salt among food caterers and even in shopkeepers was also disclosed in this study. Socio-demographic factors such as ethnicity, religion, sex, lower educational level of food caterers might have an influence on poor, household practices like exposure of salt to sunlight. Information, education and communication on the importance consuming iodized salt and its proper handling in the house and regular monitoring of the salt iodine level at consumer level is essential for elimination of IDD.