Effects of addition of flaxseed and/or organic copper to diets of laying hens on production characteristics yolk and blood cholesterol levels

This study was carried out to determine the effects of different levels of dietary flaxseed and/or organic on performance, blood and yolk cholesterol levels in laying hens.One hundred ninety two 26-weeks-old leghorn layers were used in the experiment. Laying hens were randomly allocated into 6,25% flaxseed (6,25F), 12,5% flaxseed (12,5F), 125 ppm organic copper (C), 125 ppm organic copper plus 6,25% flaxseed (C+6,25F), 125 ppm organic copper plus 12,5% flaxseed (C+12,5F) treatment groups according to flaxseed (F) and copper (C) levels. They were assigned to treatment groups each containing 32 birds (8 replicates of 4 birds). The experimental period lasted 10 weeks.Laying hens fed diets including 2750 kcal/kg metabolisable energy, 16,84% crude protein, 3,73% calcium, 0,44% available phosphorus, 0,38% methionine ve 0,86% lysine in the experiment. Flaxseed and/or organic copper was supplemented to treatment group diets at expressed levels. Birds consumed the diets and water ad libitum.Feed consumptions in experimental groups were 110,06, 113,88, 116,81, 110,16, 110,79, 117,43 g/hen/day respectively and statistical differences among the groups were found significant (P<0.01). Feed conversion ratios (FCR) were determined 114,24, 119,91, 122,53, 115,52, 119,17, 120,51 g feed/egg in the experimental groups and differences between the groups were statistically significant (P<0.05).Egg production in dietary treatment groups were determined as 96,65, 93,35, 96,33, 95,61, 94,25, 97,47% respectively and significant differences were found between experimental groups (P<0.001).Body weight and egg quality characteristics (egg weight, yolk weight, yolk diameter, shell weight, shell thickness) were not affected by the dietary treatments whereas diets supplemented with flaxseed and/or organic copper.Blood cholesterol concentrations were determined as 129,81, 116,26, 97,52, 129,02, 116,27, 102,95 mg/dl respectively and differences among the experimental groups were found statistically significant (P<0,001). Egg yolk cholesterol concentration in treatment groups were indicated at 5th week 10,40, 8,66, 8,33, 10,21, 9,38, 9,67, 10th week 12,65, 12,29, 11,39, 10,38, 10,65, 11,63 mg/kg respectively. Differences between groups were found significant (P<0.05) at 5th week but not significant at 10th week.Keywords: Hen, flaxseed, organic copper, performance, cholesterol