Effect of Clove (Feed and Water Grade) on Layers Performance and Egg Quality

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of clove (feed and water grade) on laying performance, egg quality and chemical composition. Two hundred and ten (210) point of lay (18 weeks old) of Isa brown commercial layer birds were randomly allotted after weigh balance into seven treatments of five replicates. Seven Dietary treatments (Diet 1,2,3,4,5,6,7) were established for control, 0.5, 1.0g/kg in feed, 0.5, 1.0g/liter of water, 0.25g/kg and 0.25g/litre, 0.5g/kg and 0.5g/litre of clove powder in feed and water respectively. Egg samples were stored at 4th, 6th and 8th week of the experiments and analyzed at the end of the experiment to have 4, 2 and 0 week(s) of storage. Proximate composition and lipid profile of eggs was chemically and statistically analyzed in a completely randomized design of a factorial arrangement. The results showed that the inclusion of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) increased performance of the layer birds in term of egg production at 0.5g (clove in their water) and 0.5g+0.5g (clove powder in their feed and water) respectively. The result also indicated that internal egg qualities were best at the combination of feed and water (0.5g+0.5g). The interaction effect of storage time and mode of administration of clove on the proximate composition of eggs laid by the birds was best at 0week and 4weeks storage duration. The storage time on lipid profile of eggs laid by birds fed with clove was observed to be best at 4 weeks due to the reduction of cholesterol. In conclusion, the addition of clove in feed and water at 0.5g+0.5g can be best recommended due to the increase in laying performance, egg quality. Also, the proximate composition and lipid profile of eggs stored was best at this level of inclusion.