Effect of extractive substances from spruce needle biomass on eggs production and quality

Extractive substances of spruce needles were produced from a forestry by-product – green biomass of spruce needles. Investigations were carried out to evaluate the effects of the additive of biologically active substances from spruce needles (total extractive, separate, neutral extractive and acidic extractive substances) on laying hens’ productivity and egg quality, to assess their effects on the innovative composition of hen eggs. The feeding trial was conducted with a cross Lohmann Brown laying hens by adding the total, neutral and acid extractive substances of spruce needles to the composition of trial group hens’ diet at the amount of 0.04–0.05 %. The control group did not receive additives of extractive substances. Using spruce needle extractive substances increased egg production on average by 2.10–4.86 %, egg weight by 3.86–7.50 %, and decreased feed conversion by 10.76–12.55 % in comparison with the control group ( p < 0.05). The use of the additive of neutral extractive substances in hens’ diet improved the content of a -linolenic acid by 0.35 %, total carotenoids by 2.31 mg kg -1 , and α-tocopherol by 3.20 mg 100 g -1 , but decreased the cholesterol level by 178.06 mg 100 g - 1 in egg yolk in comparison with the control group (commercial eggs). By using additives of neutral extractive substances in hens’ diet it was possible to obtain hen eggs of an innovative composition. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ct.62.4.3120