Effect of Addition of Fish Oil on the Performance Parameters of Laying Hens and the Fatty Acid Composition of their Egg Yolk

Abstract

This experiment was carried out to study the effect of addition of fish oil on the performance parameters of laying hens and the fatty acid composition of their egg yolk. 60 hens of a commercial strain of SCWL hens at ten months of age were fed diets containing fish oil (FO) or olien oil (OO). Each treatment consists of 3 replicates with 10 birds per .replicate Egg production was recorded daily; egg weight and fatty .acid composition of the yolk was recorded weekly Feeding 3% FO result an increase in egg production and egg weight. Addition of FO resulted also showed in an increase in concentrations of saturated fatty, whereas concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids and .polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased with FO addition It can be concluded from the present experiments that addition of FO increased the amount of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)( is an omega-3 fatty acid) and α-Linolenic acid in egg yolk which accompanied by a reduction in the amount of yolk polyunsaturated fatty acids and increase in . yolk saturated fatty acids, Egg size and egg production