The Effect of Herbal Product (NBS Superfood) Supplementation on Egg Quality Traits in Commercial Laying Hens

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a Herbal product (Nutrition Bio-Shield Superfood® (NBS)) supplementation in diets varying in metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein (CP) contents on the internal egg quality and fatty acid profile of eggs in commercial laying hens. A total of 420 layer hens aged from 63-74 weeks were assigned to 10 treatments with 6 replicates in a completely randomized design with a 5×2 factorial arrangement with 5 dietary levels of NBS (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2 g/kg diet) and 2 concentration of nutrients (standard and 5% diluted for ME and CP). The diluted diet significantly (P < 0.05) increased the shell thickness and shape index compared to the standard diet; however, it decreased shell weight and concentrations of margaric, elaidic, linoleic, docosahexaenoic, polyunsaturated fatty acids, n3, n6, and the ratio of n6:n3 fatty acids in egg yolk compared to the standard diet (P ≤ 0.05). NBS supplementation linearly decreased egg yolk myristic, margaric, and ginkgoic acids concentrations (P < 0.05). In addition, a significant interaction effect was found between diet dilution and NBS supplementation on the haugh unit, shape index, albumen percentage, and egg yolk margaric acid concentration. In general, the reduction of energy and CP in the diet of laying hens by 5% of the standard had no adverse effect on egg quality parameters.