Inclusion of seaweed Gracilaria sp as a dietary protein alternative in laying hens

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.9733122221210

• Palavras-chave: algae, eggs, cholesterol

• Keywords: algae, eggs, cholesterol

• Abstract:

  The recommendations for restricted egg consumption are aimed at the population with hypercholesterolemia, directing research to reduce their cholesterol. The objective was to evaluate the inclusion of red algae: Gracilaria sp. in the diet of laying poultries and its effect on productive variables and concentration of cholesterol in eggs. The alga was cultivated in the Atacama region, Chile, dried in the sun and crushed to be included in the diet. Two hundred 40-week-old laying hens were used, divided into 4 treatments and 5 repetitions, distributed in a randomized block design. The treatments were supplementation with seaweed at 0, 15, 30 and 45%. The following were evaluated: weekly feed intake, egg production, and feed conversion and egg mass were calculated. Cholesterol content was determined in 480 randomly collected eggs per week per repetition and treatment. Data were analyzed with ANOVA and Duncan's test (p<0.05). The treatments of 30 and 45% were suspended at the fifth and fourth week, respectively, due to decreased food consumption and cessation of egg laying. The cholesterol content of the yolk decreased from 23.36 to 17.27 mg g of yolk-1, due to the inclusion of the algae. The inclusion of the alga: Gracilaria sp, decreases the cholesterol level of the egg yolk, but alters the consumption of the poultries.