EFFECT OF SYNTHETIC CAROTENOIDS, LUTEIN, AND MUSTARD ON THE PERFORMANCE AND EGG QUALITY

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of synthetic and natural sources of carotenoids on the laying performance of hens, their egg quality, and the content of vitamins and carotenoids in the egg yolks. The hens were fed a diet without added carotenoids and supplemented with a combination of the following: Carophyll® Yellow and Carophyll® Red at 15 and 20 mg kg–1, respectively; lutein at 100 mg kg–1 as a lutein powder extract (90%); and meal consisting of Brassica juncea (L.) at 10 g kg–1. Carophyll and lutein significantly increased albumen quality, which was evaluated on the basis of albumen height (P = 0.002), albumen index (P < 0.001), and Haugh units (P = 0.002). The yolk colour parameters significantly increased (P < 0.001) in the following order: control, mustard meal, lutein, and Carophyll. The addition of Carophyll increased (P < 0.001) the redness value of the yolks, whereas lutein increased (P < 0.001) the yellowness of the yolks. Compared with the control group, supplementing the diets with Carophyll and lutein significantly (P < 0.001) increased the concentrations of B-carotene (by 47 and 66%), lutein (by 17 and 97%), and zeaxanthin (by 42 and 94%) in the egg yolks, respectively.