The Effects of Different Levels of Tomato Juice in Drinking Water on the Egg Quality, Performance, and Hematological Parameters of Babcock White Laying Hens

ABSTRACT This study investigates the use of tomato juice (TJ) to assess its effects on egg quality, laying hen performance, and various blood parameters. A total of 128 Babcock white laying hens, aged 50 weeks, were randomly divided into four groups (n=32), each consisting of four subgroups with eight hens. The experimental groups received tomato juice supplementation in their drinking water at concentrations of 0%, 1%, 2.5%, and 5% for four weeks. Fecal samples were collected on days 15 and 30 to evaluate total aerobic bacteria, Lactobacillus spp., Enterococcus spp., Salmonella spp., and Clostridium perfringens counts. The results showed that the 5% tomato juice group significantly increased egg weight (65.95 g/hen/day) and egg mass (56.52 g/hen/day) compared to the control group (62.63 g/hen/day and 45.35 g/hen/day, respectively). Additionally, the 5% TJ group showed improvements in egg quality, with a higher Haugh unit (80.77) and yolk color (11.21) compared to the control group (75.65 and 10.13, respectively). In conclusion, tomato juice supplementation positively affected laying hen performance, egg quality, and blood Vitamin E levels without adverse effects. Additionally, TJ supplementation appeared to enhance intestinal microbiota balance. These findings suggest that tomato juice, when added to drinking water at different concentrations, can improve both egg quality and intestinal health in older laying hens. Furthermore, the unchanged Enterococcus counts in the SBM agar indicate that tomato juice supplementation did not significantly impact this bacterial population, suggesting it may not affect all gut microbiota uniformly. However, the reduction in Lactobacillus spp. in the 5% TJ group suggests a selective influence on intestinal microbiota, which could be important for gut health management in laying hens.