Effect of Vitamin AD3E, Folic Acid, Selenium and Zinc as Dietary Supplements for Commercial Laying Hens on Production of Multi-Enriched Eggs

This study was carried out at the Department of Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Baghdad, to evaluate the effect of adding vitamin AD3E, Folic acid, Selenium (Se), and Zinc (Zn) and its mixture as dietary supplements for commercial laying hens on production of multi-enriched table eggs. A total of 105 commercial Lohmann Brown laying hens were divided into seven treatment groups (15 hens per group), which were T1: control group fed basal diet, T2: AD3E (1 gm/kg feed) + basal diet, T3: folic acid (15 mg/kg feed) + basal diet T4: Zn (120 mg/kg feed) + Se (0.2 mg/kg feed) + basal diet, T5: AD3E + Folic acid + basal diet, T6: AD3E + Se + Zn + basal diet, T7: AD3E + Folic acid + Se + Zn + basal diet for a period of four months of egg production. Results revealed that all treatments showed significant differences in vitamin A, E, and D3 (ppm). Treatment (T6) and (T7) recorded the highest values during the first month of the experiment compared to treatment (T2) and (T5), which ranked second in terms of values. This indicates an increase in the egg content of vitamins A, E, and D3 in treatment (T7) and (T6). Dietary zinc and selenium treatments recorded significant (P≤0.01) differences during the first month for selenium. Treatment (T7) recorded the highest selenium and zinc values followed by treatment (T6). As the age of the study advanced to 2, 3, and 4 months vitamins A, E, D3, Folic acid, selenium and zinc supplemented diets, its concentrations increased in the egg treatments, and the concentration also increased in the enriched eggs treatment (T2, T3 and T4) and multi-enriched eggs treatments (T5, T6 and T7). In conclusion, adding vitamin AD3E, Folic acid, Se, and Zn and its mixtures as dietary supplements in layer hens successfully produce of enriched and multi-enriched table eggs.