Effects of bread waste and Calendula officinalis inclusion on egg production and egg quality

Svetlana Grigorova, Dimo Penkov

Abstract: Study of the effect of 20% substitution of maize with bread waste and 0.5% Calendula officinalis inclusion to the laying hen’s diets on their productivity, egg quality and chemical composition of egg yolk and egg albumen was made. A total of 90 layers (42 weeks old) from Lohman Klassik Brown breed were randomly allocated into 3 groups (n = 30 hens/group//each group = 3 replications(subgroups)*10 birds in replication) – control group (main energetic source in the diet – maize); I experimental group – maize replacement with 20% extruded bread waste; II experimental group – maize replacement with 20% extruded bread waste+0.5% marigold (Calendula officinalis) flowers. The compound feeds for all the groups were isoenergetic and isoprotein balanced. The hens from II experimental group had the best feed conversion (159.80 g of feed for one egg), followed by the first experimental group – 164.17 g. It was found significant lower total yolk cholesterol content in hens from II-nd experimental group than other groups. Extruded bread waste can replace 20% of maize in laying hens diet, without negatively effect on their egg productivity and egg quality, but it’s way saved expensive maize grain, but also bread not consumed by humans is utilized.

Keywords: bread waste; Calendula officinalis; compound feed; egg quality; laying hens

Date published: 2023-08-21