Effects of Ginger (Zingiber officinale, Roscoe) Essential Oil on Growth and Laying Performances, Serum Metabolites, and Egg Yolk Antioxidant and Cholesterol Status in Laying Japanese Quail

This study aimed to investigate the effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale, Rosc.) essential oil on growth and laying performances, egg yolk antioxidant and cholesterol status, and serum metabolites in Japanese quail. Eighty 3-week-old Japanese quails weighing between 120 and 130 g were equally and randomly assigned to four groups receiving daily and orally, respectively, 100 µl/kg body weight (bw) distilled water and 50, 100, and 150 µl/kg bw of ginger rhizomes essential oil, respectively. The entire feeding trial for all groups lasted for 9 weeks and the Z. officinale essential oil effects were studied on growth and laying performances, serum metabolites, and egg yolk antioxidant and cholesterol status. Results revealed that feed intake, live and body weights gain, feed conversion ratio, egg production, and weekly mass of eggs were not significantly (P>0.05) influenced by oral administration of ginger rhizomes essential oil. Unlike the abdominal fat weight which decreased significantly (p<0.05) in all treated quails, the oral administration of ginger rhizomes essential oil had no significant effects (p> 0.05) on liver, intestine, heart, and gizzard relative weights as compared to the control. Egg weight markedly (P<0.05) increased in Japanese quails treated with ginger rhizomes essential oil whatever the dose with reference to the control. The serum content in total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and transaminases (AST and ALT) decreased significantly (P<0.05) with 100 and 150 µl/kg bw of ginger rhizomes essential oil compared to control group. In conclusion, oral administration of 100 to 150 µl/kg bw of ginger rhizomes essential oil to laying Japanese quails positively influences egg weight and decreased serum and egg cholesterols without any adverse effect on feed intake and body weight gain.