Effects of Ginger Extract on Laying Performance, Egg Quality, and Antioxidant Status of Laying Hens

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The application of in-feed antibiotic growth promoters was banned in many countries due to their negative effects, and several kinds of feed additives were widely investigated as antibiotic alternatives, in which natural plant-derived products received much attention due to their environmentally friendly properties and numerous biological activities. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), a widely used herbal medicine and spice, was proven to have potential as an antibiotic alternative in poultry feed, but there is little literature on the efficacy of ginger extract (GE), which has concentrated bioactive compounds with high bioavailability. Our results showed that dietary GE supplementation increased egg weight, improved egg quality, and reduced the yolk cholesterol content of laying hens. Decreased serum activities of alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase and improved antioxidant status were observed in the GE group. Our study demonstrated the potential benefits of GE in laying hens. ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of ginger extract (GE) as a dietary supplement for laying hens. A total of 40-week-old 288 Hyline Brown laying hens were randomly divided into two groups with six replicates, and fed a basal diet with or without 100 g/t GE for eight weeks. Dietary GE supplementation increased egg weight, albumin height, and Haugh unit of eggs, and decreased yolk cholesterol content and activities of alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase in serum at eight weeks. Moreover, GE resulted in higher total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content in yolk at four and eight weeks and in serum. It was concluded that GE was effective in increasing egg weight and improving the egg quality and antioxidant status of laying hens.