Phytobiotic effect of Psidium guajava leaf powder on productivity and quality of the egg of laying hens

Resumen

In order to evaluate the phytobiotic effect of Psidium guajava (guava) leaf powder on the productivity and quality of the egg of laying hens, a phytochemical screening of the leaves under study was previously developed. A total of 160 White Leghorn L-33 hens, of 27 weeks old, were randomly distributed for 70 days in four treatments, with 10 repetitions each, and four hens per repetition. The treatments consisted on a control diet (T0) and the addition of 0.5 (T1), 1.0 (T2) and 1.5 % (T3) of Psidium guajava leaf powder. Saponins, reducing sugars, quinones, triterpenes, free amino acids, anthocyanidins, tannins and flavonoids (++) were detected in P. guajava leaves. The addition with 0.5 % of P. guajava leaf powder improved (P <0.05) the mass conversion (2.41 kg/kg), the production (83.46 %) and the egg weight (54.75 g) compared to the control, without notable changes (P> 0.05) for the food intake and the unfit eggs. In addition, this treatment (0.5 %) increased the shell thickness (0.26 mm) and the yolk color (7). However, the addition of 1.5 of
P. guajava decreased (P <0.05) the height of the white (5.97 mm) with respect to T0. The shell surface and yolk height did not change as a result of the experimental treatments (P> 0.05). The addition of 0.5 % of P. guajava leaf powder to laying hen diets is recommended to improve productivity and some indicators of egg quality.
Key words: additive, laying hen (ave de postura), guava, biological response