Effects Of Allicin On Performance, Caecum Microorganism And Serum Biochemical Index In Laying Hens

The effect of allicin on performance and caecum microorganism and serum biochemical index in laying hens was studied. 240 sixty two-week-old laying hens were randomly divided into four groups , each group has four replicates , each replicate has 15 laying hens .Laying hens were fed a basal diet or allicin at 50,100,150mg/kg of basal diet respectively.The testing period was five weeks.The egg production, feed efficiency, average egg weight and feed intake/day were statisticed, E.Coli and lactobacillus in caecum contents of laying hens were tested. The activity of aspartic transaminase (AST),alkaline phosphatase(ALP) and glutamine-glutamyl transferase (GGT) ,and the levels of total protein(TP),albumin protein(ALB),globular protein(GLO),cholesterin (CHOL),triglyceride(TG),blood glucose(GLU) and uric acid(UA) were analyzed.The results were as follows: 1. Effects of allicin on the performance of laying hens The diets supplemented with 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg allicin significantly increased feed efficiency during 62-67 week (P<0.05). The diets supplemented with 150 mg/kg allicin had no significant effect on feed efficiency (P>0.05);The diets with 150 mg/kg significantly decreased egg production (P<0.05); The differences in average egg weight of each treatment and feed intake /day were not striding (P>0.05). 50, 100, 150mg/kg of allicin all decreased the death rate of the hens, but increased the broken-soft-eggshell rate. 2. Effects of allicin on the Population of E.Coli and Lactobacillus in Caecum Contents Compared with the contrast-groups, the diets supplemented with 50,100 and 150 mg/kg allicin has restrained the E.Coli in caecum contents (P<0.05);compared with the allicin within 50, 100, 150mg/kg groups, the 150mg/kg was the most effective to restrain the E,Coli (P<0.05). The lactobacillus in caecum contents of each treatment group was not significantly different (P>0.05). 3. Effects of allicin on Serum Biochemical Index Compared with the contrast-groups, the allicin in 50, 100, 150mg/kg has apparently increased the level of ALB in serum (P<0.05), among which the allicin in 50mg/kg made the biggest range (P<0.05). And the allicin in 50, 100, 150mg/kg had the trend to increase the serum TP and GLO. Each allicin-treatment group, to some extent, reduced the activity of serum AST and ALP (P>0.05), but made no effect in GGT (P>0.05). And each group made little effect on serum CHOL, TG, GLU, and UA (P>0.05). Conclusion: To add allicin in the daily diet for laying hens, it is better to decide on 50mg/kg and 100mg/kg . It will reduce the feed efficiency significantly. But the addition over 150mg/kg will cause the reduction of the production performance. The allicin's function of increasing the feed efficiency was related to restraining the caecun E.Coli, enhancing the level of serum ALB and improving the liver function.