Dietary Effects of Moringa oleifera on Table Egg Parameters of Hybrid Layers

The study aimed to determine the effects of Moringa oleifera powder (MOP) on the production performance and egg quality of Hyline hens. A total of 48 twenty-six-week-old Hyline commercial hens were randomly allocated to two treatments of 24 birds each, housed in six cages in a completely randomized design with cage as the experimental unit (n = 4). The treatments comprised of a control diet, T1 (16.02% CP, 12.61 MEMJ/kg, 0% MOP) and a basal diet plus 6% MOP in T2 (16.08% CP, 12.5 MEMJ/kg, 6% MOP). The birds on the MOP diet showed higher (p < 0.05) weight gain, laying rate (LR), average daily feed intake (ADFI), egg weight (EW), egg shape index (ESI) and shell weight (SW), with lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the control diet. The MOP diet significantly influenced yolk weight (YW), albumen weight (AW) and cholesterol content (p < 0.05) of eggs. The EW, ESI and SW increased with age, while (p < 0.05) egg surface area (ESA), egg volume (EV) and shell thickness (ST) decreased. As the birds grew older, the YW and AW increased, while the yolk index (YI) decreased (p < 0.05). An interaction between diet and age was observed for the cholesterol content (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that MOP improves egg parameters in laying hens and reduces the cholesterol content of eggs.