Effects Of Quercetin On Performance And Lipids Metabolism In Laying Hens

Two hundred and forty laying hens were randomly allotted into control and three treatments. Control was fed basal diet and treatments were fed basal diets supplemented with0.02%,0.04%,0.06%quercetin, respectively. Trial lasted for eight weeks. This trial was designed to study effect of quercetin on performance and lipids metabolism. The result would provide theoretical basis for quercetin as functional feed additives.The study included three parts as follows:1. Effects of quercetin on performance and endocrine hormones in laying hens:Compared with control,0.02%quercetin significantly increased laying rate by5.95%(P<0.05);0.04%quercetin decreased significantly feed-egg ratio by9.74%(P<0.05);0.04%quercetin significantly increased serum estradiol content(P<0.05);0.02%and0.04%quercetin significantly increased serum insulin content(P<0.05), and0.04%quercetin was significantly higher than0.02%and0.06%quercetin(P<0.05). The results indicate that, quercetin improved the production performance by regulating of endocrine hormone.2. Effects of quercetin on egg components in laying hens:Compared with control, no significant effects were observed in content of egg white water, egg yolk water and egg yolk fat(P>0.05). The results indicated that, the nutrition and buying power were not decreased significantly with a suitable content of additives.3. Effects of quercetin on lipids metabolism in laying hens:Compared with control, there were decreased trend in serum TG and LDL-C content(P=0.085;P=0.067); No significant effects were observed in serum TC and HDL-C(P>0.05);0.02%quercetin significantly increased serum FFA content by41.26%(P<0.05),0.04%quercetin significantly increased content of serum VLDL-C, Apo-B and Apo-Al;0.02%and0.04%quercetin significantly increased content of total phospholipid by20.90%and32.04%; compared with control,0.04%quercetin significantly increased lecithin content by19.86%. No significant effects were observed in other treatments. The results indicated that, no significant effects were observed in serum lipids. But it can significantly increase content of VLDL-C, Apo-B and Apo-Al. Quercetin improved the total phospholipid and lecithin in yolk with a suitable content of additives.In summary, appropriate dosage of quercetin could improved performance, the content of lecitin in yolk. Under the condition of this trial, the optimum supplimention of quercetin for improving performance and lecithin content was0.04%.