Enhancing Laying Hens' Performance, Egg Quality, Shelf Life during Storage, and Blood Biochemistry with Spirulina platensis Supplementation

Simple Summary: This present study was carried out to investigate the benefits of introducing Spirulina platensis (SP), a highly nutritional microalgae, into the diets of laying hens. Our objective was to investigate the impact of varying quantities of SP (2.5 g/kg, 5 g/kg, and 10 g/kg) on egg production, egg quality, and the overall health of the laying hens. During a period of six weeks, we observed significant enhancements in the weight and mass of eggs from chickens that were given SP. Additionally, these hens exhibited darker yolk color and higher quality albumen, which are indicative of eggs' freshness. The addition of SP to hens' diet improved their liver function and elevated the protein level in their blood serum. Furthermore, the eggs from these hens exhibited improved shelf life in terms of quality stability during storage for 21 days. The findings indicate that introducing 2.5 g/kg and 5 g/kg of SP into the diet of hens can enhance productivity, boost egg quality and shelf life, and contribute to better health, thus increasing the sustainability and efficiency of chicken farming. This study emphasizes the potential of SP as a beneficial supplement for laying hens, which can enhance food production for society. Enhancing the sustainability of chicken farming involves improving health and productivity and product qualities. This study explores the influence of Spirulina platensis (SP) supplementation on the productivity, egg quality, shelf life during storage, and blood biochemistry of laying hens. A total of 192 thirty-nine-week-old White Leghorn hens were randomly divided into 4 dietary groups: a control group and 3 treatment groups receiving 2.5 g/kg, 5 g/kg, or 10 g/kg of SP, respectively. The study was conducted for six weeks with measuring feed intake, feed conversion ratio, egg production, egg quality, shelf life, and blood biochemistry. The results demonstrated significant enhancements in egg weight (p < 0.05) and egg mass (p < 0.05) in the treatment of SP groups. The SP treated hens showed significant improvements in yolk color (p < 0.05) and Haugh unit scores (p < 0.05). The SP supplementation showed a hepatoprotective effect, as indicated by significant reduction in Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (p < 0.05) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (p < 0.05) levels; however, increases in total protein, albumin, and globulin levels were observed. Furthermore, the egg quality of stored eggs for 21 days linearly increased with increments in the SP levels. In conclusion, it can be speculated that adding SP at 2.5 g/kg and 5 g/kg can significantly improve the productivity of laying hens, eggs' quality, shelf life, and blood biochemistry, thereby contributing to a more sustainable and efficient chicken production.