Effects of Oil Types and Fat Concentrations on Production Performance, Egg Quality, and Antioxidant Capacity of Laying Hens

Simple Summary Oils and fats are relevant sources of energy and functional substances in the animal's body, ensuring its normal growth and development of laying hens needs. Eggs are rich in proteins, amino acids, and fatty acids, and are considered as 'the ideal nutrient reservoir for humans'. Adding different types and amounts of oils and fats to feed can affect the production performance and egg quality of laying hens. Therefore, it is particularly relevant to investigate the appropriate type and proportion of oils and fats to be used in egg farming. We studied the effects of different concentrations of soybean oil, lard and mixed oils on the production performance, egg quality, and antioxidant substances of laying hens. The results demonstrated that the type and quantities of oils and fats in the diets of laying hens had significant effects on the parameters studied. Thus, this experiment provides a reference for the selection of different types of oils and fats in the egg production process to improve the quality and economic benefits of eggs. In this study, soybean oil, lard and mixed oils were added to the feed in two concentrations (1.5% and 3% of each), resulting in six experimental groups. The control group was fed with a base diet without additions, and used to compare the effects of feeding on production performance and egg quality of laying hens. The results demonstrated that: (1) the 3% supplemented-oils or lard group showed a decrease in laying rate; (2) 1.5% and 3% added-lard significantly increased the total amount of unsaturated fatty acids in eggs, compared to the control group; (3) 1.5% and 3% soybean oil increased the content of mono/polyunsaturated fatty acids, cholesterol, phospholipids and choline in eggs; (4) glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) contents were increased in all groups, being the most evident in the lard-treated group; (5) all experimental groups showed an increase in the content of essential and non-essential amino acids in albumen; (6) 3% oils, especially the mixed oils, damaged the structure of globules of cooked egg yolks. Therefore, the use of 1.5% soybean oil in the feed diet of Hyline brown hens resulted in the most adequate oil to ensure animal health and economic significant improvements in this experiment.