DIETARY EFFECT OF BLACK SEED (NIGELLA SATIVA) AND METHI (FENUGREEK) AS SINGLE AND COMBINED DOSE ON LAYING HEN

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess, examine and quantify the effect of dietary black seed and methi supplementation on egg production and egg quality of laying hens at 20 to 36 week age from January to April, 2015. A total of fourty eight (48) Hisex Brown hens of 20 weeks old were allocated to 4 groups, each containing hens. The hens in individual cage were supplied fixed amount of feed (120gm/day) containing 18.5% CP and 2725 Kcal ME/kg diet. Hens were randomly alloted to four (4) different dietary treatments: T0: (control), T1: (black seed 2gm/kg), T2: (Methi 2gm/kg) and T3: (black seed 2gm/kg and methi 2gm/kg). Body weight change, egg production, feed conversion ratio, egg weight, egg size characteristics were recorded and compared. Shape index, yolk index, albumen index, Haugh unit, shell thickness, per cent shell, percent albumen and percent yolk parameters were also recorded. No. of egg production, total egg mass production and feed conversion ratio increased at increasing level of black seed and methi. But, there were no significant change of shell weight, shell percent, shell thickness, shape index, albumin index, yolk index, and percent yolk have not showed with increasing levels of black seed and methi (p>0.05)