A traditional Chinese medicine composition for improving the later production performance of laying hens, a preparation method and application thereof

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of traditional Chinese medicine veterinary medicine, and particularly relates to a traditional Chinese medicine composition for improving the production performance of egg hens in later period. The traditional Chinese medicine composition is prepared from the following raw medicinal materials in parts by weight: Millettia speciosa 40-80 parts, Baptisia tinctoria 40-80 parts, Cyperus 20-40 parts, Notholaena 20-40 parts, and Ochre 30-60 parts. The traditional Chinese medicine composition can slow down the aging of egg hens and prolong the egg laying peak. It is particularly used for prolonging the egg laying rate and average egg weight of egg hens in later period under intensive feeding conditions. When it is used at 50 weeks, the egg laying rate can be slowed down, and even the egg laying rate and average egg weight can be increased.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of traditional Chinese medicine and veterinary medicine technology, specifically relating to a traditional Chinese medicine composition for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of intensive egg-laying hen farming, while production efficiency has improved to some extent, it has also brought about a series of problems. For example, the prevalence of chronic inflammation caused by factors such as overnutrition and high stress levels leads to premature exhaustion of the hens' physical strength, rapid depletion of their physiological resources, and accelerated aging. Consequently, the peak laying period ends prematurely, with egg production rates falling below 85% at 60 weeks and below 80% at 70 weeks. At the same time, egg quality declines significantly in the later stages of laying, with increased disease incidence, higher mortality rates, and poorer plumage. Statistics show that the economic losses caused by eggshell damage and sub-health of hens each year amount to hundreds of millions of yuan, resulting in huge hidden losses for the egg-laying hen farming industry.

[0003] Solving this problem requires balancing the need to maintain the production performance and efficiency of laying hens with the need to avoid the use of antibiotics and ensure the safety of meat and eggs. Therefore, traditional Chinese medicine theory may offer a better solution to this dilemma.

[0004] Large-scale egg-laying hens share characteristics such as uniform living habits, identical breeds, similar diets, similar growth environments, and consistent work-rest patterns. This provides unique conditions for TCM group diagnosis. Prescribing based on TCM diagnosis and then conducting clinical trials, with repeated adjustments, may yield an effective formula to address the problems of reduced egg production performance and poor egg quality in the later stages of laying caused by premature aging in hens. Furthermore, the medications used are all traditional Chinese herbs whose safety has been verified over thousands of years, mitigating food safety risks. Clearly, such an effective formula can not only solve the practical problems faced by the poultry industry but also generate substantial economic benefits. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the problems and shortcomings of the existing technology, the purpose of this invention is to provide a traditional Chinese medicine composition that improves the late-stage production performance of laying hens.

[0006] To achieve the objectives of this invention, the technical solution adopted is as follows:

[0007] The first aspect of this invention provides a traditional Chinese medicine composition for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens. The traditional Chinese medicine composition comprises the following raw materials in parts by weight: 40-80 parts of *Achyranthes bidentata*, 40-80 parts of *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, 20-40 parts of *Cyperus rotundus*, 20-40 parts of *Pteris vittata*, and 30-60 parts of hematite.

[0008] According to the traditional Chinese medicine composition for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens, preferably, the traditional Chinese medicine composition comprises the following raw medicinal materials in parts by weight: 80 parts of millettia speciosa champ, 80 parts of cytisus scoparius, 40 parts of cyperus rotundus, 40 parts of stenoloma chusanum, and 60 parts of hematite.

[0009] The second aspect of the present invention provides a preparation method of the traditional Chinese medicine composition for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens as described in the first aspect, and the steps are as follows: weighing each raw medicinal material according to the parts by weight described in the first aspect above; then respectively performing fragmentation treatment on millettia speciosa champ, cytisus scoparius, cyperus rotundus, stenoloma chusanum, and hematite to obtain crude tablets of each raw medicinal material; and obtaining the traditional Chinese medicine composition after crushing, sieving, and mixing the crude tablets of each raw medicinal material.

[0010] According to the preparation method, preferably, a sieve with a mesh size not exceeding 80 meshes is used for sieving treatment. More preferably, the passing rate of the traditional Chinese medicine composition through an 80-mesh sieve is more than 95%.

[0011] The third aspect of the present invention provides the application of the traditional Chinese medicine composition as described in the first aspect in drugs for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens. Particularly, it is used for prolonging the egg production rate and average egg weight of laying hens in the late stage under intensive feeding conditions. When used starting from 50 weeks, it can slow down the decline of the egg production rate, and even increase the egg production rate and increase the average egg weight.

[0012] The fourth aspect of the present invention provides a drug for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens, and the drug is prepared from the traditional Chinese medicine composition as described in the first aspect and pharmaceutically acceptable excipients.

[0013] Preferably, the dosage form of the drug is an oral dosage form.

[0014] Preferably, the oral dosage form is a powder.

[0015] According to the drug for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens, preferably, the usage method and dosage of the drug are as follows: adding the drug in the form of a powder to the feed, and the addition ratio is 0.5 - 0.8%.

[0016] All components of the present invention can be purchased as commercially available products, and the formula principle of the traditional Chinese medicine composition is as follows:

[0017] Millettia speciosa champ: Millettia speciosa champ is a plant of the genus millettia of the legume family, and it is a traditional plant with both medicinal and edible uses. Its root is used as medicine, with a sweet and fragrant smell, a mild nature, and has the effects of invigorating yang, nourishing the kidneys and tonifying deficiency, strengthening muscles and activating collaterals, calming the liver, and moistening the lungs. It is mainly used for treating kidney deficiency and qi deficiency. In this formula, its effect of nourishing the kidneys and tonifying deficiency is applied.

[0018] Parochetus communis Buch.-Ham., a plant belonging to the genus Parochetus in the legume family, is used medicinally as a whole herb. It is harvested in summer and autumn, washed, and dried or used fresh. It is sour and warm in nature, and enters the liver and spleen meridians. It nourishes yin, harmonizes blood, and strengthens the spleen, primarily replenishing qi and blood from overexertion. It also has a warming effect on yang, thus nourishing yin and blood without being cloying. In this formula, it primarily replenishes qi and blood without contributing to phlegm and dampness, making it most suitable for the condition.

[0019] *Stenoloma chusana* (L.) Ching, a plant in the family Lepidoptera. It is distributed throughout areas south of the Yangtze River, extending west to Sichuan and Yunnan, and north to Shaanxi. Its functions include clearing heat and dampness, detoxifying, and stopping bleeding. In this formula, it is used to clear damp-heat and eliminate phlegm-dampness, thus clearing away the damp-heat and toxins accumulated in the body due to long-term excessive nutrition.

[0020] Cyperus rotundus L., a plant in the Cyperaceae family, is the rhizome of this plant. It is also known as Xiangfuzi (from *Tang Materia Medica*) and Shacaogen (from *Mingyi Bielu*). It has a pungent, slightly bitter, and sweet taste, and is neutral in nature. It enters the liver and triple burner meridians. It is primarily used to treat liver-stomach disharmony, qi stagnation, phlegm accumulation, and abdominal distension. In this formula, it is used to unblock meridians obstructed by phlegm and dampness, promote the flow of qi throughout the body, and aid blood circulation.

[0021] Hematite: A mineral derived from the oxide mineral hematite. Also known as Dai Zhe (from *Shang Han Lun*), Zi Zhu (from *Pu Ji Fang*), Xu Wan (from *Ben Jing*), Tu Zhu (from *Ren Zhai Zhi Zhi Fang*), Tie Zhu (from *Ben Cao Gang Mu*), etc. It tastes bitter and sweet, and is neutral in nature. It enters the liver, stomach, and pericardium meridians. Functions: Calms the liver and suppresses rebellious qi, cools the blood and stops bleeding. In this formula, it is used for its liver-calming and wind-extinguishing effects, while simultaneously stopping hiccups and guiding the medicinal effects downwards.

[0022] Intensive egg-laying hens, in their pursuit of excessive production performance, prematurely deplete their vital energy (qi and blood). Simultaneously, the relatively excessive nutrient supply and extremely restrictive activity space lead to internal obstruction of phlegm and dampness, and stagnation of qi and blood, further exacerbating the depletion of essence and vital energy. This causes premature aging in the hens, resulting in feather loss, increased disease, decreased egg quality, reduced egg production, or even cessation of egg production, and in severe cases, death. Based on this assessment, traditional Chinese medicine is used primarily to replenish qi and nourish blood, supplemented with qi-regulating and blood-activating herbs, while simultaneously clearing damp heat and eliminating phlegm and dampness. This replenishes the body's qi and blood, clears phlegm and dampness, thereby achieving a balanced and healthy state of yin and yang, naturally delaying aging, slowing the rapid decline in egg production, and even potentially improving egg production performance.

[0023] In this application, *Achyranthes bidentata* is used as the principal ingredient to soothe the liver, moisten the lungs, nourish qi, and replenish deficiencies, thus replenishing depleted qi and blood. *Gynostemma pentaphyllum* and *Cyperus rotundus* are used as assistant ingredients. *Gynostemma pentaphyllum* nourishes yin, harmonizes blood, and dispels wind, eliminating blood stasis in the liver and spleen and promoting smooth blood flow. *Cyperus rotundus* promotes qi circulation throughout the body and soothes the liver and relieves depression. *Ferns indicum* is used as an adjuvant ingredient to clear heat and promote diuresis, eliminating dampness in the body and preventing the potential for dampness to be exacerbated by blood-tonifying drugs. *Hematite* is used as the guiding ingredient, both directing the medicinal properties downwards and promoting liver calming and wind extinguishing effects. This is because liver blood deficiency can easily lead to internal liver wind, hiccups, and vomiting (chickens do not vomit, but may exhibit indigestion and vomiting water). This comprehensive formula works synergistically to replenish qi and blood while clearing heat and promoting diuresis, relieving internal damp-heat and qi stagnation and blood stasis. Long-term use can slow down the aging process of laying hens and prolong their peak egg production period.

[0024] The traditional Chinese medicine composition prepared in this application has shown outstanding effects in improving the late-stage laying performance of laying hens. When applied to 50-week-old laying hens, after 12 weeks of continuous use, the egg production rate increased by approximately 4% compared to flocks that did not use this product. In contrast, the egg production rate of flocks that did not use this product declined by 3% after 12 weeks. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a visual diagram showing the changes in egg production rate in each group during Experiment 1 of the traditional Chinese medicine composition of this invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a visual representation of the average egg weight changes in each group during Experiment 1 of the traditional Chinese medicine composition of this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0028] Example 1

[0029] A drug for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 80 parts of *Smilax glabra*, 80 parts of *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, 40 parts of *Cyperus rotundus*, 40 parts of *Adiantum capillus-veneris*, and 60 parts of hematite.

[0030] The preparation method is as follows: weigh each raw material according to the weight parts; then shred the raw materials of *Smilax glabra*, *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, *Cyperus rotundus*, *Pteris vittata*, and *Hematite* into coarse pieces with an average diameter of about 1 cm using a shredder; pulverize the raw material pieces in a grinder and pass them through an 80-mesh sieve, then mix them in a mixer for 30 minutes to obtain the drug.

[0031] Example 2

[0032] A drug for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 40 parts of *Smilax glabra*, 80 parts of *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, 40 parts of *Cyperus rotundus*, 40 parts of *Ferns indicum*, and 60 parts of hematite.

[0033] The preparation method is basically the same as that in Example 1.

[0034] Example 3

[0035] A drug for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 80 parts of *Smilax glabra*, 40 parts of *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, 20 parts of *Cyperus rotundus*, 40 parts of *Ferns indicum*, and 60 parts of hematite.

[0036] The preparation method is basically the same as that in Example 1.

[0037] Example 4

[0038] A drug for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 60 parts of *Smilax glabra*, 80 parts of *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, 40 parts of *Cyperus rotundus*, 40 parts of *Ferns indicum*, and 60 parts of hematite.

[0039] The preparation method is basically the same as that in Example 1.

[0040] Example 5

[0041] A drug for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 80 parts of *Smilax glabra*, 60 parts of *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, 30 parts of *Cyperus rotundus*, 40 parts of *Ferns indicum*, and 60 parts of hematite.

[0042] The preparation method is basically the same as that in Example 1.

[0043] Comparative Example 1

[0044] A drug for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 80 parts of goldenrod, 40 parts of cyperus rhizome, 40 parts of fern root, 60 parts of hematite, without the addition of oxalis root.

[0045] The preparation method is basically the same as that in Example 1.

[0046] Comparative Example 2

[0047] A drug for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens, composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 80 parts of *Achyranthes bidentata*, without the addition of *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, *Cyperus rotundus*, *Pteris vittata*, and hematite.

[0048] The preparation method is basically the same as that in Example 1.

[0049] Comparative Example 3

[0050] A drug for improving the late-stage production performance of laying hens is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: 80 parts of *Smilax glabra*, 80 parts of *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, 40 parts of *Cyperus rotundus*, without the addition of *Adiantum capillus-veneris* and hematite.

[0051] The preparation method is basically the same as that in Example 1.

[0052] Experimental Example 1:

[0053] 1. Experimental Materials and Methods

[0054] A single Hy-Line Brown laying hen house with 10,000 birds aged 352 days was selected, with a total of 768 birds divided into 8 groups: a control group (fed a normal complete diet), a control group (fed a complete diet plus 0.01% astaxanthin), experimental group 1 (complete diet plus 0.8% of the drug from Example 1), experimental group 2 (complete diet plus 0.8% of the drug from Example 2), experimental group 3 (complete diet plus 0.8% of the drug from Example 3), experimental group 4 (complete diet plus 0.8% of the drug from Comparative Example 1), experimental group 5 (complete diet plus 0.8% of the drug from Comparative Example 2), and experimental group 6 (complete diet plus 0.8% of the drug from Comparative Example 3). Sufficient drinking water was provided during the experiment, and the daily light duration was controlled at 16.5 hours, the light intensity at 12 lux, and the color temperature at approximately 3000 K. Immunization and production were carried out according to normal procedures throughout the experiment. The complete diet formula and nutritional composition are shown in Table 1.

[0055] Table 1. Nutritional Composition of Corn and Soybean Meal Basal Diets

[0056] raw material content Nutrition content corn 64％ Metabolizable energy (kcal / kg) 2799 soybean meal 25.0 Crude protein, % 16.5 soybean oil 0.5 calcium,% 3.5 stone powder 9.0 Total phosphorus, % 0.51 premix 2.0 Available phosphorus, % 0.27 total 100.0 Methionine + Cystine, % 0.43 Lysine, % 0.80

[0057] Note: Vitamin content per 1000 kg of complete diet: VA: 110000 Ug; VD3: 4000000 U; VE: 72g; VB1: 3g; VB2: 5g; VB6: 2g; VB12: 40mg; VK3: 5g; Nicotinamide: 50g; Calcium pantothenate: 20g; Biotin: 300mg; Folic acid: 2.5g; Copper: 20g; Iron: 66g; Manganese: 100g; Zinc: 100g; Selenium: 0.2g; Iodine: 2.6g.

[0058] The experiment lasted for 12 weeks. At week 12, blood was collected from the subwing vein of 8 chickens randomly selected from each group. Serum was collected, and the levels of antioxidants (superoxide dismutase SOD, glutathione peroxidase GSH-P) in the serum were measured using a kit. X The results of the detection of catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) are shown in Table 2. Experimental data were analyzed using SPSS 17.0 with one-way ANOVA and Duncan's method for multiple comparisons to determine statistical significance. Egg production rate and average egg weight were recorded at weeks 0, 4, 8, and 12 of the experimental drug treatment. The results are shown in Tables 3 and 4.

[0059] 2. Test Results

[0060] (1) The serum antioxidant indicators of each group are shown in Table 2 below.

[0061] Table 2 Antioxidant levels in each group after 12 weeks of medication.

[0062] Group SOD (U / mL) GSH-Px (U / mL) CAT (U / mL) MDA(nmoL / L) T-AOC (U / mL) Blank group 13.22 ± 0.39 B ]] 539.28 ± 10.77 B ]] 4.37 ± 0.30 D ]] 26.65 ± 1.06 A ]] 18.84 ± 0.31 A ]] control group 17.11 ± 0.21 D ]] 659.44 ± 11.93 A ]] 13.10 ± 0.69 B ]] <![CDATA[15.44±0.67 C ]]> <![CDATA[23.81±0.22 C ]]> Experiment 1 Group <![CDATA[18.96±0.28 F ]]> <![CDATA[874.05±11.62 D ]]> <![CDATA[25.98±0.48 F ]]> <![CDATA[10.09±0.32 E ]]> <![CDATA[29.23±0.28 E <!-- 4 -->]]> Experiment 2 group <![CDATA[16.34±0.21 H ]]> <![CDATA[780.47±16.04 F ]]> <![CDATA[17.34±0.34 A ]]> <![CDATA[12.07±0.17 G ]]> <![CDATA[26.89±0.24 G ]]> Experimental Group 3 <![CDATA[15.58±0.26 J ]]> <![CDATA[749.36±16.46 H ]]> <![CDATA[17.97±0.25 A ]]> <![CDATA[12.84±0.34 I ]]> <![CDATA[26.02±0.32 I ]]> Experiment 4 group <![CDATA[12.75±0.39 AB ]]> <![CDATA[605.47±11.93 J ]]> <![CDATA[8.96±0.41 H ]]> <![CDATA[17.86±0.39 K ]]> <![CDATA[20.02±0.32 K ]]> Experiment 5 group <![CDATA[12.88±0.36 A ]]> <![CDATA[614.33±18.00 L ]]> <![CDATA[9.33±0.30 J ]]> <![CDATA[16.91±0.44 M ]]> <![CDATA[19.62±0.66 M ]]> Experiment 6 group <![CDATA[14.93±0.26 L ]]> <![CDATA[657.32±21.82 A ]]> <![CDATA[15.16±0.18 L ]]> <![CDATA[14.52±0.44 O ]]> <![CDATA[22.40±0.49 O ]]>

[0063] Note: In the table above, data with the same subtitle in the same column indicate no significant difference (p>0.05), different but adjacent subtitle letters indicate significant difference (p<0.05), and different and non-adjacent subtitle letters indicate extremely significant difference (p<0.01).

[0064] As shown in Table 2, the levels of antioxidant indicators SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, and T-AOC in the serum of laying hens supplemented with 0.01% astaxanthin in the control group were significantly higher than those in the blank group, while the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly lower than that in the control group. Specifically, the antioxidant indicators (SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, and T-AOC) in Experiment 1 were significantly higher than those in other groups, while the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) was significantly lower. This indicates that the drug combination in Example 1 is superior to other drug combinations in terms of anti-aging or anti-stress levels in late-laying laying hens. It also indicates that the appropriate ratio of *Achyranthes bidentata* to *Gynostemma pentaphyllum* and *Cyperus rotundus* is 1:1:0.5. While ratios of 1:2:1 or 2:1:0.25 also have some effect, they are not as effective as the 1:1:0.5 ratio. Furthermore, formulations lacking *Achyranthes bidentata*, containing only *Achyranthes bidentata*, or containing only *Achyranthes bidentata*, *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, and *Cyperus rotundus*, while effective compared to the blank group, have significantly reduced efficacy, far inferior to the complete formulation described in Example 1.

[0065] (2) The egg production performance indicators of each group are shown in Table 3, and their intuitive trend graphs are shown in Table 3. Figure 1 .

[0066] Table 3. Changes in egg production rate (%) in each group during the experiment.

[0067] project Week 0 (%) Week 4 (%) Week 8 (%) Week 12 (%) Blank group 87.50 88.54 86.46 84.38 control group 88.54 89.58 90.63 90.63 Experiment 1 Group 88.54 90.63 92.71 92.71 Experiment 2 group 87.50 87.50 88.54 88.54 Experimental Group 3 89.58 90.63 89.58 90.63 Experiment 4 group 88.54 88.54 87.50 88.54 Experiment 5 group 87.50 88.54 87.50 88.54 Experiment 6 group 88.54 88.54 90.63 90.63

[0068] From Table 3 and Figure 1 It can be seen that the egg production rate of the blank group showed a slow downward trend during the experiment, while the egg production rate of other experimental groups remained basically stable or slightly increased, indicating that the drugs in each experimental group had a certain anti-aging effect and slowed down the rapid decline in egg production rate in the later stage of egg production. Moreover, the egg production rate of Experiment 1 (Example 1) increased significantly, higher than that of other experimental groups. This indicates that the formula described in Example 1 is the optimal ratio.

[0069] (3) The changes in average egg weight for each group are shown in Table 4 below, and the intuitive trend chart is shown in [Figure 4]. Figure 2

[0070] Table 4. Changes in average egg weight (g) for each group during the experiment.

[0071] project Week 0 (g) Week 4 (g) Week 8 (g) Week 12 (g) Blank group 64.15 64.18 64.2 64.23 control group 64.16 64.17 64.2 64.59 Experiment 1 Group 64.15 65.06 65.33 65.59 Experiment 2 group 64.15 64.25 64.76 65.12 Experimental Group 3 64.16 64.26 64.66 65.16 Experiment 4 group 64.14 64.18 64.49 64.86 Experiment 5 group 64.16 64.26 64.33 64.49 Experiment 6 group 64.17 64.32 64.69 64.98

[0072] From Table 4 and Figure 2 It can be seen that the average egg weight of the blank group showed a slow upward trend during the experiment, while the increase in each experimental group was slightly higher than that of the control group, indicating that the drugs in each experimental group had a certain effect on increasing the average egg weight. Moreover, the increase in average egg weight in Experiment 1 (Example 1) was greater than that in other experimental groups. This indicates that the formula described in Example 1 is the optimal ratio.

[0073] Experimental Example 2:

[0074] 1. Basic Information on Laboratory Animals

[0075] A poultry farmer in Kaifeng City is raising 40,000 Hy-Line laying hens, housed in four separate chicken houses (houses 1, 2, 3, and 4). Houses 1, 2, and 3 were used for an experiment: house 1 house had 10,500 hens, house 2 had 10,000 hens, and house 3 had 10,500 hens. All four houses used the same batch of chicks, with identical breed, age, rearing environment, equipment, and feed. The flock is currently 381 days old and is generally healthy. Over the past three weeks, the egg production rates in house 1 were 87.4%, 87.0%, and 86.9%; in house 2, 86.9%, 86.6%, and 86.5%; and in house 3, 87.2%, 86.9%, and 86.7%, respectively, showing a slow downward trend. Eggshell quality is acceptable, with approximately 20 defective eggs collected per flock per day. The flock is fed a complete laying hen feed produced by Kaifeng Zhengda Company.

[0076] 2. Experimental Procedure

[0077] 280 kg of sample from Example 1 (repackaged into 10 kg bags, 28 bags in total) was provided for use in House 1. Assuming each chicken consumes 125 g per day, the entire flock would consume 1250 kg per day. The drug combination from Example 1 was added to the feed at 0.8%, requiring a dosage of 10 kg / day for 28 consecutive days. House 2 used a prescription from a local veterinarian, adding 1% of a product from a Shandong manufacturer, for 28 consecutive days. House 3 did not use any drugs. Specific usage instructions are shown in Table 5 below. Egg production rate and average egg weight were recorded weekly (once every 7 days) for all three flocks. Results are shown in Tables 6 and 7.

[0078] Egg production rate (%) = Number of eggs laid on the day (eggs) ÷ Total number of chickens in the flock (birds) × 100%.

[0079] Table 5. Medication administration methods for each group

[0080] Group Medication use How to use Dormitory No. 1 (Experimental Group) Example 1: Drug, 0.8% added Mixed feeding, used continuously for 28 days Dormitory No. 2 (Control Group) 1% Egg Powder Added Mixed feeding, used continuously for 28 days Dormitory No. 3 (Blank Group) No drugs added --

[0081] 3. Experimental Results

[0082] (1) Changes in egg production rate of each group during the experiment

[0083] Table 6. Changes in egg production rate after medication in each group.

[0084] project Medication use for 0 weeks (%) 1 week of medication (%) Medication for 2 weeks (%) Medication for 3 weeks (%) Medication used for 4 weeks (%) Dormitory No. 1 (Experimental Group) 86.9 87.0 87.3 87.5 88.1 Dormitory No. 2 (Control Group) 86.5 86.5 86.9 87.2 87.3 Dormitory No. 3 (Blank Group) 86.7 86.6 86.0 85.4 85.2

[0085] Note: The number of eggs recorded during the experiment represents the number of defective eggs (unsellable) that were discarded. There were also sporadic deaths in each chicken house during the experiment, but the number was small; the deaths in houses 1, 2, and 3 were 4, 5, and 9 respectively, which did not affect the egg production rate statistics.

[0086] As shown in Table 6, the egg production rate of the experimental group 1 stopped declining and started to rise after 1 week of medication, and increased by 1.2% after 4 weeks of medication; while the egg production rate of the control group also stopped declining and started to rise after adding the egg-stimulating powder, and increased by 0.8% after 4 weeks of medication, while the egg production rate of the blank group showed a slow downward trend, and decreased by 1.5% after 4 weeks.

[0087] (2) Changes in average egg weight of each group during the experiment

[0088] Table 7. Changes in average egg weight after medication in each group

[0089] project Medication use for 0 weeks (g) Medication for 1 week (g) Medication for 2 weeks (g) Medication for 3 weeks (g) Medication for 4 weeks (g) Dormitory No. 1 (Experimental Group) 63.6 63.6 63.9 64.3 64.7 Dormitory No. 2 (Control Group) 63.7 63.7 63.7 63.9 64.5 Dormitory No. 3 (Blank Group) 63.5 63.5 63.6 63.6 63.7

[0090] Note: The number of eggs recorded during the experiment represents the number of defective eggs (unsellable) that were discarded. Discarded eggs were not included when calculating the average egg weight.

[0091] As shown in Table 7, the average egg weight of all groups showed an increasing trend during the experiment. However, the average egg weight of the experimental group (House No. 1) began to increase significantly after the second week of medication, increasing by 1.1g by the fourth week. In contrast, the average egg weight of the control group (House No. 2) increased by 0.8g by the fourth week, and the blank group increased by 0.2g. This demonstrates that continuous administration of the drug described in this invention for four weeks can increase the average egg weight.

[0092] Experimental Example 3:

[0093] 1. Basic Information on Laboratory Animals

[0094] A poultry farmer in Kaifeng City raises 15,500 Hy-Line laying hens, divided into two sheds, north and south, with 8,000 hens in the south shed and 7,500 in the north shed. Both sheds use the same batch of chicks, with identical breed, age, rearing environment, equipment, and feed. The flock is currently 421 days old and is generally healthy. Over the past three weeks, the egg production rate in the south shed was 83.9%, 83.9%, and 83.8%, respectively, while the north shed's rate was 83.4%, 83.3%, and 83.3%, both showing a slow downward trend. Eggshell quality is acceptable, with approximately 7 defective eggs collected per flock per day. The flock is fed a self-prepared complete feed, using 2.5% DSM premixed laying hen feed.

[0095] 2. Experimental Procedure

[0096] To verify the actual efficacy of the drug prepared according to this invention, 224 kg of sample from Example 1 (repackaged into 1 kg bags) was provided for use in House No. 1. Assuming each chicken consumes 125 g per day, the entire flock consumes 1000 kg per day. The drug combination from Example 1 was added to the feed at 0.8%, requiring a dosage of 8 kg / day for 28 consecutive days. In House No. 2, a prescription from a local veterinarian was used, with 0.1% of Strong Bayer (a compound vitamin) produced by Sichuan Bayer Co., Ltd. added for 7 consecutive days, followed by a 7-day interval before another 7-day treatment. Specific usage is shown in Table 8 below. The egg production rate and average egg weight of the three flocks were recorded weekly (once every 7 days), and the results are shown in Tables 9 and 10.

[0097] Egg production rate (%) = Number of eggs laid on the day (eggs) ÷ Total number of chickens in the flock (birds) × 100%.

[0098] Average egg weight (g / egg) = Total weight of eggs (g) ÷ Total number of eggs (eggs).

[0099] Table 8. Medication administration methods for each group

[0100] Group Medication use How to use South Dormitory (Experimental Group) Example 1: Drug, 0.8% added Mixed feeding, used continuously for 28 days North Dormitory (Control Group) Strongly Added Baytox (Multivitamin) 0.1% Mix the feed, use for 7 days, then give a 7-day interval before using it again for 7 days, and repeat this process.

[0101] 3. Experimental Results

[0102] (1) Changes in egg production rate of each group during the experiment

[0103] Table 9. Changes in egg production rate after medication in each group.

[0104] project Medication use for 0 weeks (%) 1 week of medication (%) Medication for 2 weeks (%) Medication for 3 weeks (%) Medication used for 4 weeks (%) South Dormitory (Experimental Group) 83.8 83.9 84.2 84.4 84.9 North Dormitory (Control Group) 83.3 83.5 83.6 83.6 83.7

[0105] Note: The number of eggs recorded during the experiment represents the number of defective eggs (unsellable) that were discarded.

[0106] As shown in Table 9, the egg production rate of the experimental group 1 stopped declining and started to rise after 1 week of medication, and increased by 1.1% after 4 weeks of medication; while the egg production rate of the control group also stopped declining and started to rise after adding strong Baigushu, and increased by 0.4% after 4 weeks of medication.

[0107] (2) Changes in average egg weight of each group during the experiment

[0108] Table 10. Changes in average egg weight after medication in each group

[0109] project Medication use for 0 weeks (g) Medication for 1 week (g) Medication for 2 weeks (g) Medication for 3 weeks (g) Medication for 4 weeks (g) South Dormitory (Experimental Group) 64.1 64.1 64.3 64.5 64.9 North Dormitory (Control Group) 64.2 64.2 64.2 64.3 64.3

[0110] Note: The number of eggs recorded during the experiment represents the number of defective eggs (unsellable) that were discarded. Discarded eggs were not included when calculating the average egg weight.

[0111] As shown in Table 10, the average egg weight of both groups showed an increasing trend during the experiment. The experimental group (southern shed) saw an average increase of 0.8g in egg weight during the fourth week of medication, while the control group (northern shed) saw an average increase of 0.1g in egg weight during the fourth week. Although the conditions in this chicken house were relatively basic, the average egg weight increase did not exceed 1g, but it was still significantly higher than that of the control group.

[0112] In addition to the anti-aging, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory regulatory functions of the drug itself, the improvement of laying hen production performance is closely related to feeding conditions, nutritional levels, and management practices. Therefore, during medication use, the breeding conditions and nutritional levels of laying hens should be fully considered or improved to avoid excessive environmental stimulation, nutritional deficiencies, or nutritional imbalances. Furthermore, infectious diseases and mycotoxins can also lead to a significant decline in laying hen production performance. Therefore, for the drug described in this invention to be fully and effectively effective, it requires relatively sound feeding management, relatively thorough disease prevention and control, and relatively balanced and stable nutrition.

Claims

1. A traditional Chinese medicine composition for improving late-stage laying performance in hens, characterized in that, The traditional Chinese medicine composition is prepared from the following raw materials in parts by weight: 40-80 parts of *Achyranthes bidentata*, 40-80 parts of *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, 20-40 parts of *Cyperus rotundus*, 20-40 parts of *Pteris vittata*, and 30-60 parts of hematite.

2. The traditional Chinese medicine composition for improving late-stage laying performance of hens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The traditional Chinese medicine composition is prepared from the following raw materials in parts by weight: 80 parts of *Smilax glabra*, 80 parts of *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, 40 parts of *Cyperus rotundus*, 40 parts of *Pteris vittata*, and 60 parts of hematite.

3. The method for preparing the traditional Chinese medicine composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The steps are as follows: weigh each raw material according to the weight proportions; process the raw materials of *Smilax glabra*, *Gynostemma pentaphyllum*, *Cyperus rotundus*, *Adiantum capillus-veneris*, and *Hematite* into coarse slices; and then crush, sieve, and mix the coarse slices to obtain the Chinese medicine composition.

4. The preparation method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Use a sieve with a mesh size not exceeding 80 mesh for sieving.

5. The use of the traditional Chinese medicine composition according to claim 1 or 2, or the traditional Chinese medicine composition prepared by the preparation method according to claim 3 or 4, in the preparation of drugs to improve the late-stage production performance of laying hens.

6. A drug for improving late-stage laying performance in hens, characterized in that, It is made from the traditional Chinese medicine composition as described in claim 1 or 2 and pharmaceutically acceptable excipients.

7. The drug according to claim 6, characterized in that, The drug is in the form of an oral dosage form.

8. The medicament according to claim 7, characterized in that, The oral dosage form is a powder.

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