Compound Chinese herbal medicine feed additive for improving production performance and egg quality during egg laying peak period of hens

Abstract

The application discloses a compound Chinese herbal medicine feed additive for improving production performance and egg quality of laying hens in an egg production peak period, and belongs to the technical field of feed additives. The feed additive comprises Cordyceps militaris 10-50 parts, angelica 5-30 parts, astragalus 10-30 parts, motherwort 10-40 parts, malt 5-30 parts, radix codonopsis 5-30 parts and medicated leaven 5-25 parts. The application studies the influence of the compound Chinese herbal medicine additive on production performance, egg quality, antioxidant capacity and ovary development of laying hens in an egg production peak period by optimizing the formula. The test results show that the feed additive can significantly improve the average egg weight of the laying hens, reduce the feed-egg ratio, improve the egg yolk color, improve the serum total antioxidant capacity and reduce the malondialdehyde content, and promote the development of grade follicles. The application provides an effective technical scheme for solving the problems of production potential excavation and body health maintenance of the laying hens in an egg production peak period.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of feed additive technology, specifically to a compound herbal feed additive for improving the production performance and egg quality of laying hens during peak egg production. Background Technology

[0002] The peak egg-laying period is a crucial time for achieving economic benefits in poultry farming. However, under modern intensive farming models, laying hens face significant physiological stress and metabolic pressure during this period, leading to fluctuations in production performance, decreased egg quality, and reduced antioxidant capacity, thus limiting their production potential. Therefore, developing feed additives that can effectively alleviate stress during peak egg production and stabilize and improve production performance is of great practical significance.

[0003] Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) feed additives are widely used in livestock and poultry farming due to their natural properties, low residues, and combined nutritional and immunomodulatory effects. Existing technologies include various TCM-based feed additives used to improve the egg production performance of laying hens. For example, a TCM composition (CN102961447B) promoting mid-to-late-stage egg production, composed of Astragalus membranaceus, Ligustrum lucidum, Psoralea corylifolia, Leonurus japonicus, and medicated leaven, can improve egg production performance and egg quality. However, this composition targets the mid-to-late stages of egg production and does not address the stress experienced during peak egg production.

[0004] Fermented feed (CN112106900B) designed to improve egg production and oviduct development uses lactic acid bacteria and yeast to ferment ingredients such as Atractylodes lancea, Hedyotis diffusa, licorice, safflower, and coix seed, mixed with hop powder, aiming to repair oviduct damage and reduce inflammation. However, it focuses on anti-inflammatory and repair functions, without systematically addressing the stress caused by qi and blood depletion during peak egg production, nor does it involve multi-target compounding of qi-tonifying, blood-nourishing, spleen-strengthening, and digestion-aiding Chinese herbal medicines.

[0005] A feed additive (CN118716493B) designed to delay reproductive function decline in the later stages of egg production contains chlorogenic acid, curcumin, astragalus polysaccharides, soy isoflavones, and microbial agents, which can improve follicle count and ovarian function. However, this formula targets the decline in reproductive function in the later stages of egg production, and its application phase differs from the peak egg production period. Furthermore, it primarily consists of single active ingredients and nutrients, lacking the holistic synergistic conditioning effect of traditional Chinese medicine compound formulas.

[0006] In addition, some existing technologies are designed for the later stages of egg production (such as anaerobic fermentation products based on Astragalus membranaceus, hawthorn, Poria cocos, Angelica sinensis, Leonurus japonicus, Alpinia oxyphylla, and Taraxacum mongolicum, see CN118160822A), while others are designed for stress during peak egg production but mainly consist of nutrients and single microecological preparations (such as additives containing high levels of selenium lanolin, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, compound enzymes, and Lactobacillus plantarum, see CN120770481A). None of these technologies systematically combine Cordyceps militaris powder with traditional Chinese medicines that tonify qi and blood, and strengthen the spleen and promote digestion for the relief of stress during peak egg production.

[0007] Traditional Chinese veterinary medicine theory holds that during the peak egg production period, laying hens are in a state of depletion of qi and blood. While relying solely on nutrients and enzyme preparations can alleviate some stress, it is difficult to achieve overall conditioning by replenishing qi and blood, and strengthening the spleen and consolidating the body's foundation.

[0008] In summary, existing technologies either target the later stages of egg production or focus on nutrients and enzymes, lacking a clear technical solution for the application of compound traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) during the peak egg-laying period of hens. In particular, research on the scientific compounding of Cordyceps militaris powder with other TCM herbs such as Astragalus membranaceus, Angelica sinensis, Leonurus japonicus, Codonopsis pilosula, malt, and Shenqu (medicated leaven) to alleviate stress in hens during peak egg production, improve appetite and digestion, and enhance production performance and egg quality through multi-target synergistic effects of tonifying Qi, strengthening the body, promoting blood circulation, regulating menstruation, and invigorating the spleen and promoting digestion is still lacking. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a compound TCM additive with clearly defined components, simple processing, and significant effects to compensate for the shortcomings of existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a compound herbal feed additive that can effectively improve the production performance and egg quality of laying hens during the peak egg production period and enhance their antioxidant capacity.

[0010] To achieve the above technical objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: This invention provides a compound herbal feed additive for improving the production performance and egg quality of laying hens during peak egg production. The feed additive is composed of the following raw materials in parts by weight: Cordyceps militaris 10-50 parts, Angelica sinensis 5-30 parts, Astragalus membranaceus 10-30 parts, Leonurus japonicus 10-40 parts, malt 5-30 parts, Codonopsis pilosula 5-30 parts, and Shenqu (medicated leaven) 5-25 parts.

[0011] Preferably, the preparation method of the compound traditional Chinese medicine feed additive includes the following steps: S1. After cleaning, washing, and drying the raw materials of the selected formula, pulverize them to a fineness of 60 mesh or higher. S2. Place the raw materials crushed in S1 into a mixer according to the above-mentioned weight proportions and mix them evenly to obtain the final product.

[0012] Preferably, the compound herbal feed additive is added to the basal diet at a rate of 0.5-5 g / kg.

[0013] The compound herbal feed additive of this invention, verified through feeding trials, can significantly increase the average egg weight of laying hens during peak laying periods, reduce the feed conversion ratio, and improve feed conversion efficiency. Simultaneously, it can significantly improve yolk color and enhance the sensory quality of eggs. Furthermore, this additive can significantly increase the total antioxidant capacity of laying hen serum, reduce the content of malondialdehyde (MDA), a lipid peroxidation product, and promote the development of ovarian follicles, thereby improving the overall health and production performance of laying hens and providing a new solution for precise nutritional regulation during peak laying periods. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 Comparison of egg yolks and colors from different groups of experimental laying hens. Con: Control group; A: High-concentration Cordyceps militaris formula group - HCMP; B: Low-concentration Cordyceps militaris formula group - LCMP. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0016] I. Experimental Materials and Methods 1. Test materials The compound herbal feed additives used in this experiment included a high-concentration Cordyceps militaris formula group (HCMP group) and a low-concentration Cordyceps militaris formula group (LCMP group). During the experiment, each group of additives was mixed into the basal diet at a ratio of 1g / kg.

[0017] The weight ratio of each raw material in the HCMP group is as follows: Cordyceps militaris 50 parts, Angelica sinensis 20 parts, Astragalus membranaceus 10 parts, Leonurus japonicus 25 parts, malt 20 parts, Codonopsis pilosula 5 parts, and Shenqu 5 parts.

[0018] The weight ratio of each raw material in the LCMP group is as follows: Cordyceps militaris 20 parts, Angelica sinensis 5 parts, Astragalus membranaceus 10 parts, Leonurus japonicus 30 parts, Malt 5 parts, Codonopsis pilosula 15 parts, and Shenqu 15 parts.

[0019] The specific preparation steps for the above-mentioned compound herbal feed additive are as follows: (1) Weigh each raw material according to the above weight ratio, and after cleaning, washing and drying, pulverize to 60 mesh or above; (2) Place the raw material powders obtained in step (1) into a mixer and mix them evenly to obtain the compound Chinese herbal feed additive.

[0020] 2. Experimental animals and experimental design This experiment employed a single-factor, three-level experimental design. Forty-eight healthy 224-day-old Hy-Blue Grey laying hens of similar weight were selected and randomly assigned to three treatment groups: a control group, an HCMP group, and an LCMP group, with 16 replicates per treatment and one hen per replicate. The entire experiment consisted of a one-week acclimatization period and an eight-week experimental period, totaling nine weeks. During the acclimatization period, feed intake and rearing environment were identical across all groups, and there were no significant differences in egg weight, laying rate, or feed conversion ratio. The control group was fed a basal diet, the HCMP group received 1 g / kg of HCMP additive in their basal diet, and the LCMP group received 1 g / kg of LCMP additive in their basal diet; the dosage of additives was identical for both groups.

[0021] 3. Experimental diets and feeding management The basal diet used in the experiment was corn-soybean meal type, and the nutrient ratio was designed according to the recommendations for laying hen diets in the US NRC (1994) and Chinese (2004) poultry nutrition standards. The detailed formula is shown in Table 1-1.

[0022] Table 1. Basic Diet Formulation Table

[0023] Note: ① The premix provides the following per kilogram of feed: thiamine 1 mg, riboflavin 4.5 mg, calcium pantothenate 50 mg, niacin 24.5 mg, pyridoxine 5 mg, biotin 1 mg, folic acid 1 mg, choline 500 mg, Mn 60 mg, I 0.4 mg, Fe 80 mg, Cu 8 mg, Se 0.3 mg, Zn 60 mg. ② Metabolizable energy is calculated; the rest are measured values.

[0024] Feeding and Management: The laying hens are managed using a fully enclosed cage system, with one hen per cage and identical feeding conditions for each hen. The chicken house provides 16 hours of artificial lighting per day at an intensity of 20 lx, without using natural light. The temperature is controlled between 18-25℃, and the relative humidity is controlled between 40-70%. The daily feed intake for each hen is 120g. Feeding, egg collection, and manure removal are carried out daily at 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM.

[0025] 4. Measurement Indicators and Methods 4.1 Egg production performance During the trial period, eggs were weighed and counted daily on a replicate basis. The average daily egg weight, feed conversion ratio, and egg production rate were calculated weekly using the following formulas: Egg production rate (%) = Total eggs produced during the statistical period / (Number of hens in stock × Number of statistical days) × 100% Average daily egg weight (g) = Total egg weight during the statistical period / Number of eggs produced during the statistical period Feed conversion ratio = Feed consumption during the statistical period (g) / Daily egg weight (g) 4.2 Egg quality During the trial period, one egg was collected weekly on a repeat basis for egg quality testing. The egg quality testing items included egg weight, egg shape index, eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, eggshell weight, yolk weight, yolk color, albumen height, and Haugh units.

[0026] (1) The egg shape index is the ratio of the major diameter to the minor diameter of the egg. The major and minor diameters of the egg are measured using vernier calipers, and the result is accurate to 0.01 mm.

[0027] (2) Eggshell strength was tested using an eggshell strength tester, with the large end facing upwards and placed vertically during the test.

[0028] (3) Eggshell thickness: Take one eggshell from the big end, equator and small end of the egg, peel off the eggshell membrane, and use a vernier caliper to measure its thickness to an accuracy of 0.01 mm. Take the average value of the result.

[0029] (4) The color of the egg yolk was compared using the Roche colorimetric fan. The testers were skilled in the operation and the color was divided into 1-16 levels.

[0030] (5) Egg white height: A skilled operator cracks an egg onto an egg white height meter to allow the egg white to spread freely. The measuring probe is used to measure the egg white in the middle of the thick egg white layer around the yolk. Three measuring points are taken, accurate to 0.01 mm, and the average value of the result is taken.

[0031] (6) The formula for calculating the HAF unit is as follows: The HAF unit = 100 × log(H + 7.57 - 1.7 × W0.37), where H is the albumen height and W is the egg weight.

[0032] 4.3 Antioxidant Indicators After the trial period, the chickens were fasted for 12 hours. Eight chickens from each group were selected for blood collection. The blood was collected into blood collection tubes without anticoagulants. Serum separation was completed within 6 hours, and the serum was dispensed into EP tubes and stored in a -80℃ refrigerator.

[0033] To evaluate the effect of Cordyceps militaris powder on the antioxidant performance of Hy-Line Grey laying hens, this experiment measured malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum. Detailed operating procedures are provided in the instruction manual. Serum antioxidant indicators were measured using kits. The MDA and catalase (CAT) kits were purchased from Suzhou Keming Biotechnology Co., Ltd., while the SOD and T-AOC kits were purchased from Nanjing Jiancheng Co., Ltd.

[0034] 4.4 Data Statistics and Analysis This experiment used Excel 2012 and SPSS 27.0 for data processing and analysis. One-way ANOVA and Duncan's method were used for multiple comparisons of differences between groups. Results are expressed as mean ± standard error. P <0.05 is used as the criterion for significance.

[0035] 1. Effects of compound traditional Chinese medicine on egg production performance of laying hens As shown in Table 2, the average egg weight of the HCMP group was significantly higher than that of the other two groups. P <0.05), the HCMP group showed an increase of 3.49% and 3.67% compared to the control and LCMP groups, respectively. The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was not significantly different between the control and HCMP groups, nor between the LCMP and control groups. The FCR in the HCMP group was 3.17% lower than that in the control group, and the FCR in the LCMP group was significantly lower than that in the LCMP group. P <0.05), a decrease of 4.52%, and the difference from the control group was about to reach statistical significance ( P =0.071), the LCMP group increased by 1.31% compared with the control group. There was no significant difference in egg production rate among the experimental groups or among the groups, but the HCMP group and LCMP group increased by 2.36% and 1.01% respectively compared with the control.

[0036] Table 2. Effects of compound traditional Chinese medicine on laying hen production performance.

[0037] Note: Differences between groups are indicated by letters, with different letters representing significant differences. P <0.05, identical letters or no letters indicate no significant difference ( P >0.05).

[0038] 2. The effect of compound traditional Chinese medicine on egg quality As shown in Table 3, the egg yolk color in the HCMP group was significantly higher than that in the control group and the LCMP group during week 4 of the experiment. P <0.05), and the remaining indicators were not statistically significant among groups ( P >0.05). However, at week 8, the HCMP group showed significantly higher egg weight and yolk color than the other two groups, and significantly higher yolk weight than the control group; the LCMP group showed significantly higher eggshell strength and eggshell percentage than the control group ( P <0.05); there were no significant differences among groups in egg shape index, eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, yolk percentage, eggshell weight, albumen height, and Haugh units. P >0.05). Figure 1 A comparison of the yolk color of eggs laid by three groups of experimental hens.

[0039] Table 3. Effects of compound traditional Chinese medicine on egg quality

[0040] Note: Differences between groups are indicated by letters, with different letters representing significant differences. P <0.05, identical letters or no letters indicate no significant difference ( P >0.05).

[0041] 3. Effects of compound traditional Chinese medicine on the antioxidant capacity of laying hens As shown in Table 4, Cordyceps militaris powder significantly improved the total antioxidant capacity of serum in the HCMP group (P < 0.05) and significantly reduced the concentration of malondialdehyde in serum in the HCMP group (P < 0.05). The addition of Cordyceps militaris powder had no significant effect on serum CAT activity and SOD activity (P > 0.05).

[0042] Table 4. Effects of compound traditional Chinese medicine on antioxidant indices in laying hens' serum.

[0043] Note: T-AOC - total antioxidant capacity, MDA - malondialdehyde, CAT - catalase, SOD - superoxide dismutase; differences between groups are indicated by letters, with different letters indicating significant differences. P <0.05, identical letters or no letters indicate no significant difference ( P >0.05).

[0044] 4. Effects of Cordyceps militaris powder on Hy-Lan Grey ovarian tissue Table 5 shows that, compared with the control group, the addition of Cordyceps militaris powder significantly increased the number of small white follicles (SWF) in the LCMP group. P <0.05), significantly increased the number of large white follicles (LWF) in both the HCMP and LCMP groups. P <0.05), and the number of large white follicles (LWF) in the LCMP group was significantly higher than that in the HCMP group, indicating that adding 0.1% Cordyceps militaris powder can better promote the generation of LWF and SWF and improve ovarian reserve function. Compared with the control group, adding Cordyceps militaris powder had no significant effect on small yellow follicles (SYF), small white follicles (SWF), and post-ovulatory follicles (POF). P >0.05).

[0045] Compared with the LCMP group, the HCMP group significantly increased the weight of graded follicles at F1, and the difference between the HCMP group and the control group was about to become statistically significant. P =0.076), which is consistent with the yolk weight results in Table 3, possibly indicating that the weight of graded follicle F1 determines the yolk weight to some extent.

[0046] Table 5. Number of follicles at each grade and weight of F1 follicles at each grade.

[0047] Note: In the table, SWF - small white follicle, LWF - large white follicle, LYF - large yellow follicle, SYF - small yellow follicle, POF - post-ovulatory follicle, F1 Weight - weight of graded follicle at F1; differences between groups are indicated by letters, with different letters indicating significant differences. P <0.05, identical letters or no letters indicate no significant difference ( P >0.05).

[0048] Based on the data comparison above, the compound herbal feed additive provided by this invention can effectively improve the production performance of laying hens during their peak egg-laying period. Specifically, it significantly increases average egg weight, improves yolk color, enhances serum antioxidant capacity, and promotes follicle development. This indicates that the additive can comprehensively regulate the nutritional metabolism and reproductive function of laying hens, and has a significant effect on maximizing the production potential of laying hens during their peak egg-laying period and maintaining their health, demonstrating promising application prospects.

Claims

1. A compound herbal feed additive for improving the production performance and egg quality of laying hens during peak egg production, characterized in that, It is made from the following ingredients in parts by weight: Cordyceps militaris 10-50 parts, Angelica sinensis 5-30 parts, Astragalus membranaceus 10-30 parts, Leonurus japonicus 10-40 parts, Malt 5-30 parts, Codonopsis pilosula 5-30 parts, and Shenqu 5-25 parts.

2. The preparation method of the compound traditional Chinese medicine feed additive according to claim 1, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Weigh each raw material according to the stated weight proportions, and after cleaning, washing, and drying, pulverize it to a mesh size of 60 or higher. S2. Place the raw material powders obtained in step S1 into a mixer and mix them evenly to obtain the compound Chinese herbal feed additive.

3. The application of the compound herbal feed additive according to claim 1 in the daily diet of laying hens during the egg-laying period.

4. The application according to claim 3, characterized in that, The compound herbal feed additive is added to the basal diet at a rate of 0.5-5 g / kg.

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