Description:
Abstract The efficiency of xanthophylls in the combined enrichment of table chicken eggs with ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), vitamin E (VE), selenium (Se), and carotenoids via supplementation of diets for laying hens was studied on 4 groups of cage-housed SP-789 layers (30 birds per group). All groups received a diet containing 2.18% of ω-6 and 1.97% of ω-3 PUFAs, 150 ppm of VE, 0.5 ppm of Se, and 7.5 ppm of total carotenoids; diets for groups 2-4 were additionally supplemented with xanthophylls (10, 14, and 18 ppm of marigold extract “Biofon Yellow”). It was found that the concentrations of ω-6 and ω-3 PUFAs per 100 g of edible parts of the eggs from groups 1-4 were 1093 and 347, 1075 and 393, 1140 and 412, 1298 and 417 mg, respectively. Se amounted to 61.8, 60.9, 62.1, 61.9 μg. Vitamin E was 8.9, 9.51, 9.63, 10.1 mg. Total carotenoids amounted to 176.6; 424.4; 454.2; 701.4 μg. The intensiveness of yolk coloration was 3.8; 6.3; 6.7; 7.0 scores, respectively. The best results were found in group 4.