本試驗旨在探討飼糧添加蝦紅素對蛋雞產蛋性能、蛋品質及蛋黃色澤之影響。採用來亨蛋雞共90隻,於36週齡時,依產蛋率逢機分飼於5個處理組,每處理3重複,每重複6隻雞。對照組是以以玉米–大豆粕為基礎飼糧,4個試驗處理分別為:對照組;添加50,100,500 ppm蝦紅素及10 ppm卡洛肥紅,試驗飼糧均含2900 kcal/kg代謝能及17%粗蛋白質。試驗期間飼糧與飲水均採任食任飲,蛋雞餵飼試驗飼糧6週後,再全部改餵對照組飼糧1週,試驗為期7週。結果顯示蛋雞之採食量、產蛋率及體重變化於各處理組間並無明顯差異。蛋黃重百分比及蛋白高度以添加500 ppm蝦紅素明顯較重或較高(P< 0.05),紅色度隨著飼糧蝦紅素含量提高而呈線性增加(P < 0.05);在雞蛋品評方面,添加色素處理組明顯提高消費者購買意願(P< 0.05),且以高量蝦紅素及10ppm卡洛肥紅組最為明顯;餵飼試驗飼糧期間隨飼糧添加蝦紅素含量增加而顯著提高蛋黃蝦紅素及類胡蘿蔔素含量(P < 0.05);採食添加色素飼糧亦明顯提高血中抗氧化物力價(P < 0.05)。綜上所述,添加蝦紅素顯著提高雞蛋紅色色澤,同時可增加感官品評之接受性及消費者購買意願等,顯示天然色素的添加可提高蛋品附加價值。
The trial was conducted to study the effects of dietary astaxanthin (AST) supplementation on laying performance, egg quality, and yolk characteristics of laying hens. A total of ninety Leghorn layers at 36 weeks of age were randomly assigned into 5 groups according to the egg production rate. Each group of hens had three replicates with 6 layers. A corn-soybean meal basal diet was offered in the control group; 4 experimental diets were added with 50, 100 and 500 ppm AST and 10 ppm Carophyll red®,respectively. All experimental diets contained 2900 kcal/kg ME and 17%crude protein. Feed and water were ad libitum. Hens fed with the experimental diets for 6 weeks and then all fed with control die for one week. The experimental period lased for 7 weeks. Feed intake, laying performance, egg quality and panel test were measured during the experimental period. The results indicated that hens fed with naturalpigment supplementation did not affect feed intake, hen-day egg production and body weight changes. Moreover, the hens fed with 500 ppm AST had significantly (P < 0.05) higher egg yolk percentage and egg white height(P < 0.05). A linear regression of egg yolk red color (P < 0.05) increased with the concentration of AST supplementation. In egg panel test, natural pigment supplementation was in creased purchasing intention(P < 0.05), especially for the high supplementation of AST and Carophyll red® treatments.Increasing AST supplementation gradually increased the concentration of astaxanthin and carotenoidsin the yolk (P < 0.05).Furthermore, hens fed with pigment supplementation had significantly higher antioxidant value (P < 0.05).In conclusion, the dietary pigment supplementation significantly increased red color of yolk and improved consumers purchasing intention. AST supplementation showed benefits to increase the additional value of egg product.