Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXVIII, Issue 1
Written by Muzaffer DENLI
This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with boric acid and borax pentahydrate at two levels (50 and 100 mg/kg) on production performance, egg quality traits, and bone mineralization in laying hens. A total of 315 Atak-S hens were randomly assigned to five groups: a control group and four treatment groups. The inclusion of 100 mg/kg borax pentahydrate in the diet significantly improved egg production, reduced feed intake, and resulted in the most efficient feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05). Moreover, boron supplementation significantly increased eggshell thickness, particularly in the borax pentahydrate group (P < 0.05), while internal egg quality parameters (Haugh unit and albumen index) remained unaffected (P > 0.05). A slight reduction in yolk redness was observed at higher boron levels. However, dietary boron supplementation had no significant effect on bone mineralization parameters (P > 0.05). Overall, the findings suggest that dietary boron, especially in the form of borax pentahydrate, can enhance productivity and eggshell quality in laying hens without negatively affecting internal egg characteristics.
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