Agricultural and Biological Research

Dietary inclusion of plant extracts: Impacts on growth, laying performance and egg quality in White Leghorn chickens

Jean Rose C. Vanguardia*

The heavy reliance on synthetic additives in poultry feed has raised concerns about environmental sustainability, animal health, and the overall resilience of White Leghorn chickens. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of various plant extracts added to drinking water on the growth performance, laying characteristics, and egg quality of White Leghorn chickens. The research was conducted from January to May 2025 in Dinas, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines, using a Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD). The treatments consisted of four levels, each replicated three times (n=84 birds; 7 birds/replicate). Treatments consisted of: T1 (vitamin premix control), T2 (150 mL ginger extract/L water), T3 (150 mL Moringa oleifera extract/L water), and T4 (150 mL Annona muricata extract/L water). Growth parameters included weekly weight gain, average daily gain, and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR). Laying performance was assessed through weekly egg production, Hen-Day Egg Production (HDEP), and FCR for egg production. Egg quality traits measured were egg weight, length, width, shape index, yolk height, yolk diameter, yolk index, and yolk color. Data were analyzed using ANOVA in a completely randomized design with Tukey’s post hoc test. Results showed no significant differences (P>0.05) among treatments in growth performance parameters, indicating that plant extracts supported body weight gain and feed efficiency comparable to the vitamin premix. However, significant and highly significant differences (P<0.05) were observed in laying performance and most egg quality characteristics. Ginger extract supplementation consistently produced higher weekly egg production, improved hen-day egg production, better FCR for egg production, and enhanced egg dimensions and yolk pigmentation compared with other treatments. The economic evaluation further indicated higher returns on investment in the ginger and moringa supplemented groups relative to the control. These findings suggest that phytogenic supplementation, particularly ginger extract, can serve as a natural alternative to synthetic vitamin premixes for improving laying performance and egg quality in White Leghorn chickens without compromising growth performance