# Effect of Dietary Perilla frutescens Seed Powder Supplementation on Performance, Egg Quality, and Yolk Fatty Acid Composition of Laying Hens

## TL;DR

Adding perilla seed powder to hens' diets improves egg production and yolk fatty acid composition without affecting egg quality.

## Contribution

This study demonstrates that perilla frutescens seed powder enhances laying performance and modifies yolk fatty acids in hens.

## Key findings

- Supplementation with 60 and 90 g/kg PFS significantly enhanced egg production and total egg mass.
- PFS increased total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and n-3 PUFAs in egg yolks.
- PFS reduced serum cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, and yolk cholesterol levels.

## Abstract

Perilla frutescens seed (PFS) is a nutrient-rich resource, containing substantial levels of protein, unsaturated fatty acids, and phenolic compounds, which make it a promising plant-based additive for animal feed. This study evaluated the impact of dietary supplementation with PFS powder on laying performance, egg quality, and yolk fatty acid profile in laying hens. The findings demonstrated that PFS inclusion significantly enhanced laying rate and total egg mass, and increased the concentrations of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and n-3 PUFAs in egg yolks, without adversely affecting egg quality measures.

In this study, we examined the influence of dietary PFS powder supplementation on production performance, egg quality, and yolk fatty acid profile in laying hens. A total of 192 Hy-Line® Brown hens, 30 weeks of age, were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments containing 0, 30, 60, and 90 g/kg of PFS powder, administered over a 12-week period. No significant differences were observed in egg weight, feed intake, or feed conversion ratio among the treatment groups (p > 0.05). However, supplementation with 60 and 90 g/kg PFS significantly enhanced egg production and total egg mass (p < 0.05), particularly during weeks 41–44. Egg quality parameters—including albumen height, Haugh unit, yolk color, shell thickness, and shell strength—remained unaffected across treatments (p > 0.05). Serum analyses revealed that PFS supplementation significantly reduced levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides, and yolk total cholesterol compared with the control diet (p < 0.05). Moreover, yolk fatty acid composition was notably altered: total PUFAs and n-3 PUFAs increased (p < 0.05), whereas total monounsaturated fatty acids and the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio decreased (p < 0.05) with rising PFS inclusion. In conclusion, dietary PFS powder improved laying performance and favorably modulated yolk fatty acid composition, without compromising egg quality in laying hens.