Effect of hot and cold processed hempseed (Cannabis sativa) meal on productive performance, egg quality, egg yolk fatty acid and blood biochemical in laying hens at 37 weeks

TL;DR

This study found that adding hempseed meal to hens' diets improves egg production and yolk quality, with processing temperature affecting the results.

Contribution

The study demonstrates that 15% hempseed meal improves feed efficiency and eggshell quality in laying hens.

Findings

Cold-processed HSM improved feed conversion ratio compared to the control.

Both HSM diets increased egg production and yolk pigmentation.

Hot-processed HSM enhanced eggshell weight and thickness.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of dietary inclusion of cold- and hot-processed hempseed meal (HSM) on performance, egg quality, yolk fatty acid composition, and blood biochemical parameters in laying hens. A total of 150 Super Nick hens (37 weeks old) were allocated to three dietary treatments with five replicates of eight birds each for 16 weeks: control (0 % HSM), 15 % cold-processed HSM (60 °C), and 15 % hot-processed HSM (120 °C). Performance traits, egg production and quality indices, yolk color, fatty acid composition (gas chromatography), and serum biochemical variables were analyzed. Data were subjected to one-way ANOVA after testing assumptions, and differences among means were considered significant at P < 0.05. Final body weight and feed intake were unaffected (P > 0.05), whereas feed conversion ratio improved in the cold-processed HSM group compared with the control (P = 0.03). Both HSM diets increased hen-day egg production (P = 0.01) and yolk pigmentation (Roche score and b*; P < 0.01). Hot-processed HSM increased eggshell weight, ratio, and thickness (P < 0.05), while internal egg quality traits were unchanged (P > 0.05). Yolk linoleic (C18:2n6c) and α-linolenic (C18:3n3) acids increased and oleic acid (C18:1n9c) decreased in HSM-fed groups (P < 0.05). Serum triglycerides were reduced in hens fed hot-processed HSM (P = 0.04), whereas creatinine, AST, and ALT were not affected (P > 0.05). In conclusion, dietary inclusion of 15 % hempseed meal improves feed efficiency, egg production, shell quality, and yolk fatty acid enrichment without adverse physiological effects, with processing temperature influencing the magnitude of responses.