Vol. 10, Issue 10, Part G (2025)

Author(s): Harsh Jamda, Sreekumar TR, Aziz Zarina, Pratheesh MD, Raji K, Aswathi PB and Jess Vergis

Abstract: The present study his study evaluated the effect of dietary supplementation with Tagetes erecta (marigold) petal extract on the laying performance of White Leghorn hens during peak production. Twenty-four hens aged 25-35 weeks were randomly assigned to two dietary groups: a control receiving a basal diet and a treatment receiving 550 mg kg?¹ marigold extract for 56 days. Productive performance was assessed through hen-day egg production (HDEP %), egg mass (g hen?¹ day?¹), feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR).
Marigold supplementation improved HDEP (90.48±0.96 % vs 86.90±1.06 %), increased egg mass (46.70±0.78 vs 45.20±0.77 g hen?¹ day?¹), and significantly reduced FCR (p<0.001), without affecting feed intake. The results demonstrate that marigold petal extract enhances production performance and feed efficiency in layers, suggesting its potential as a sustainable phytogenic additive for poultry nutrition.

DOI: 10.22271/veterinary.2025.v10.i10g.2680