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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314083
Title: Nutritional effects of egg shell membrane supplements on chicken performance and immunity

Author
item MAKKAR, SARBJEET - University Of Arkansas
item Rath, Narayan
item PACKIALAKSHMI, BALAMURUGAN - University Of Arkansas
item Huff, William
item Huff, Geraldine

Submitted to: Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/11/2015
Publication Date: 6/1/2015
Citation: Makkar, S., Rath, N.C., Packialakshmi, B., Huff, W.E., Huff, G.R. 2015. Nutritional effects of egg shell membrane supplements on chicken performance and immunity. Poultry Science. 94(6):1184-1180.

Interpretive Summary: Egg shells are the byproducts of poultry industry which compose largely of calcium and membrane proteins. We hypothesized that these membrane bound proteins which consist of many anti-infective proteins can help the growth of post-hatch poults increasing their disease resistance. We mixed these membranes with the chicken diet and fed it to the chickens for two weeks and terminated the experiment in the 3rd week. Our results showed an increased in body weight, antibody production and reduced levels of stress hormone without any toxic effects. We concluded that egg membranes have the potential to improve the growth and also modulate the immune system of the poultry.

Technical Abstract: Eggshell membranes (ESM) contain a variety of proteins and peptides which help in the development of embryo and provide protection to it. Many of the peptides and proteins associated with ESM have antimicrobial, immune-modulatory, and adjuvant properties. We hypothesized that the membrane byproducts from egg, provided as post hatch nutritional supplements to chickens, may improve their performance and immunity. To explore its effect, we fed 3 groups of broiler chicks with feed containing 0, 0.2% and 0.4% ESM from day 1 post hatch through 14 days and regular feed thereafter. The birds were individually weighed at the onset of the experiment and at weekly intervals until the termination at third week when they were bled and euthanized. The relative weights of liver, spleen, bursa, and heart, hematology profiles, clinical chemistry variables including serum IgM, IgG and corticosterone concentrations measured. The chickens in the ESM treated groups showed a statistically significant increase in BW with no impact on relative organ weights. Compared with controls, the WBC and lymphocyte percentage increased in chickens fed 0.4% ESM whereas the monocyte percentage decreased at both levels of ESM. Except for the serum protein which increased in ESM fed birds no other metabolic clinical chemistry variables showed any significant change. Both IgM and IgG(Y) levels were elevated and corticosterone levels reduced in chickens fed ESM supplemented diets. Our results suggest that ESM supplements during the early phases of growth may improve immunity and stress variables, and enhance their growth performance without any detrimental effect on other physiological parameters.