6Feb

A recent scientific study concluded that adding and mixing brown algae into broilers and laying-hens feed lead to the response of laying hens during research phases and giving excellent and normal results by all measurements such as body weight and egg production, weight, mass and quality, as well as mortality, ovary, oviduct and lymph nodes without any negative traces besides decreased cholesterol in the produced eggs.
Results of the study conducted by a research team from King Abdulaziz University (KAU) at Jeddah headed by Dr. Ahmed Khalifa al-Deek, proved that powders of marine brown algae are considered an excellent source of proteins, salts and mineral elements, especially the rare ones that contribute to the needs of laying hens of those elements to carry out vital operations as well as the composition of eggshell. Dry powders of brown algae whether raw, treated by pressure (autoclave) or boiling are an excellent source of carotenoid dyes and their derivatives, which deepen the color of the yolk.
The study supported by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) by 800000 riyals, showed up that dried powdered algae are a good source of multiple sugars which proved to have an impact on stimulating birds’ immune. The study showed that manufacturing processes, thermal treatment did not affect or change much of the chemical or nutritional content and produced feed was much similar to commercial feed. This, by its turn, increases applications of raw marine algae in forming laying-hens feed.
The research team found that produced eggs remain for long periods viable for consumption because of containing powdered algae and antioxidants such as vitamin (A, E) and selenium element. 

According to the scientific study, addition of algae at different levels whether ore or treated led to reducing cholesterol, low density protein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL) in the yolk.  With regard to the economic aspect, the study found that low- cholesterol egg due to dried brown algae can be a high profit product
The research team proposed to investors and other stakeholders in this scope including companies’ owners entities and authorities responsible for the formation feed for poultry or livestock to play a practical and applicable role to harvest and treat brown marine algae and mix them by the studied   proportions to provide new and local sources of fodder.
The researchers, further, recommended depending on powdered brown algae, solar- dried algae and those treated by pressing or boiling, as a feed for laying hens and broilers for long periods during the productive life, considering algae a good and alternative source for high price commercial feed because they contain many nutrients such as mineral salts, pigments, vitamins, multiple carbohydrate and protein.

This scientific study has focused on developing poultry feed, through using new and non-traditional sources such as: marine algae. The study has sought to reduce the cost of feed production techniques, apply enzymes technology and reduce the import of feed and its components.

The study also included a nutritional assessment of brown marine algae structure. A full chemical analysis of amino acids, fatty acids, mineral salts was conducted. Two experiments were also conducted on laying hens; the first from the fourteenth week to the forty second week while the second experiment was carried out with the start of production at the age of 23 weeks and up to the age forty-two weeks. Algae were used at different levels as feed ingredients during the two experiments.