PIMENTA ROSA (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) E ÓLEOS ESSENCIAIS COMERCIAIS NA DIETA DE POEDEIRAS

Abstract

CARVALHO, Brendha Wanessa Silva, Instituto Federal Goiano – Morrinhos Campus, May 2026. PINK PEPPER (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) AND COMMERCIAL ESSENTIAL OILS IN THE DIET OF LAYING HENS. Advisor: Saullo Diogo de Assis. Co-advisor: Osvaldo Junior Cavalcante Silva. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of ground pink pepper and commercial essential oils (carvacrol + thymol + cinnamaldehyde) on the productive performance and egg quality of lightweight Novogen White laying hens at 45 weeks of age. A total of 144 birds were used, distributed in a completely randomized design (CRD), consisting of four treatments, with six replicates of six birds per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of: Treatment 1 (basal diet); Treatment 2 (basal diet (BD) + essential oil (EO) + pink pepper (PP)); Treatment 3 (basal diet (BD) + pink pepper (PP)); and Treatment 4 (basal diet (BD) + essential oil (EO)). The performance variables evaluated were feed conversion ratio (FCR/dozen eggs), egg production (%), and feed intake (g/bird/day). Egg quality analyses were performed on days 0 and 7 of storage, considering total egg weight (g), specific gravity, shell width (mm), yolk color, Haugh unit, and percentages of shell, yolk, and albumen. The data were subjected to Tukey’s test at a 5% significance level. The inclusion of pink pepper did not affect productive performance (P > 0.05). Fresh eggs did not show significant changes, except for yolk color, which was more intense in the treatments containing pink pepper. After seven days of storage, differences were observed in egg weight and in the percentages of yolk and albumen, particularly in the treatments containing essential oil, with the increased yolk proportion being associated with the antioxidant activity of phytogenic compounds.