Desislava Abadjieva1, Svetlana Grigorova2, Vanya Mladenova1, Almantas Shimkus3, Elena Kistanova1
1 Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction, BAS, Sofia 1000, Bulgaria
2 Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Academy, Kostinbrod 2232, Bulgaria
3 Small Partnership “Bioagrovet”, Kaunas 48337, Lithuania
Abadjieva, D., Grigorova, S., Mladenova, V., Shimkus, A., Kistanova, E. (2020). Effect of artichoke (Cynara scolimus L.) on the egg productivity and biochemical parameters in laying hens. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 26 (6), 1280–1285
The objective of the research was to investigate the effects of artichoke (Cynara scolumus L.) on the egg productivity and some biochemical parameters in laying hens from ISA Brown and Lohman Brown breeds. Two experiments were carried out with different doses of artichoke in the diet (2.2 g/kg and 3 g/kg). The analysis of the egg productivity was done. The following some biochemical parameters were analyzed: total protein, albumin, urea, glucose, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartat amino transferase (AST), alanin amino transferase (ALT) and elements as potassium, sodium and calcium. Artichoke supplementation to the laying hens’ diet for a period about of 5 weeks had not significant effect on the final body weight and egg productivity during both experiments. However, the glucose level as well as ALP and AST contents significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Artichoke supplementation lead to an increase of potassium (K) and calcium (Ca) in the blood serum of laying hens (P < 0.05).