Table 1.
Effects of PQQ.Na2 on performance and egg quality of laying hens.
| Items | Ctrl | HELP | PQQ-1 | PQQ-2 | SEM | p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance | ||||||
| Laying rate, % | 91.02 | 91.04 | 91.36 | 92.71 | 0.58 | 0.71 |
| Average egg weight, g | 58.87 | 59.33 | 58.41 | 59.22 | 0.25 | 0.59 |
| Average daily feed intake, g | 117.72 b | 132.67 a | 118.20 b | 122.38 b | 1.99 | 0.03 |
| Feed/egg | 2.20 b | 2.43 a | 2.35 ab | 2.37 ab | 0.04 | 0.17 |
| Egg quality | ||||||
| Eggshell strength, N/m2 | 43.76 | 43.65 | 44.97 | 40.42 | 0.77 | 0.19 |
| Eggshell thickness, mm | 0.43 | 0.43 | 0.44 | 0.44 | 0.002 | 0.77 |
| Egg shape index | 1.30 | 1.30 | 1.31 | 1.30 | 0.005 | 0.86 |
| Albumen height, mm | 6.65 a | 5.64 b | 6.57 a | 6.51 a | 0.11 | <0.01 |
| Yolk color | 6.36 a | 5.57 b | 5.78 ab | 5.89 ab | 0.12 | 0.02 |
| Haugh unit | 78.96 a | 72.44 b | 79.38 a | 78.26 a | 0.74 | <0.01 |
PQQ.Na2, Pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium; Ctrl, control group, chickens fed the normal diet; HELP, chicken fed the high-energy low-protein diet; PQQ-1 and 2, chicken fed the high-energy low-protein diet supplemented with 0.08 and 0.16 mg/kg PQQ.Na2, respectively; SEM, standard error of mean. In the same row, values without the same small letter superscripts mean significant difference (p < 0.05).