Fresh-water green algae (chlorophyta) as a natural pigment for mojosari ducks

Abstract

An experiment in a completely randomize design was undertaken to study the use of fresh-water green algae as a yolk coloring agent in Mojosari ducks during a laying period on productive performance and egg quality from 36 to 44 wk of age. A total of 80 thirty-six wk-old laying ducks were divided into four dietary treatments and each of four replicates with 5 birds. Diets were formulated with a commercial concentrate, rice bran and yellow corn (2:4:4) according to a commercial standard diet as a control, and three other dietary treatments with 2, 4 or 8% of green algae were included. Fresh water green algae had a significant effect on the feed uptake, egg production, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p<0.05). Egg production and FCR improved at added 2 and 4% green algae. No differences were observed in egg yolk index, albumen index, Haugh Unit, and egg shell thickness (P>0.05) except egg yolk color. The yolk color increased within 7 days after feeding with the test diets. The present study indicated that fresh-water green algae could be used as a natural coloring agent in laying ducks and at 8% of green algae showed the highest score of (Roche Yellow Color-15).