Supplemental dietary genistein improves the laying performance and antioxidant capacity of Hy-Line brown hens during the late laying period

The present study evaluated the effects of 3 supplemental levels of dietary genistein ingested during the late laying period (66-73 wk) of laying hens. A total of 384 Hy-Line brown hens (66 wk old) were randomly divided into 4 groups (6 replicates of 16 hens in each group), the basal diet group (CON), and groups for the basal diet supplemented with 80, 120, and 400 mg/kg of genistein, G1, G2, and G3, respectively. The results of the present study showed an increased laying rate in groups G2 and G3 (linear, P < 0.01), and decreased feed-egg ratios (linear, P < 0.05) and broken egg rate (P < 0.01) in all genistein-treated groups compared with the CON group. Moreover, the G2 group showed an increase in eggshell strength and ratio (linear, P < 0.05), whereas all genistein-treated groups saw a decrease in the L* value (linear, P < 0.01) and an increase in the a* value (linear, P < 0.05) compared with the CON group. Additionally, all genistein-treated groups had an increase in the total antioxidant capacity of plasma (linear, P < 0.05), along with reduced plasma, ovarian, and yolk malondialdehyde levels (linear, P < 0.05), compared with the CON group. The G2 group had an increase in both the superoxide dismutase activity of plasma (P < 0.01) and the total antioxidant capacity of the ovaries (linear, P < 0.05), compared with the CON group. The G3 group had an increase in both the glutathione peroxidase concentration of plasma (linear, P < 0.05) and the total antioxidant capacity of the ovaries (linear, P < 0.01), compared with the CON group. The transcript levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, superoxide dismutase 1, and catalase were increased in all of the genistein-treated groups (P < 0.05) compared with the CON group, whereas heme oxygenase 1 and glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit were increased only in the G2 group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation with 120 mg/kg dietary genistein had the best effect on improving the laying rate, eggshell quality, and antioxidant capacity in Hy-Line brown hens during the late laying period.