Total of 120 pullets from each strain Mandarah and Silver Montazah were used
to study the effect of copper sulphate and worm-wood on decrease yolk and meat
cholesterol concentrationin laying hens. Birds were randomly assigned to 3 groups
according to dietary additives: group {1) was supplemented with 250 mg copper as
CuSol.H207kg diet, group (2) was supplemented with 2% worm-wood and group (3) was
fed basal diet as control. Water and feed were provided ad librtum. After 6 weeks of
treatment (24-32) weeks of age, additives were removed and hens were switched to
basal diet for 4 weeks (32-36) weeks of age.
Supplementing 250 mg copper to diet for 6 weeks. significantly decreased
plasma cholesterol by 36.0% and 30.7% for Mandarah and Silver Montazah.
respectivelywhile the depression was 42.4% and 26.3% in both strains. when fed
2% worm-wood, respectively. Reduction in yolk cholesterol was 19.2% and 25.3% in
Mandarah and Silver Montazah at 32 weeks of age by adding dietary copper. But yolk
cholesterol depression was 22.2 and 30.1% in both strains by using 2% worm-wood in
diet, respectively. Copper addition resulted reduction of 77.0 and 60.3% in breast muscle
cholesterol and 73.6 and 81.1% in thigh muscle cholesterol for Mandarah and Silver
Montazah, respectively. The corresponding depressions by dietary worm-wood were
74.3, 79.0 and 77.9 and 31.0%, respectively.
Cholesterol concentration was much higher by about 22-24% in thigh than
breast muscle Cholesterol level was more by about 4 fold in skin than muscles.
Cholesterol depression by dietary additives was more by about 2 fold "1 muscle
than breast in thigh.