A master’s thesis at the College of Agriculture focused on “The Effect of Adding Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Powder to the Diet of Laying Hens on Productive Performance and Certain Microbial and Histological Characteristics of the Intestines

The College of Agriculture at the University of Diyala discussed a master’s thesis titled “The Effect of Adding Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Powder to the Diet of Laying Hens on Productive Performance and Certain Microbial and Histological Characteristics of the Intestines.”

The study, presented by student Saddad Eyad Khalil, aimed to investigate the impact of adding Ginkgo leaf powder to the diets of laying hens on their productive performance, microbial characteristics, and histological traits. A total of 120 Lohmann Brown laying hens, aged 18 weeks, were used in the study, and the birds were randomly distributed into 12 floor pens, with 10 hens per pen, across four treatment groups, each replicated three times.

The study yielded several conclusions, including that the addition of Ginkgo leaf powder to the laying hen diet significantly improved egg production rates, cumulative egg count, egg mass, egg weight, and the body weight of the hens during the production period of 18 to 29 weeks. Furthermore, the incorporation of Ginkgo leaf powder into the diet during the third feeding phase, from 26 to 29 weeks of the hens’ production cycle, resulted in enhancements in yolk diameter, shell weight, and shell thickness.

The study also indicated that adding Ginkgo leaf powder positively influenced microbial characteristics during the production period of 18 to 29 weeks, as it increased the population of beneficial bacteria while suppressing or killing harmful bacteria. This led to improved digestion and absorption and the development of the digestive tract, thereby positively impacting the production performance and quality traits of the eggs. Additionally, the incorporation of Ginkgo leaf powder into the laying hen diet contributed to improvements in the histological characteristics of the intestines, as evidenced by enhancements in the length and thickness of villi and the depth of crypts in the treatment groups compared to the control group.

The study recommends:

1. The inclusion of 5 kg of Ginkgo leaf powder per ton of feed to improve production traits.

2. Further studies on the use of Ginkgo leaf powder to stimulate production and extend the productive lifespan of laying hens and broiler breeders.

3. Investigating the effects of adding Ginkgo leaf powder to the diets of broiler breeders and laying hens on their productive and physiological performance.

4. Examining the effects of Ginkgo leaf powder on the semen quality of male broiler breeders and laying hens.