Effect of dietary supplementation with mulberry and moringa leaves on the chicken reproductive performance

The effects of dietary supplementation with moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) and mulberry (Morus nigra L.) leaf powder on the clutch trait, reproductive organs, follicles, steroid hormones, and gene expressions of laying chickens were investigated during a 42-day experiment. Two hundred and ten Chinese local strain hens aged 37 weeks were randomly allocated to three groups, each group included five replicates, with 14 hens per replicate. The hens in the control group were fed with the basal diet, whereas those in the test groups were fed with a basal diet supplemented with 2.5% moringa leaf powder and 2.5% mulberry leaf powder (MOLP2.5+MLP2.5), 5% MOLP and 2.5% MLP (MOLP5+MLP2.5). The clutch traits (clutches, clutch length, delay days) were recorded during the trial. At the end of the experiment, the effect of the dietary supplementation with MOLP and MLP on the reproductive organs and tissues was estimated, and the gene expressions of ESR1, ESR2, CYP19A1 and STAR were analysed. Compared with the control group, the clutch performed worse in the treatment groups, however, the laying rate, reproductive organs and tissues in the MOLP2.5+MLP2.5 group showed no significant difference. Though the oestrogen levels did not significantly increase, they were elevated in the MOLP2.5+MLP2.5 group. Furthermore, it was identified that the expression levels of the ESR1 and CYP19A1 mRNA were significantly upregulated in the MOLP2.5+MLP2.5 group compared with those in the control group. In conclusion, a low addition level of MOLP and MLP can be used in laying hens to improve the steroid hormones synthesis-related gene expression which might improve the reproductive performance over the long term.