Solmaz Khalili Samani - Graduated Student, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Technology. Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Ahvaz, Iran
Mohammad Ghorbani - Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Food Technology, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Ahvaz, Iran
Jamal Fayazi - Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Food Technology, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Ahvaz, Iran
Somayeh Sallary - Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Food Technology, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Ahvaz, Iran

The present study was carried out to determine the effects of fenugreek powder (FP) and extract (FE) on performance, egg quality, blood parameters and immune responses of laying hens. One-hundred and fifty Leghorn laying hens were used in a completely randomized design with five treatments and five replicates for eight weeks. Treatments were various levels of FP and FE including zero (control; T۱), ۱.۰۰% FP (T۲), ۲.۰۰% FP (T۳), ۰.۱۰% FE (T۴) and ۰.۲۰% FE (T۵).The results of this experiment showed that feed intake was increased linearly by the inclusion of FP compared to the control group. Supplementation of laying hens diet with ۲.۰۰% FP adversely affected feed conversion ratio (FCR). The FCR was decreased by ۰.۱۰% inclusion of FE compared to ۰.۲۰%. Egg yolk color was the highest when ۱% FP added to laying hens diets compared to the other treatments. Serum metabolites and immune responses of laying hens were not affected significantly by fenugreek supplementation. From the results of the present study, it can be concluded that using ۱.۰۰% FP can improve feed intake by supporting FCR. Inclusion of ۱.۰۰% FP in laying hens diet enhanced egg yolk color of laying hens in the second production cycle.

Egg quality, Fenugreek, Laying hens, Growth performance