Effects of dietary Yucca schidigera powder on performance and egg cholesterol content of laying hens

The present study was carried out to determine whether dietary Yucca schidi gera powder would affect egg yolk cholesterol content and laying performanc e of chickens. Sixty, 28-week-old White Hyline layers were divided into fou r dietary treatment groups Of Similar mean weight, comprising 15 birds each . A standard layer feed as the basal diet of the trial was supplemented wit h 0, 30, 60 or 120 ppm Yucca schidigera powder. Yucca supplementation to th e diet did not affect feed intake, egg production, feed Conversion efficien cy, body weight gain, egg shell, white and yolk weights, shell thickness an d shape index but reduced number of cracked eggs (P <0.05). Yucca supplemen tation also reduced yolk cholesterol content in a dose related (P <0.05) an d a time dependent (P <0.01) manner.