HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Free Via Open Access Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Johnson, M. L. Articles by Classen, H. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Johnson, M. L. Articles by Classen, H. L.

The Effect of Dietary Sinapic Acid (4-Hydroxy-3, 5-Dimethoxy-Cinnamic Acid) on Gastrointestinal Tract Microbial Fermentation, Nutrient Utilization, and Egg Quality in Laying Hens

Department of Animal and Poultry Science, 51 Campus Drive, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A8, Canada

¹ Corresponding author: hank.classen{at}usask.ca

Plant-based simple phenolics are natural antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds that may possess biological activity when included in animal diets. Previous work in our lab has shown that sinapic acid (SA) found in canola meal improves nutrient retention and alters gut microbiota when fed at low levels (0 to 0.10%) to broiler chickens. It was of interest to investigate the effect of dietary SA in laying hens that possess a more mature intestinal microbiota. Therefore, 2 experiments were conducted to determine the effects of dietary SA on performance, nutrient digestibility, and egg quality in laying hens. Sinapic acid (Sigma-Aldrich, 98% purity) was included in diets at 0, 0.025, 0.050, and 0.075% in experiment 1, and 0 and 0.5% in experiment 2. Both experiments were conducted for 21 d. Dietary treatment did not affect production traits and gastrointestinal tract volatile fatty acid production in either experiment. Apparent metabolizable energy and protein digestibility were also unaffected by treatment in experiment 1, but in experiment 2, feeding 0.5% SA increased both AME_n and protein digestibility in comparison to the unsupplemented control. Egg weight, albumen weight, yolk weight, egg specific gravity, shell thickness, and Haugh units were not significantly affected by dietary treatments in either of the experiments. Sinapic acid was not detected in eggs from experiment 1 but in experiment 2, low levels of SA were detected in both the yolk and albumen of eggs from hens fed 0.5% SA. Further research is needed to more completely define the relationship between dietary SA level and nutrient utilization as well as the accumulation of SA in egg components.

Key Words: sinapic acid • laying hen • egg quality • nutrient • fermentation