The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of cholestyramine and lovastatin, lipid-lowering agents, upon egg quality, reproductive performance, plasma lipids and egg yolk cholesterol levels of Shaver laying hens. Twenty-six-weeks-old hens were fed basal diet without animal products containing 0.2% cholestyramine (COL1), 0.3% cholestyramine (COL2) or 0.005% lovastatin (LOV) for 6 weeks. It was observed that the supplementation of the drugs did not impair albumen and shell quality. Hen performance was not adversely affected, with the exception of the significant reduction (p < 0.05) in egg weights. No significant changes were observed on plasma lipids, and egg yolk cholesterol remained unchanged with the addition of the drugs.
Cholesterol; Cholestyramine; Lovastatin; Egg Yolk; Chickens
