The Seaweed (Eucheuma cottonii) and Earthworm (Lumbricus rubellus) Meal Supplementation: Impacts on Omega-3 Enrichment and Egg Quality in Laying Hens

Abstract

High-quality feed with sufficient nutritional content plays an essential role in producing nutrient-dense eggs. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating Eucheuma cottonii seaweed meal and Lumbricus rubellus earthworm meal into layer feed on omega-3 fatty acid concentration, yolk color, and egg pH in laying hens. The experiment was conducted at the Teaching Factory (TeFa) Layer Farm, Politeknik Pembangunan Pertanian (Polbangtan) Gowa, Bone Regency. A total of 16 laying hens were assigned to a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) consisting of four treatments and two replicates, with two hens per replicate: P0 (control), P1 (10% L. rubellus meal), P2 (10% E. cottonii meal), and P3 (10% L. rubellus + 10% E. cottonii meal). The results showed that the inclusion of 10% E. cottonii (P2) produced the highest omega-3 content in eggs. Yolk color differed significantly among treatments (P < 0.05), while egg pH did not show significant variation. The omega-3 content in P2 reached 58.8 mg/100 g, yolk color scores ranged from 9.50 to 12.50, and egg pH ranged from 7.12 to 7.97. Overall, the inclusion of 10% E. cottonii seaweed meal in layer feed effectively enhanced egg omega-3 levels and improved yolk pigmentation.