Myo-inositol (inositol) affects memory, and the incidence of depression and anxiety in mammals.An experiment was designed to determine if pure inositol (0.16%), or high levels of phytase (3000 FTU/kg) affect the behaviour of fully beaked Lohmann LSL lite hens fed amino acid sufficient (19% crude protein (CP)) and deficient diets (16% CP), from 19 to 59 weeks of age.The click here data collected included live-scan behaviour observations and novel object (NO) tests (both at 1, 10 and 40 weeks of the trial); heterophil-to-lymphocyte (H/L) ratios (week 1 and week 40 of the trial); end of trial feather cover, and comb and skin lesions; and daily mortality.
Reducing CP increased sitting by 2.5%.Inositol, but not phytase, reduced the latency to peck at the NO by 300 sec.Inositol color touch 7/97 reduced vent feather cover by 12% and tended to increase mortality by 13%.
No effects on H/L ratio, and comb or skin lesions were found.In conclusion, regardless of the source, inositol reduced vent feather cover, while it tended to increase mortality.Only pure inositol reduced fearfulness in laying hens.