Evaluación nutricional y funcional de la harina de Camelina (Camelina sativa L. Crantz) en la dieta de gallinas ponedoras en la performance, calidad tecnológica y funcional del huevo

Egg production has undergone significant advances in recent decades due to genetic selection and improved management practices, extending the productive cycle to more than 80 weeks. However, the limits reached in productive performance, together with the increased age of laying hens, have intensified interest in nutritional strategies aimed at optimizing performance, health, and egg quality. In this context, the search for alternatives to soybean meal has gained importance due to its environmental impact, competition with human food use, and contribution to production costs. Camelina sativa, an oilseed crop with a high content of protein, unsaturated fatty acids, and bioactive compounds, and particularly its industrial by-product camelina meal, has potential as an alternative ingredient to soybean meal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of including camelina meal in laying hen diets on productive performance, egg quality, and antioxidant status. A total of 56 Novogen Brown laying hens, 81 weeks of age, were allocated to four dietary treatments with different inclusion levels of camelina meal (0, 5, 10, and 15%). During a 28-day experimental period, feed intake per hen per day, egg production, and egg weight were recorded. In addition, internal and external egg quality, yolk phenolic and flavonoid content, and plasma oxidative status using TBARS as an indicator of lipid peroxidation were evaluated. The results showed that camelina meal inclusion at 5–10% tended to improve feed intake and egg weight. Higher inclusion levels increased the concentration of polyphenols and flavonoids in both fresh and stored egg yolks, while reducing plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. However, the 15% inclusion level significantly reduced feed intake and egg production. Higher levels of camelina meal were associated with a decrease in plasma lipid peroxidation. These findings suggest that moderate inclusion levels of camelina meal represent a viable alternative to soybean meal in laying hen nutrition, contributing to the diversification of protein sources and the production of eggs with enhanced nutritional value.