摘要：This research project aimed to evaluate the levels influence of 1.00% (T2), 1.25% (T3), 1.50% (T4) and 1.75% (T5) of the seed ground annatto (SMU) and a sixth control group (T1), all receiving white corn-soybean basal diet, on the productive performance, eggs quality and egg yolks pigmentation. In this study, one hundred and twenty Label Rouge hens with 32-weeks-old were arranged in a completely randomized design, with five treatments and three replications of the eight birds each other. Effect of annatto carotenoids was assessed on the productive performance and yolks pigmentation by the colorimetric (LC) and the portable spectrophotometer CM 508d-MINOLTA methods. Layers showed normal parameters of consumption and eggs quality at the ninth week trial, except lower mean to consumption of 99.50 g/bird/day of and egg production of 85.30% in the T5 (1.75%). Mean colour of the LC ranged (P<0.05) from 1 (CON) to 11.75 (T5). Objective colour means of yolk in natura to L* C* h varied the lowest 16.59% on L* (T1 = 64.44 a T5 = 53.75) tending from the pale to the yellow saturation, the highest 200.41% on C * (T1 = 12.09 a T5 = 36.42) with accentuation of yellow-orange and the highest 186.18% on h to accentuate of the yellow tone. C* increased linearly (Y = 0.4875x + 12.4830; R2 = 0.95) in the yolk and was proportional to increase of pigment consumption in the diet, emphasizing the ability of yolks pigmentation by carotenoid compounds derived from annatto seed.
