The Nutritive Value of Sorghum Gluten Meal as a Feed Ingredient for Laying Hens.

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted using laying hens to evaluate sorghum gluten meal (S.G.M.) as a potential feed ingredient. Chemical analysis of S.G.M. revealed the following percentage composition: 96.9 dry matter, 46.88 crude protein, 1.16 calcium, 0.64 phosphorus, 4.09 ash, 4.04 ether extract and 6.47 crude fibre. In experiment (1) 225 laying hens (HYPECO) were fed graded levels of S.G.M. (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%). Results obtained showed a significant reduction (P<0.05) in egg production, feed intake and feed conversion ratio. In experiment (2) 90 laying hens were allocated at random to three dietary treatments. The treatments were based on sesame, ground-nut meal in substitution of S.G.M. on iso-nitrogenous basis. Hens given S.G.M. based diet had the lowest feed intake, egg production and poorest feed conversion ratio, whereas those given ground-nut meal based diet had the highest feed intake, egg production and the best feed conversion ratio. Hens given sesame meal based diet were intermediate. Feeding S.G.M. based diets to laying hens in both experiments had no significant effect on egg quality. Surprisingly hens given S.G.M. based diet (14%) in experiment (2) had higher feed and egg production compared to 5 and 10% in experiment (1). Mortality rate was high but not influenced by the dietary treatments in both experiments. From the results of these experiments it appears that S.G.M. rate of inclusion in laying hens diet depends on factors such as variety of sorghum used for S.G.M. production and the feed ingredients used in the diets formulation. Therefore, S.G.M. can be included in laying hens diet at less than 14%.