Effect of Dietary Regime of Feeding Sunflower Seed Meal on Performance of Laying Hens

Abstract

The present study was carried out to determine the effect of feeding Sunflower Seed Meal (SSM) with different sources of protein on layer performance and egg quality characteristics. According to the proximate analysis SSM contained 97.2% DM, 8.88% ash 30.2% CP, 7.74% ether extract 18.84% crude fibre, 0.4% calcium, 0.5% magnesium and 0.78% phosphorus. Five diets were formulated to be approximately iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous containing sunflower seed meal. One diet contained 30% SSM supplemented with superconcentrate, the other four diets contained 20% SSM supplemented with one of the following sources of protein: Sesame meal, groundnut meal, bloodmeal and offals. One hundred eighty, 21 weeks old single comb White leghorn (Bovans) laying hens were kept in three batteries and were adapted on a commercial layer diet for 3 weeks period. The five dietary treatments were allocated to hens in a completely randomized design. There were 4 replicates per treatment of 9 birds each. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum under a 16-hr. photoperiod throughout the 14 weeks of the experimental period. Results obtained indicated that birds fed supplemented SSM with either superconcentrate or blood meal had significantly higher feed intake, egg production and feed conversion ratio (kg feed/kg egg) in comparison with the other dietary treatments. Moreover, the only birds that showed positive body weight at the end of the experiment were those subjected to 20% SSM blood meal supplement. The poorest performance (feed intake, egg production, feed conversion ratio and high mortality) was obtained from those birds fed 20% SSM supplemented with sesame meal. Inclusion of 3.5% blood meal or 5% super concentrate in sorghum - SSM based diet provided satisfactory commercial layer performance.