Effect of Replacing Imported Super Concentrate by Graded Levels of Local Super Concentrate on Laying Hen Performance and Egg Quality Characteristics.

Abstract

The effect of replacing imported super concentrate by local (Sudanese) super concentrate on productive performance and egg quality characteristics of laying White Leghorn was studied. A total of 216 hens (28 weeks old) were allotted to 6 dietary treatments A, B, C, D, E and F (control). Each treatment was replicated 4 times with 9 birds per replicate. Hens were fed on a diet containing (g/l00g): sorghum 60, sesame cake 10, groundnut cake 7, wheat bran 10, oyster shell 7.25, vitamins and minerals 0.5, common salt (NaCI) 0.25, imported super concentrate 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 (control), plus 5, 4, 3, 2, I or 0 local (Sudanese) superconcentrate. Hens were housed in standard laying batteries each consisted of 72 cages and each cage accommodated 3 birds. Diets were iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic. The study lasted for 10 weeks. The percentage egg production (HD) was 59.8, 61.3, 59.8, 60.4, 64.5 and 68.4%, respectively. The percentage egg production (H.H) was 51.7, 55.5, 57.8, 55.4, 63.0 and 64.2%, respectively. The average egg weight was 39.58, 40.03, 41.05, 40.88 and 42.47, respectively. Hens consumed 3.67, 3.42, 3.32, 3.41, 3.17 or 2.95 kg feed to produce one kg egg, respectively. The total egg mass produced during the experimental period (l0 weeks) was 51.438, 56.364, 59.117, 57.551, 64.859 and 68.724 kg, respectively. The albumin height was 5.20, 5.06, 5.03, 5.11, 5.22 and 5.28 mm, respectively. The yolk diameter was 28.62, 29.41, 28.92, 28.80, 29.05 and 29.60 mm, respectively. The egg shell thickness was 0.49, 0.49, 0.50, 0.47, 0.48 and 0.47mm, respectively. Profit% was 74.93, 84.18, 86.22, 78.04, 88.11 and 98.59%, respectively Local super concentrate decreased the rate of lay, average egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion efficiency and reduced albumin height, yolk diameter and profit percentage, while imported concentrate reduced egg shell thickness. No significant difference in feed intake, body weight gain, mortality rate, yolk colour, yolk height and egg shape index was detected. The average financial margins over feed cost were 20.7% higher in hens fed diets containing 5% imported super concentrate (diet A) than with those fed diet containing 5% local super concentrate. The results revealed the inferior quality of local super concentrate