Effect of feeding enzyme-treated Moringa (M. oleifera) leaf meal based-diets on egg quality of improved indigenous layer chicken in Kenya

Abstract

The egg quality of indigenous chicken in Kenya is low due to inadequate supply of quality feed which can only be achieved by nutritional improvement. Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) provides proteins, vitamins, minerals and ox carotenoids that have a positive effect on the quality of eggs. The objective of this research was to determine the influence of MOLM on egg quality traits of improved indigenous laying hens. Ninety chicken (90) were assigned to six treatment diets in a completely randomised design with a factorial layout, each treatment having 5 birds per cage, replicated three times. The dietary treatments were: T1 – 0 kg MOLM and 0 g enzyme, T2 – 0 kg MOLM and 0.035 g enzyme, T3-20 kg MOLM and 0 g enzyme, and T4 – 20 kg MOLM and 0.035 g enzyme, T5-40 kg MOLM and 0 g enzyme, T6-40 kg MOLM and 0.035 g enzyme of the diet, respectively. The egg weight in hens fed with MOLM-based diets increased significantly (p 0.05). The laying hens fed a diet with 40 percent MOLM inclusion significantly had a higher (p