Effect of replacing dietary maize with millet on production performance of laying birds

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effect of replacing dietary maize with millet on production performance of laying birds. The study was conducted between May and August 2018 at the Poultry Production Unit of Sokoto State Veterinary Center, Aliyu Jodi Road, Sokoto. Two hundred and forty black Bovan Nera layers of 23 weeks of age (averaging 1.3 kg live weight) were used in a completely randomized designed to evaluate the performance of laying chickens fed diets containing different levels of protein. Eggs were collected in the evening (5.00 – 6.00 pm). Egg weight was monitored on weekly basis. Feed intake, number of eggs, minimum and maximum temperatures of the pen and mortality were recorded on daily basis. The data was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA), using Statview Analytical Computer Package. There were no significant differences in feed intake between the treatments (p>0.05) even though birds on the millet-based diets consumed slightly higher amount of feed (100 – 102 g/b/d) compared to those on the maize-based diet (99 g/b/d). Hen – day egg production was similar between the treatments (59 – 61%). Egg weight was also not significantly (p>0.05) affected by the dietary treatments (46 – 48 g). The study concludes that egg mass decrease when maize is replaced with dietary millet.