Effect of Replacing Soybean Meal with Processed Kidney Bean Meal on Egg Production and Economics of White Leghorn Layers

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in Haramaya University to find out the effect of replacing Soybean meal (SBM) by processed kidney bean (PKB) on egg production, feed intake and economic benefit for white leghorn layers. Hundred eighty white leghorn layers of similar initial body weight of 1121.17 g ± 24.92 and age of 6.5 months and 30 cocks were randomly distributed into five treatments using complete randomized design (CRD). PKB replaced SBM at a rate of 0 (control), 25, 50, 75 and 100% for T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively. The recommended level of SBM (26%) in the ration was used as a base of replacement. Feed intake (FI), Hen Day Egg Production (HDEP), egg weight and egg mass were recorded daily. Economic replacement was assessed at the end of the experiment. The result of chemical analysis showed that Crude Protein (CP) and Metabolizable Energy (ME) content of PKB was 28% and 32182.2 Kcal respectively, which was lower than SBM but higher than noug seed cake (NSC). This indicates that the substitution capacity of PKB for SBM was better than NSC. There was no significant (P>0.05) effect on final body weight and body weight change. Average daily feed intake (FI) was showed significant difference (P T2>T1>T4>T5 and Mmarginal Rate of Rreturn (MRR) indicated profitability of PKB replacement upto 75% and beyond this replacement a decrease in economy of production by 1.83 units.