Effect of substitution of groundnut cake with Anthonotha macrophylla seed meal on layer performance and quality of chicken egg

Abstract

Five layer diets were formulated containing 0.5,10, 15 and 20% Anthonotha macrophylla seed meal which replaced equivalent proportion of groundnut cake. One hundred and eighty Babcock brown layers already 3 months in lay were randomized into 5 groups and each group was fed one of the experimental diets for 84 days. The hens were examined for performance using body weight. teed intake, henday egg production, egg weight and feed conversion ratio. The interior quality of Eggs were also assessed. Total feed intake ranged from 9.27 to 10.97kg, average daily feed intake, from 110.32 to 130.54 g/bird/day, hen-day egg production, from 48.88% to 79.11% and feed conversion ratio, from 1.87 to 2.15. Statistical analysis showed that total feed intake, average daily feed intake and hen - day egg production were similar across the dictary treatments up to the 15% level of inclusion, but were significantly depressed (P<0.05) at the 20% inclusion level. However, diet had no significant effect on final body weight and average egg weight and feed conversion ration (P>0.05). Similarly results on egg quality showed no significant effect (P>0.05) on albumen index, yolk index, yolk colour, Haugh unit and shell thickness. Based on these results, it was concluded that Anthonotha macrophylla seed meal can be incorporated into layer diets up to 15%, inclusion level without incurring a depression in performance Layer diets containing this meal ingredient had no deleterious effect on egg quality.