EVALUATION OF NAKED OATS (Avena nuda) AS A FEEDINGSTUFF FOR LAYING HENS

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted with 640 and 480 White Leghorn strain-cross hens to determine the optimum level of inclusion of naked oats (Avena nuda L. 'Tibor') in diets fed for 51 wk. In exp. 1 oats from 2 crop years were substituted for corn and soybean meal at levels of 0, 300, 600 and 782 or 808 g kg−1 in isoenergetic and isolysinic diets. Egg yield (46.4 g d−1) and egg production (78.0% hen.day) were unchanged up to 600 g oats kg−1 but were 4 and 6% lower at the highest dietary levels due in part to a 4-d later sexual maturity. Egg weight was 2% greater in all oat diets than in the control diet. Feed utilized per gram egg was 4.7% lower at 600 g kg−1 than at 0 g oat kg−1 the other diets being intermediate. A difference between crop years was seen in a higher percent small grade eggs for 1985. Dietary treatments had no effect on feed utilized per egg laid, incidence of soft shell and cracked eggs or on final body weight. In exp. 2, naked oats with alfalfa meal and a vitamin-mineral premix were supplemented with canola meal or lysine plus methionine or not supplemented, to give dietary oat levels of 675, 874 and 876 g kg−1 for comparison with a control of 0 g kg−1. Supplementation with canola meal supported 3.5% higher egg yield and hen.day egg production than that with lysine plus methionine, whereas for both supplemented diets egg yield, hen.day percent egg production and egg weight, as indicated by distribution of eggs between size grades, were, respectively, 8, 6 and 1.7% greater and feed utilized per gram egg was 7% lower than for the supplemented naked oat diet. The corn-soy control diet differed from the amino-acid-supplemented diet only in a 4.9% greater feed utilization per gram egg. It was concluded that naked oats can replace corn and soybean meal in layer diets and that, with supplementation of canola meal or lysine plus methionine, oat levels up to, respectively, 675 and 874 g kg−1 diet can support satisfactory and efficient egg production. Key words: Oats naked, egg yield, egg weight, laying hen, canola