Performance of Laying Hens Fed on Moringa Oleifera Leaf- Meal-and Descriptive Attributes of Eggs

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The increasing cost of feed resources in livestock production severely impedes meeting the demand for animal protein; this challenge has necessitated research to evaluate feed resources that could reduce the cost of feeding without negatively influencing the performance of the birds. This study, therefore, evaluated the effect of different inclusion levels of Moringa oleifera in exotic laying hen's diet on average feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, laying percentage (HDP), and Egg weight; the Experimental diets contained: 0, 10, 15, 20% MOLM. Thirty-six (36) sixteen (16) week-old ISA Brown layers were distributed into 12 deep litter pens, each with three hens, and randomly allocated to four dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Average daily feed intake, daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, laying percentage, and egg weight were determined for ten (10) weeks. The data were analyzed using a general linear model (GLM). Tukey's test was used to differentiate significant means (p<0.05). Results from the feeding trial showed that birds fed on the diet with 20% MOLM recorded the highest average daily feed intake, and the highest hen day production (HDP) was obtained from birds fed on the 10% MOLM diet. There was no significant difference between 0%  and 10% MOLM on the Average daily gain; diets with 0% MOLM and diet with 10% did not differ (p<0.05) on feed conversion ratio. The hens fed with the 20% MOLM diet had the lowest FCR.