PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF LAYERS FED KAURA SORGHUM REPLACING MAIZE WITH FULL-FAT SOYA BEAN DIETS

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the reproductive performance of layer chickens fed dietary levels of kaura sorghum. Five diets (16% CP) were formulated, in which the Kaura Sorghum was included at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% levels and the diets designated as treatments T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively. Kaura sorghum was used to replace maize as a dietary energy source. Three hundred brown pullets were used for the research. They were allotted to five treatments which were replicated four times each with twenty birds per replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD). After flushing for seven days using the experimental diets, initial weights of the birds in each replicate were recorded. Records of feed intake,number of eggs laid and egg mass were  taken on daily basis. The result obtained after the research showed that the final body weight and total feed intake were not affected by the dietary treatments. Birds fed diet 4 (75% kaura sorghum) had the highest feed consumption value of 113.33g while the lowest intake was obtained on diet 1(control) with a value of 91.39g. The highest hen-day egg and hen house egg production (72.59% and 70.00%, P<0.001) was obtained on diet 5 (100% kaura sorghum). The best feed conversion ratio (1.42) was found on diet 2 while the poorest was obtained on the maize control diet (1.68), even though the value did not differ statistically. It can be concluded that Kaura sorghum in combination with full fat soya bean can completely (100%) replace maize in the diets of laying hens with no deleterious effects on performance parameters.