Effect of replacement of protein from soybean meal with protein from wolffia meal [Wolffia globosa (L). Wimm.] on performance and egg production in laying hens

Abstract

Wolffia meal [Wolffia globosa (L). Wimm.] was examined as a protein replacement for Soybean Meal (SBM) in the diets of laying hens. A total of 180 Rohman laying hens of 71 weeks old of age were randomly allocated into 5 groups; each group contained 4 replicates with 9 hens per replicate according to Completely Randomized Design. The dietary treatments were T1 = control diet; T2, T3, T4 and T5 = 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the CP from SBM was replaced by the CP of Wolffia meal, respectively. The results found the decreased feed intake and ME intake (p<0.05) when CP from SBM was replaced by CP from Wolffia meal. Total replacement of CP from SBM with CP from Wolffia meal decreased (p<0.05) egg production of laying hens. Egg yolk pigmentation increased (p<0.05) with increasing replacement of CP from SBM with CP from Wolffia meal. The findings reflected that Wolffia meal can be used as protein replacement for CP from SBM at 75% in the diet of laying hens. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2010.