Feeding native laying hens diets containing palm kernel meal with or without enzyme supplementations: 1. Feed conversion ratio and egg production.

摘要

Oil extraction from the palm kernel produces a large amount of palm kernel meal (PKM), a by-product having considerable potential nutritive value for poultry. Increasing its use and improving its nutritive value in poultry diets is especially important in palm oil-producing countries. This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of the inclusion level of PKM in laying hen diets on egg production and egg quality. One hundred eighty 48-wk-old native laying hens were assigned to 180 cages (1 bird per cage) in a curtain-sided house. Diets were assigned at random to 15 cages each. The experimental diets resulted from a factorial combination of 3 levels of PKM (0, 15, and 30%), 2 levels of a fiber-degrading enzyme [0 and 15 units of beta-glucanase (major enzyme) activity/kg of diet; Ronozyme VP, DSM Nutritional Products Inc., Basel, Switzerland], and 2 levels of phytase + protease mixture [0 and 2,000 units of phytase (Ronozyme NP) + 12,500 units of protease (Ronozyme ProAct) activity/kg of diet; both products of DSM Nutritional Products Inc.]. Diets were isocaloric (2,758 kcal of ME/kg) and contained 17.51 to 18.39% CP, and were provided ad libitum together with water for the 6-wk trial. Six-week feed intake increased as the PKM level increased (3,573 vs. 3,791 vs. 4,022 g/hen for the hens fed 0, 15, and 30% PKM, respectively; P <= 0.008). Levels of PKM did not affect egg production, feed conversion, or egg weight. Egg quality traits (albumen height, Haugh units, eggshell thickness, and egg surface area) of hens fed 15 or 30% PKM were comparable with those fed the 0% PKM (corn and soybean meal) except that yolk color was paler when the PKM diets were fed (8.15 vs. 7.08 vs. 5.61 for the hens fed 0, 15, and 30% PKM, respectively; P <= 0.0001). Because PKM inclusion resulted in no deleterious effects on egg production and quality, no effects of enzyme supplementation could be measured. Depending on consumer preference, a carotenoid source may be needed when PKM is included in the diet at levels of 15% or above.