EFFECT OF DEHYDRATED ALFALFA AND AGE ON EGG WEIGHT, ALBUMEN PERCENTAGE, ALBUMEN INDEX AND HAUGH UNITS IN HY-LINE~RW-98 LAYERS

摘要

The present study was conducted on laying hens. Four levels locally dehydrated alfalfa meal (LDAM); (4, 8, 12 and 16 %) assigned as treatments; T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively, were used in rations on sixhundred Hy-Line~RW-98 layer hens for 20 weeks. The effect of LDAM and age of birds on egg weight, albumen percentage, and albumen index and haugh units were studied. The experiment was performed in a five 600-bird groups, 36 weeks old. No significant affect of treatments were observed on egg weight. Birds' age affected egg weight significantly (P<=0.05), egg weight increased as hen age advanced. Significant treatment and birds' age effects were observed on albumen percentage, albumen index and egg haugh units, whereas improved by increasing LDAM rations content and age.