Open Access: View PDF

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21088/jafst.2321.1628.5217.2

Abstract

Nutritionally balanced feeding is the most important for economic production of poultry. So, minimization of feed cost would be a great achievement for poultry farmers if the unconventional feed resources are introduced as the replacer of protein source, Nutritionally, SBT cake is very rich in proteins, fat, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Very little systematic and scientific work has been conducted to study the effects of feeding SBT cake to the poultry. Hence, the present study was envisaged to see the effect of replacement of CP of conventional feed of layers with the protein of SBT to observe the effect on quality traits of eggs and egg production. An experiment was conducted to study the effect of SBT cake on layers. The trial was conducted in 360 BV-300 layer chicks, where conventional rations in control (S0) group replaced with 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 per cent of CP by SBT cake CP in treatment groups S10, S20, S30, S40 and S50 respectively. The egg production percent, egg mass of layers were higher in S20 group, where 20 per cent CP of conventional concentrate was replaced with the CP of the SBT cake. FCR in respect of egg mass of the layer was found better in S20 treatment group. It was noticed that, as the level of SBT cake increased beyond 20 per cent. The quality traits of eggs were not affected by replacement of SBT cake at any of the levels. It was revealed that replacement of CP of conventional layer feed with SBT cake CP up-to 20 per cent level was economic for layer production. Looking at the results of present investigations, it is concluded from this study that 20 per cent CP of the traditional concentrate ration can be replaced with the CP of SBT cake in layer birds for a viable and cost effective egg production.

Keywords: Seabuckthorn (SBT) Cake Poultry Birds Layers Egg Production Egg Quality Traits Feed Conversion Ratio. 

Corresponding Author : V.K. Sharma, Professor & Head, Dept of Animal Nutrition, Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya (CSK HPKV), College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (COVAS), Palampur, Dist. Kangra, Himachal Pradesh 176062, India