Abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of corn DDGS as a feed ingredient on egg quality and performance of laying hens. The experiment was conducted in three feeding groups of 100 hens each (10 replicates of 10 layers). ISA Brown laying hens were administered a feed mixture containing 15% (E1) or 20% (E2) corn DDGS for 18 weeks. The hens from the control group (C) received a standard diet based on soybean meal as the main protein source only. Laying performance, average egg weight, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio were recorded over the study period. Egg quality traits (egg weight, thick albumen quality, yolk colour, yolk content, shell content and shell thickness) were evaluated twice: at the start and at the end of the experiment. On both dates, all daily laid eggs from each group were analysed, i.e. 90, 93 and 92 eggs from groups C, E1 and E2, respectively at 31 weeks, and 92, 94 and 81 eggs, respectively at 48 weeks of age. Compared to the other groups, the hens from group E2 (20% DDGS) were characterized by a slight - though statistically significant (P≤0.01) - decrease in laying performance and by a higher FCR value. The content of DDGS in the feed mixture had no significant effect on mean egg weight nor on daily feed intake. At the end of the experiment, the eggs laid by the hens from group E2 were characterized by significantly poorer (P≤0.01) albumen and shell quality. Yolk colour in both experimental groups was significantly darker (P≤0.01) than in the C group. The 15% addition of corn distillers dried grains with solubles to feed mixtures for commercial flocks of laying hens is advisable. At corn DDGS addition exceeding 15%, a slight decrease in production results and deterioration in selected parameters of egg quality shall be expected.
The Effect of Using Different Levels of Corn Distillers Dried Grains (DDG) and Iraqi Probiotic on the Diets on Physiological Performance of Laying Hens
