EGG QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF DOMESTIC LAYING HENS FED VARYING LEVELS OF PROCESSED TANNIA COCOYAM MEAL (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) AS ENERGY SOURCE

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of cocoyam-based diet on egg quality characteristics of laying chickens. A total of 140 day old commercial chicks (Shika Brown) were allotted to seven dietary treatments (n=20 birds) in a factorial arrangement 2×3+1; 2 factors (raw and boiled cocoyam), 3 levels (25%, 50% and 75%) and 1 control 0% in a completely randomized design, 80 chicks for raw sun dried (RS) cocoyam and 80 chicks for boiled sun dried (BS) cocoyam. The rate of cocoyam inclusion comprises 4 diets from RS and another 4 from BS cocoyam, each replaced maize 0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% as T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. During the 12 months experimental period, the birds were given feed and water ad libitum and routine vaccinations/medications were administered appropriately. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and significant differences among treatments means were compared using Tukey test. The result of internal and external quality showed that egg weight and shell weight were found to decrease (p<0.05) with increased cocoyam levels, highest value was recorded at 0% level (55.73g and 5.24g, respectively). Albumen weight and yolk weight were also found to decrease (p<0.05) with increased cocoyam levels. However, with BS cocoyam, egg qualities were found to be better (p<0.05) with increased BS cocoyam t compared to RS cocoyam. Different response was observed in egg quality parameters in birds fed RS and BS cocoyam. It was concluded that up to 75% raw sundried cocoyam could be used in feeding laying chickens without deleterious effect on egg quality. For boiled cocoyam, lower level (50%) was required for better egg quality.