Vol. 7, Issue 5, Part A (2022)

Author(s): CN Muremera, MK Ambula, AM King'ori, ED Ilatsia and PAO Alaru

Abstract: The egg quality of indigenous chicken in Kenya is low due to inadequate supply of quality feed which can only be achieved by nutritional improvement. Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) provides proteins, vitamins, minerals and ox carotenoids that have a positive effect on the quality of eggs. The objective of this research was to determine the influence of MOLM on egg quality traits of improved indigenous laying hens. Ninety chicken (90) were assigned to six treatment diets in a completely randomised design with a factorial layout, each treatment having 5 birds per cage, replicated three times. The dietary treatments were: T1 – 0 kg MOLM and 0 g enzyme, T2 – 0 kg MOLM and 0.035 g enzyme, T3-20 kg MOLM and 0 g enzyme, and T4 – 20 kg MOLM and 0.035 g enzyme, T5-40 kg MOLM and 0 g enzyme, T6-40 kg MOLM and 0.035 g enzyme of the diet, respectively. The egg weight in hens fed with MOLM-based diets increased significantly (p<0.05) compared to control diet. In response to dietary M. oleifera leaf meal, there was no difference in egg shape index across the groups (p> 0.05). The laying hens fed a diet with 40 percent MOLM inclusion significantly had a higher (p<0.05) shell thickness and weight. Inclusion of MOLM in the diet increased the intensity of yellow colour in egg yolk (p<0.05) in comparison to the control diet. Significantly (p<0.05), the eggs from chicken fed a diet containing 40 percent MOLM inclusion had the highest Roche colour score of 14.62. When MOLM-based diets were compared with control, there were significant variations in yolk weight (p<0.05). The albumen height of eggs increased significantly (p<0.05) as dietary MOLM inclusion increased compared to control. The egg width, albumin width, yolk height, ratio, index and yolk/albumin ratio and shell ratio were similar (p>0.05) for all the dietary treatments. As the amount of MOLM in the diet increased, the egg length, albumin length, and yolk diameter were all significantly reduced (p<0.05) in comparison to the control. This study concluded that inclusion of 20-40 percent enzyme-treated MOLM in diets of laying hens improved egg weight, yolk weight, albumin height, yolk colour and shell thickness (p<0.05) compared to control diet.

DOI: 10.22271/veterinary.2022.v7.i5a.443