Tropicultura (Jan 2001)
Cocoa Husk/Cassava Leaf Inclusions in Layers Mash Produced Quality Cheap Feeds
Abstract
A 10-week trial was conducted to investigate the effects of cocoa husk meal (CHM)/cassava leaf meal (CLM) mixtures in layers mash on laying hen production performance and egg quality. Results were compared with those obtained using two locally popular standard commercial feeds (CFDs). CHM/CLM mixtures were included in the two test diets in the following order : Diet 1 (7.3 CHM/2.7 % CLM) and Diet 2 (14.6 CHM/5.4 CLM). Forty 6-month-in-lay individually caged Black Nera hens were randomly allocated to the four diets. Feeding was ad libitum Feed intake, egg weight and percentage egg production were reduced (P <0.05) on Diet 2 relative to the CFDs. The reduction in egg weight was however marginal while the values were in line with the 56-58 g in the literature. Similarly, the value of 65 % percent egg production was considered not poor. Feed efficiency, yolk colour index, shell thickness and yolk percentage were not influenced by diet. On average, feed cost of the CHM/CLM diets were 60 % of those of the CFDs while the feed cost/kg egg was roughly doubled on the latter. It was concluded that the inclusion of CHM/CLM in layers mash promises to be a very economically rewarding venture where the two farm by-products are available.
