The Effect of Duckweed Supplementation on Egg Production and Egg Quality of White Leghorn Layers

Abstract

Chicken production plays an important role in the economy of Eritrea. In Eritrea duckweed (DW) is not yet utilized as poultry feed due to lack of knowledge on its use and nutritional value. Therefore a feeding trial was carried out to examine the effect of duckweed supplementation on egg production of white leghorn. The control diet consists of locally available commercial layer ration. A total of 120 White leghorn layers (60 weeks of age) were randomly assigned to four treatments. Each treatment contained three replicates of ten birds each. Each treatment contained sun dried DW (CP 15.05, CF 25.7%) at 0, 5, 15 and 25% by weight. The experiment was continued for a period of eight weeks after 10 days of adaptation. Increasing levels of DW in the ration showed no significant effect on egg production, body weight, feed intake, egg weight, shell weight, shell thickness and shape index. However egg yolk color (P< 0.001) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P<0.05) showed significant differences. The mean egg production of the birds was 330 eggs (57.60%) for the control diet (0% DW). 336.7 (58.90%) for 5% DW and 15% DW and 227 (48.20%) for 25% DW level. So DW can serve as a viable alternative protein supplement to layers ration in Eritrea up to 15%.