doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.1572-1575
Article history: Received: 23-03-2023, Accepted: 16-06-2023, Published online: 31-07-2023
Corresponding author: Custódio Gabriel Bila
E-mail: custodio.bila@uem.mz
Citation: Novela M, Pinto SC, Tembe A, Paulo E, Mabasso M, Gove A, Changule AP, Joaquim LA, Tseu R, dos Anjos F, and Bila CG (2023) Soybean oil addition to wheat bran-based diet improves laying hens’ performance, Veterinary World, 16(7): 1572-1575.Background and Aim: Wheat bran (WB) is used extensively in animal feed. Despite its nutritional value, its use is limited because of its high-fiber content. We evaluated the effect of soybean oil on laying hen performance with maize meal partly replaced by WB.
Materials and Methods: Thirty-six ISA Brown laying hens, 40 weeks old, were used in a completely randomized design in which laying hens were distributed in individual cages, with three replications of four birds and assigned to three treatments: T1 (basal diet), T2 (60% basal diet + 20% maize meal + 20% WB), and T3 (60% basal diet + 20% maize meal + 17.5% WB + 2.5% soybean oil).
Results: Compared with the control group (T1), replacing 20% of yellow maize with WB (T2) did not affect average live weight, egg laying rate, soft-shelled egg production, egg mass, feed conversion per dozen eggs, or laying hen viability (p > 0.05). When 20% of the maize meal was replaced with WB, feed intake and feed conversion per egg mass increased (p < 0.05). Furthermore, adding 2.5% soybean oil to feed containing WB improved laying hen performance by significantly reducing feed conversion per egg mass (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Adding 2.5% soybean oil to diets containing WB instead of 17.5% yellow maize improved the feed conversion per egg mass performance of laying hens.
Keywords: hens, laying, soybean oil, wheat bran.