• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.361-368
• /
• 1991

In two experiments 640 starcross replacement pullets between 25 and 154 days of age were fed ad libitum on either of 16 diets formed by the combination of $4CP{\times}4ME$ levels to study the interaction of CP and ME on growth performances. In both experiments, feed intake decreased, but protein intake, energy intake, live weight gain and feed conversion efficiency increased and sexual maturity hastened with the increase of dietary protein and/or energy level. The protein conversion efficiency decreased with the increase of dietary protein level. The energy conversion efficiency, however, did not show any relationship with dietary energy level. There was a greater improvement of growth performance due to simultaneous increase of dietary protein and energy level than that of increasing protein or energy alone.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.723-731
• /
• 1992

Two similar experiments were designed to evaluate the interaction of dietary CP and ME levels on the production performance parameters at the age between 155 and 300 days in Starcross layers. In both experiments, the feed intake and mortality decreased but the egg weight, body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency increased as the dietary CP and ME levels increased. The CP intake was highest CP and lowest ME levels. With the increasing CP and decreasing ME levels, the ME intake decreased significantly (Experiments 1 & 2). The $CP{\times}ME$ interactions were significant only on mean egg weight and egg production in Experiment 2. In both the experiments, the CP levels were positively correlated with CP intake, egg weight, body weight gain and egg production and negative correlation with feed intake, mortality percentage and ME intake. The ME levels showed negative correlation with feed intake, protein intake, mortality percentages and positive correlation with all other parameters in both experiments. The highest values were noted for all the parameters (except mortality percentages) in Experiment 1 than that recorded in Experiment 2.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.399-405
• /
• 1991

The interaction of 4 dietary crude protein (13, 16, 19 or 22%) and 4 metabolizable energy (2600, 2800, 3000 or 3100 kcal ME/kg) levels on egg quality performances of Starcross layers were assessed between 245 and 275 days of age. The egg weight increased significantly with the increasing dietary protein and energy levels. But egg shape index, albumen index, yolk index, yolk dry matter, yolk protein, yolk fat, albumen protein and shell tickness were similar at all dietary protein and/or energy levels. The egg specific gravity and albumen weight increased but the yolk, weight, Haugh unit and albumen drymatter decreased with the increase of dietary protein levels and showed irregular trend with energy levels. The albumen dry matter and egg shell weight, however, were not affected by energy and protein levels. Simultaneous increase of protein and energy increased specific gravity, albumen index and shell thickness at a greater rate than that increased by the increase of protein or energy alone.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.237-248
• /
• 1992

The effect of 16 different dietary rations, computed by the combinations of 13, 16, 19 or 22% CP and 2600, 2800, 3000 or 3100 kcal ME/kg, on growth performances and carcass yield of Starcross layers were assessed in two similar experiments. In both experiments, the body weight, eviscerated carcass yield, edible carcass yield, length of digestive tract and shank length increased but the feed intake decreased linearly with the increase of dietary CP and ME levels. The liver and gizzard weights as percentages of live weight tended to be increased with the increase of dietary CP and ME levels. The carcass dry matter, crude protein, fat, ash and energy content were not influenced by the dietary CP and ME levels. Dietary CP levels had positive correlations with all the parameters (except feed and energy intake and carcass dry matter). However, the dietary ME levels were positively correlated with all the parameters (except feed and energy intake; carcass dry matter and ash) in both experiments. The higher values were noted for all the parameters (except gizzard and carcass fat percentages) studied in Experiment 1 compared to those observed in Experiment 2.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.239-244
• /
• 1998

Dried carrot meal (DCM) prepared from fresh carrot was found to be a good source of xanthophyll (54 mg/kg) and morderate source of protein (188.3 g/kg) and energy (2,510 kcal/kg) with low level of fibre (80 g/kg). DM, EE and NFE content of DCM were 895, 35 and 661.7 g/kg respectively. The ingredient was used in laying hen diet to evaluate its pigmenting value for egg yolk. Thirty-two laying hens from Starcross strain were divided into four groups and fed four different diets: a control diet containing 62% ground wheat, a corn-based diet (50% ground yellow corn), control + 4% DCM and control + 8% DCM. Use of DCM at 8% level in layer mash significantly improved yolk colour at 3rd, 6th and 9th week of supplementation in comparison with wheat-based control diet. This improvement was statististically similar to that obtained from yellow corn-based diet. DCM at 4% level also improved yolk colour score. Wheat-based diet significantly increased feed consumption compared to yellow corn and diet supplied with 8% DCM. Body weight gain, egg production, feed conversion were not significantly affected due to dietary addition of DCM and no mortality was observed during 63-day experimental period. Further works on DCM are suggested.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.12 no.5
• /
• pp.776-782
• /
• 1999

Two Bangladeshi varieties of yellow corn-'Barnali' and 'Khaibhutta' were chemically analysed and used in the diet of laying chicken to determine their replacement value for wheat. Both the new varieties of yellow corn were found to be good sources of energy and the CP contents were comparable to wheat. Forty two, 29-week old randomly selected Starcross Brown commercial pullets were assigned to 7 dietary treatments with 6 replicates, each being an experimental unit. Diets were formulated replacing wheat quantitatively by two varieties of yellow corn either 0, 50, 75 or 100 per cent from a wheat based control diet. The production performance of laying hens fed diets formulated with Barnali or Khaibhutta at different dietary levels during an experimental period of 16 weeks was satisfactory and comparable to wheat based diet. Except egg yolk colour, the other internal arid external egg quality characteristics at 8th and 16th weeks of the experiment did not differ significantly. The egg yolk colour improved significantly (p<0.01) by feeding both the new varieties of corn and the degree of pigmentation of yolk increased as the dietary levels of corn increased at the expense of wheat. Considering laying performance, the new varieties of yellow corn, Barnali or Khaibhutta can be used in layer diet as replacement of wheat. Such a replacement would better that wheat-based diet in terms of egg yolk pigmentation.