ABSTRACT

In this experiment, the effects of diets containing Monodora myristica on laying performance and egg quality characteristics of pullet chicks were investigated. One hundred and fifty Lohmann breed laying hens, 22 weeks old were divided into five groups, replicated three times with 10 hens per replicate. One group (the control) was given a basal diet. The experimental diets that were given to other four groups had the basal diets but contained African nutmeg (Monodora myristica) added at different levels of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.00%. At the end of the feeding trials of 140 days duration, hen performance and some egg equality characteristics were determined, whereas egg yolk cholesterol concentration was also examined. The results suggested that some laying performance, age at first egg (d), average weight offirst egg (g), average weight of bird at first egg (g), average daily feed intake (g/hen/day), average total egg per bird (egg/day/group), feed conversion (kg feed/egg mass), average hen-day production (%), average age of bird at 50% HDP (d), average weight of bird at 50% HDP(g), hen housed average (HHA)%, cost offeed per dozen egg (N), gross margin from a dozen egg (N) of birds fed diet with Monodora myristica spice addition were significantly influenced. Also dietary Monodora spice inclusion recorded higher (P<0.05) qualitative parameters of egg exterior content (egg weight (g), width (cm), length (mm), shape index, shell weight (g) and improvement in some qualitative paramaters of egg internal content (egg mass (g); yolk weight (g), yolk index, yolk diameter (cm), albumen weight (g), albumen diameter (cm), albumen index, haugh index and egg yolk cholesterol content) when compared to eggs collected from the control hens. Therefore, Monodora myristica in a feed mixture as feed additive in layers diet generated better results related to hen performance, feed , utilization, egg yields and their quality. However, shell thickness (mm), yolk height (cm) and albumen height (cm) were not favourably affected by Monodora inclusion. However, the overall economic analysis of layers diets that contained Monodora myristica revealed that Monodora spice recorded lower (P<0.05) price/kg mixed feed, reduced feeding expenses, increased income and gross margin with increasing levels of Monodora myristica. It is thus, concluded that Monodora myristica improved laying performance, egg quality characteristics and may as well increase egg shelf life as indicated by egg quality improvement.