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Impact of Solid-State Fermented Wheat Offal Inclusion on Egg Production and Quality in ISA Brown Hens Under Semi-Arid Conditions

Abdulazeez, H.¹*, Muhammad, A. I.², Yerima, J.¹, Shuaibu, A. Y.¹, Bislava, M. B. ¹ and Abubakar, A. M.¹

¹Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri Nigeria.
²Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University Dutse, Jigawa State, Nigeria

Malaysian J. Anim. Sci. 2024 27(1): 1-19

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This experiment was conducted to determine the influence of solid-state fermented wheat offal (SSFWO) on the productive indices and egg quality traits of egg-type chickens using 180 ISA brown chickens aged 0 ? 42 weeks. The chickens were divided into six (6) treatment units of thirty birds with three replications of ten birds each following a completely randomized design (CRD). For the chick (0 ? 8 weeks); grower (9-16 weeks) and layer (30 - 42 weeks) stages, SSFWO was used to formulate six diets, which were included at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% of the diets. The results of the study showed an increase (P ? 0.05) in feed consumption, declining daily weight gain and final weight of the birds as the level of SSFWO increases at both chick and grower phases. Groups on the T1 (0% SSFWO) had a lower cost per gain than the groups fed 5-25% SSFWO. Hens on 25% SSFWO diet had delayed onset of lay. Feed consumption and feed conversion ratio were highest (P ? 0.05) in chickens on T6 (25% SSFWO). The group also had lower (P ? 0.05) hen-day egg production. Egg length, egg width, yolk height and width decreased while albumen weight and Haugh unit showed an increasing trend as the level of SSFWO advances. It was concluded that dietary SSFWO had no detrimental effect on productive performance and egg quality characteristics of egg-type chickens.