<b>Performance, egg quality and economic analysis of the production of commercial brown laying hens fed different levels of cassava shavings</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v31i1.457

Abstract

The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of cassava shavings in the diet on egg production, egg quality and economic feasibility of brown laying hens. The study used 180 laying hens, distributed in a completely randomized design, composed of six treatments (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% of cassava shaving inclusion), with five replicates of six birds per experimental unit. Feed intake, egg production, egg weight and egg mass, conversion by egg mass and by egg dozen, percentage of albumen, yolk and shell, yolk pigmentation and relative gross margin were evaluated. Feed intake, egg production, conversion by egg mass and by egg dozen and the percentage of albumen responded linearly to the increase in inclusion levels, leading to a decreased performance. There was a reduction of relative gross margin with 5% of shavings inclusion, and values increased until the inclusion level of 15% and dropped slightly until 25% of inclusion, always below 100%.