Department of Animal Nutrition, Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar125 004, India
Online published on 21 January, 2012.
A feeding trial of 20 weeks duration was conducted following a 3 X 5 factorial design to study the effect of different levels of dietary protein and limiting amino acids on the laying performance of hens. Fifteen diets were formulated with three levels of dietary protein (16% high, 14% medium and 12% low). At each level of protein, three levels of lysine (Lys.) and methionine (Meth.) plus cystine (Cys.) (0.70% Lys.; and 0.55% Meth.+Cys.; 0.65% Lys. and 0.50% Meth.±Cys.; and 0.60% Lys. and 0.45% Meth.+Cys.) were compared with a negative control (all vegetable protein diet) and a positive control (vegetable protein supplemented with 5% fish meal). A constant calorie-protein ratio of 170:1 was maintained in all the treatments. Percent hen-day production and egg weight remained unaffected due to varied levels of protein. High and medium protein level groups consumed less feed and performed better in terms of feed efficiency than the low protein group which resulted in maximum gain in body weight. Except the medium level, the supplementation of amino acids at two other levels to the vegetable protein diets could not improve percent hen day production and feed efficiency but resulted in an iucreased feed consumption. However, the body weight was improved in the amino acid supplemented groups which was comparable to the fish meal fed groups.
