Effect of Replacing Maize with Pearl Millet on Egg Production and Quality in Layers

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of replacing maize with pearl millet on performance and egg quality of first production cycle laying hens. Eighty single comb white leghorn hens of commercial strain (20 weeks of age) were randomly divided into five treatment groups, having four replications with four birds in each replication and used during five periods of 28 days each. Maize grain was replaced by pearl millet on an equal weight at either 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100% levels in treatment groups T₁, T₂, T₃, T₄ and T₅, respectively. Results showed that use of 25, 50, 75 and 100% of pearl millet in place of maize in the diet of layers resulted in similar hen-day egg production, egg mass and egg weight. There was a linear increase in feed intake per day with increased level of pearl millet. Feed conversion by egg dozen and egg mass was not affected up to 75% replacement, although, decreased in 100% level compared to those of control group (100% maize). Egg quality parameters were not affected by using pearl millet in place of maize in the diet of laying hen during first cycle of production. By substituting 100% maize with pearl millet the cost of feed to produce dozen egg or one kg egg mass was reduced by Rs. 2.73 and 4.07, respectively. Hence, maize grain can be replaced completely with pearl millet without any adverse effect on layers performance or egg quality during first phase of production replacing.