Laying performance and egg characteristics of Isa brown pullets fed diets containing Mucuna urens (horse eye bean) meal as an alternative protein source

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the laying performance and egg characteristics of pullets fed diets with different levels of multi-processed Mucuna urens bean meal. The M. urens beans were cracked mechanically, soaked in fresh water for 48 hours, peeled, cooked for 90 minutes, rinsed in water, and sun-dried. The dried beans were toasted in an oven at 60oC for 30 minutes, milled on the 4mm screened hammer mill, and the proximate composition determined. The processed beans were used to formulate six-layer mash diets, with the test sample replacing soybean meal at 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75%. Two hundred and seventy (270) isa brown pullets at the point of lay (16 weeks old) were used for the study. The birds were randomly distributed into six groups, with forty-five (45) birds per group. Each group was randomly assigned to one of the six experimental diets in a completely randomized design. Results obtained showed that pullets on a 15% M. urens bean meal diet had a significantly (P<0.05) higher percentage hen day production, while those fed 60% replacement level of M. urens recorded the highest egg weight. The feed efficiency and egg quality parameters were not significantly P>0.05) influenced by the treatments. The pullets on 15% M. urens recorded the highest returns on investment, with a sum of N 3189.26 obtained as profit. The study concludes that processed M. urens could replace soybean meal by up to 60% in pullets’diets without a deleterious effect on laying performance or egg quality.