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A comparative evaluation of leaf meals of pawpaw (<i>C. papaya</i>), swordbean (<i>C. gladiate</i>), jackbean (<i>C. ensiformis</i>) and pigeonpea (<i>C. cajan</i>) as feed ingredients and yolk colouring agents in layers' diets


ABI Udedibie

Abstract

Leaf meals of the above-named tropical plants at 0.2,3 ,4 and 5% dietary levels were investigated for their values as feed ingredients and egg yolk pigmenters in white maize based layer diets. Each diet was fed as 5 replicates of 15 hyaline layers for 14 weeks. Pawpaw leaf meal (P<M) at 4% and 5% dietary levels significantly (P<0.05) depressed feed intake without affecting egg production and body weights. It, however, had no colouring affecting on egg yolk. Sword bean leaf meal (SBIM), jack bean leaf meal (JB<M) and pigeonpea leaf meal (PPLM) compared favourably with the control group in terms of feed intake, egg production and body weights. SBLM exceptionally improved egg yolk colour, scoring 4, 5, 8 and 12 on the Roche egg yolk colour fan at 2, 3, 4 and 5% dietary levels respectively. JBLM and PPLM only gave a score of 4 and 5% dietuy level. SBLM appears to be very high in biological available xanthophylls and should be considered for development as commercial egg yolk pigmenter.

Key words: Pawpaw leaf meal, Swordbean leaf meal, Jackbean leaf meal, Pigeon pea leaf meal.


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eISSN: 0331-2062