Effect of Guar Meal as a Source of protein on Laying Hens performance

An experiment was conducted to evaluate guar meal (GM) as a source of protein on laying hen’s performance and egg quality. Two hundred and twenty eight laying hens (58 weeks of age) were fed diets containing 0, 3, 6 and 9% guar meal with/without β-mannanase (Hemicell®) for 12 weeks. A complete block randomized design with 4×2 factorial arrangement were used to have eight diets of each fed to four replicate hens of nine each. Hen-day egg production was significantly decreased when hens were fed diets that contained 6 and 9% GM in first week and only 9% GM at second week of experiment as compared with 0 and 3% GM fed birds. Whereas, hen-day egg production was not influenced when hens fed up to 9% GM after third week. Egg mass was significantly lower when hens fed 9% GM during the experimental periods compared to control and 3% GM fed birds. Feeding of GM did not affect specific gravity, percentage wet albumen and wet yolk based on percentage of whole egg weight and shell weight and thickness. Performance, egg quality and blood parameters were not affected by Supplementation of β-mannanase during the experimental periods. Feeding of GM at the level of 6 and 9% decreased serum cholesterol and triglyceride but did not affect total SRBC, IgG and IgM. The results of this study showed that 6% GM may be added to the diet of laying hens with no adverse effects on performance.