Effects of lupin seed supplementation on egg production performance, and qualitative egg traits in laying hens

We investigated the effects of lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) seed supplementation on egg production performance and egg quality in laying hens. A total of 120 Hy-Line Brown laying hens (29-week old) were used in a nine week trial. Laying hens were sorted into pens with six birds per pen and five pens per treatment. Treatments were (1) control, corn-soybean meal-based control diets, (2) 11% lupin (control + 11% lupin), (3) 16.5% lupin (control + 16.5% lupin), and (4) 22% lupin (control + 22% lupin). The average daily feed intake of laying hens fed with lupin diets was increased compared with control at Week 6 (P < 0.05). The egg production rate was higher in lupin diets than in the control diet at Week 3, 4, and 5 (P < 0.05). Supplementation with lupin improved the egg production rate linearly at Week 3, 4, 5, and 9, as dietary lupin increased from 11 to 22%. Laying hens fed with 11% and 16.5% lupin diets had higher rates of extra-large-sized egg production at Week 1 (quadratic, P = 0.04). Yolk colour was higher in hens fed lupin diets than in those fed with the control at Week 9 (P < 0.05). Supplementation of lupin in laying hen diets linearly improved the yolk colour (P < 0.05) at Week 5. In conclusion, supplementation of the diet with lupin can improve egg production and yolk colour with no apparent effect on average daily feed intake and eggshell quality in laying hens.