EGG PRODUCTION USING SORGHUM VARIETY ICSV400 AS REPLACEMENT FOR MAIZE

Abstract

The study was conducted during the months of August- November, 2025 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Animal Production, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Yelwa Campus, Bauchi to evaluate the productive performance of layer chickens using sorghum variety ICSV400 as it replaces maize. Five diets were formulated in which sorghum variety ICSV400 replaced maize at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% in diets 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Two hundred (200) pullets (point of lay) were randomly allotted to the 5 diets in four replicates of 10 birds each in a completely randomised design. Fresh experimental feeds and fresh drinking water were supplied ad-libitum and the feeding trial lasted for 10 weeks. Daily feed intake (DFI) and total number of eggs produced (TEP) were recorded every day per replicate while 2 fresh eggs were randomly selected and marked on weekly basis from each replicate for external and internal egg quality parameters such as Egg Weight (EW), Egg Length (EL), Egg Diameter (ED), Shell Weight (SW), Shell Thickness (ST), Albumin Weight (AW), Albumin Height (AH), Albumin Diameter (AD), Yolk Weight (YW), Yolk Height (YH), Yolk Diameter (YD) assessment. From the relationships of daily feed intake, number of eggs laid and number of birds initially housed and at present, layer performance indicators like percent hen day production (%HDP) and percent hen house production (%HHP) as well as feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated. Other egg quality parameters (yolk index, albumin index, yolk/albumin index) were calculated using the relationships of the internal egg parameters. Data generated were processed and analysed using MINITAB 17 version statistical package. Means with significant differences were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The results indicated that DFI was significantly (P<0.001) affected by the dietary treatments with highest value (115.12g) on birds fed diets 5 (100% sorghum) and lowest (111.05g) on those fed diet 1 (100% maize). TEP was also significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the sorghum inclusion levels in the diets with highest value (181) on birds fed diet 1. %HDP and %HHP were significantly (P<0.05) affected by the dietary treatment. However, FCR was not influenced by the dietary levels of sorghum variety ICSV400 in the diets, with the best (1.51) FCR in birds fed diet 1 and lowest (1.63) in those fed diet 5. The remaining egg quality parameters were not affected by the dietary treatments except on EW and EL which were significantly influenced at P<0.01. It was concluded that using sorghum variety ICSV400 to completely replace maize in layer diets does not negatively affect their productive performance. It is therefore recommended that sorghum variety ICSV400 be used to replace maize up to 100% in layer chicken’s Diets.