Effect of methionine and lysine supplementation to low protein diet and its influence on production performance, egg quality and egg composition of Vanaraja laying hens

Abstract

The effect of Methionine and lysine supplementation to low protein diet and its influence on production performance, egg quality and egg composition parameters were evaluated in Vanaraja laying hens. One hundred twenty (n=120), Vanaraja laying hens of thirty weeks of age were selected and randomly distributed into four dietary treatments with three replicates in each group having 10 birds in each replicate pen. Four diets were formulated with 2600 kcal/kg of metabolizable energy (ME) and 13% crude protein (CP). The dietary treatments were: T1- diet contains 0.65% lysine and 0.28% methionine; T2- diet contains 0.70% lysine and 0. Highest and lowest HHEP was observed in the group containing lowest level of supplemental EAAs (0.65% Lys and 0.28% Met) and highest level of supplemental EAAs (0.80% Lys and 0.40% Met) respectively. Enhancing the Lysine and Methionine supplementation to 0.70% and 0.32% respectively, increased the egg weight significantly (P<0.05). Significantly (P<0.05), higher egg mass (g/day) was observed in the dietary group containing lowest essential amino acid (EAAs) compared to highest EAAs. Feed conversion ratio was highest in the dietary group containing 0.65% Lys and 0.28% Met (T1). The egg quality parameters had no effect of supplemental EAAs to low CP diet. It was concluded that diet containing 0.65% lysine and 0.28% methionine (T1) is adequate for optimum production performance and egg quality in Vanaraja laying hens.