Effects of feeding pearl millet on laying hen performance and egg quality

The effects of feeding three cultivars of pearl millet (PM) on performance, egg quality and liver fat content was studied in 26-week old laying hens. Diets were based on maize or one of the millet cultivars Baioda, Dimbi and Kordofani or with graded levels of the cultivar Baioda (0, 150, 300 and 600 g kg−1). No significant differences were found in egg production, feed consumption, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio or egg weight during or at the end of the 12-week experimental period. Shell thickness of eggs laid by hens fed the PM cultivars was significantly higher (p<0.05) than that of eggs from hens fed the maize-based diet. Egg yolk colour and albumen height were significantly affected (p<0.05) by the PM cultivars. The lowest yolk score and albumen height were observed in hens given Dimbi cultivar. Increasing the level of Baioda cultivar improved (p<0.05) shell thickness, reduced albumen height and yolk colour score compared to the control. Liver fat appeared to decrease by feeding the PM cultivars or increasing the level of Baioda. The results indicate that feeding the PM has no adverse effect on egg production, increased egg shell thickness and reduced liver fat content. The effect of PM on yolk colour was cultivar dependent.