Guava By-Product Meal Processed in Various Ways and Fed in Differing Amounts as a Component in Laying Hen Diets

The effect of different dietary levels of sun dried Guava by-product (GBP, pulp, peel, seeds and inedible fruits) processed by various ways in laying hen diets was investigated. GBP was collected and sun dried and fine grinded. GBP was processed by boiling for half an hr or an hr in water, acid (0.1 N) and alkaline (0.1 N) and their chemical composition was done. Furthermore, a total of 264 laying hens were fed from 32-48 wk of age twenty two diets consist of three level of GBP at 5, 10 and 15% processed by seven techniques in addition to the control diet (GBP free-diet). Each diet was assigned to three replicates of 4 hens each. Different processing methods induced an alternation in chemical composition of GBP. The ME value of GBP sun dried only, boiled for half an hr or an hr in water, acid (0.1 N) and alkaline (0.1 N) was 2200, 2040, 2540, 2310, 2160, 2650 and 2480 kcal/kg, respectively. Hens fed 15% of sun dried GBP or 15% of GBP boiled for half an hr in acid laid significantly more eggs, whereas, those fed 5% GBP boiled for half an hr in water had the least egg number. Hens fed 5% sun dried GBP boiled for an hr in alkaline had significantly the best FCR. Sun dried or processed GBP in layer diets did not adversely affect quality of eggs and shell.