Abstract

CORTES CUEVAS, Arturo et al. Performance and egg quality in semi-free range hens fed diets with different levels of canola meal. Rev. mex. de cienc. pecuarias [online]. 2016, vol.7, n.2, pp.173-184. ISSN 2448-6698.

In order to evaluate performance and organoleptic quality of egg-Isa Brown hens fed sorghum-soybean meal isoproteic and isocaloric diets with different levels of inclusion of canola meal (0.0, 6.6, 13.2 and 26.4 %) as a replacement (0.0, 25, 50 and 90 %) for soybean meal protein (SM), two experiments were conducted. In Exp 1, 13.2 and 26.4 % canola meal levels were used in 405 hens, 23 to 31 wk of age, in three treatments (including a control with 0 % canola meal) with three replicates of 45 hens each. In Exp 2, 6.6 and 13.2 % canola meal levels were used in 405 hens, 40 to 48 wk of age, in three treatments (including a control with 0 % canola meal) with three replicates of 45 hens each. Canola meal inclusion level had no effect (P>0.05) on laying percentage, egg weight, feed intake, egg mass, feed conversion, Haugh units, yolk color and shell thickness in either experiment. Only egg flavor in Exp 1 differed among treatments in that sensory test panelists preferred (P<0.01) eggs from the control and 13.2 % treatments to those in the 26.4 % treatment. No differences (P>0.05) in organoleptic variables were noted in Exp 2. Replacement of 25, 50 and 90 % of protein from soybean meal had no effect on performance or egg quality parameters in ISA Brown hens. However, replacement of 90 % of the protein (26.34 % inclusion with canola meal) imparted a fishy odor to the eggs.

Keywords : Canola meal; ISA Brown hens; Egg quality; Performance; Egg flavor.