Partial Placement of Maize with Cocoa Husks Meals in Layers Mash: An on- farm Experience.

Abstract

The partial replacement value of cocoa husk meals for maize in laying hen diets were assessed under an on-farm condition, Urea-treated and untreated cocoa husk meals were each incorporated into the farmer's layer mash (FLM) to replace 25% of the maize portion. FLM contained 40% maize. Six groups of 15 laying hens which were in the fifth month of lay were randomly allotted to the 3 dietary treatments including the control (FLM), cocoa husk-based mash (CHM) and urea-treated cocoa husk-based mash (UCHM). The diets were fed for 12 weeks. Egg product ion and egg mass were higher (p<0.05) on CHM and UCHM. Egg weight and feed conversion (feed intake: egg mass) were not affected (p>0.05) by dietary treatments. Feed cost was 9% lower on the test diets relative to FLM while feed cost/kg egg was 18% and 13% lower respectively on CHM and UCHM. These results indicate that cocoa husk meal could replace maize up to 25% in layers mash with the possibility of a higher profit margin.


The Journal of Food Technology in Africa Volume 5 Number 2 (April - June 2000), pp. 62-63



KEY WORDS:

Cocoa husk meal, layers mash, production performance