Influence of dried tomato pomace as an alternative to wheat bran in maize or wheat based diets, on the performance of laying hens and traits of produced eggs

ABSTRACT

In a 2 x 3 x 2 factorial arrangement, 144, fifty-four-week-old laying hens, in 12 treatments with 12 replicates for each treatment, received one of 12 diets based on maize or wheat containing three levels of dried tomato pomace [DTP 0, 50 and 100 g/kg] as a substitute for wheat bran, and two levels of pigment [0 and 900 mg/kg], for 9 weeks. Weight gain [WG], egg production [EP], egg weight [EW], egg mass output [EM] and feed intake [FI] were determined. Shell weight [ShW], shell thickness [ShT], Haugh unit [HU] and yolk colour score [YCS] were also measured. Maize decreased body weight of the birds and increased HU, ShW/EW ratio, ShT, and YCS of the eggs when compared with wheat diets. DTP had no effect on these parameters, but increased YCS. Pigment reduced ShW/EW ratio and ShT, but increased YCS of the eggs. There were significant interactions between the source of energy [ES] and DTP on ShT and YCS of the eggs. There were also interactions significant between ES and pigment on ShT and YCS. As an alternative for wheat bran, 100 g/kg of DTP produced comparable egg quality and laying performance, and it contributed to a deeper yolk colour