Performance of brown-egg-type pullets fed diets based on groundnut meal, with and without supplementation with fishmeal or bloodmeal

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of rearing pullets on rations based on groundnut meal with and without the addition of fishmeal or bloodmeal. Unsupplemented groundnut meal rations reduced pullet weight at eight weeks relative to the rations containing 5% fishmeal, although at 20 weeks of age no significant weight differences were observed. The absence of fishmeal or bloodmeal, or the use of bloodmeal in place of fishmeal, did not affect feed intake but reduced feed cost per bird. Age to 5% production was delayed on the unsupplemented ration but ages to 50% and peak production, and the subsequent laying performances, were not significantly affected by the rearing diets. The results show that unsupplemented groundnut meal rations were suitable for rearing pullets from day-old, and that bloodmeal could be used in place of fishmeal when needed in pullet rations.