Processing, Products, and Food Safety I

to determine the effect of graded levels of low glucosinolate CM, up to complete replacement of soybean meal, on the performance of laying hens. Wheat-based diets were formulated on a digestible amino acid basis with 4 levels of CM (0 to 16.7%) and fed to 3 commercial laying hen strains, Lohmann Brown (LOH), ISA Brown (ISA), and Lohmann LSL (LSL). Rations were fed from 19 to 59 wks of age, with egg weight, specific gravity and feed intake measured at 4 wk intervals. Overall, level of CM inclusion had no effect on hen body weight gain, feed intake, feed to egg mass ratio, egg weight or egg specific gravity. Hen-day egg production was also not affected by CM but hens fed all diets including CM laid numerically more eggs than those fed the wheat-soybean meal control diet (P=0.0512). Although not statistically significant, hens fed the highest level of CM had the highest mortality (P=0.0933). Hen-day production and mortality were similar for all strains, but there were significant differences amongst genotypes for egg shell quality traits. There were no interactions between level of CM inclusion and bird strain. In conclusion, complete replacement of soybean meal in laying hen rations with CM did not affect hen performance but the effect of high levels of CM on morality requires further investigation.