Substitution Effect of Noug Seed (Guzoitia abyssinica) Cake with Various Levels of Samma (Urtica simensis) Leaf Meal on Egg Production and Egg Quality Parameters of Commercial Layer Hens

The substitution effect of noug (Guzoitia abyssinica) seed cake with samma (Urtica simensis) leaf meal (SLM) was investigated on egg production and egg quality parameters in commercial layer hens. Five treatment (T) diets were formulated to contain SLM at 0% (T1), 3% (T2), 6% (T3), 9% (T4) and 12% (T5) by substituting noug seed cake. One-hundred fifty Isa Brown layer pullets were randomly allocated to the treatment diets, replicated thrice consisting of 10 hens each. The results indicated that feed intake did not vary among treatment diets. The individual final body weight (g) of hens in T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 was 1786, 1804, 1804, 1819, 1858, respectively, being the highest (P<0.05) for T5. The average egg weight (g) of hens fed with T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 diets was 45.0, 47.2, 48.9, 53.5 and 55.5, respectively, being (P<0.05) different for T4 and T5. The hen-housed egg production (%) for hens fed with T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 diets was 44.3, 49.5, 59.4, 70.9 and 80.5%, respectively and differed (P<0.05) from each other. The respective individual daily egg mass output (g) in hens fed with T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 diets was 20.0, 23.4, 29.1, 37.9, and 44.7, being (P<0.05) different from each other. The feed conversation ratio (kg feed/kg egg mass) was 5.20, 4.18, 3.55, 2.83 and 2.40 for hens reared in T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, respectively and being lowest (P<0.05) for those of T4 and T5. Hens fed with T3, T4 and T5 diets had higher (P<0.05) shell thickness than those of T1 and T2. The yolk index was higher (P<0.05) for hens reared in T5 than those of T1 and T3 diets. In conclusion, the substitution of noug seed cake with SLM improved the egg production and most egg quality parameters. We recommend further studies to corroborate the effect of samma leaf on total cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations of egg yolk and meat.