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Abstract
This experiment was carried out to examine the effects of energy level and enzyme supplementation of wheat-based diets compared with corn in laying hen diets on hen performance and egg quality. Experiment was conducted over 16 weeks with 27-wk-old Hisex Brown laying hens. Hens were randomly assigned to five experimental diets in a single isolated control group—2 (energy level)×2 (enzyme supplementation)—factorial arrangement. Experimental groups consisted of corn diet (control), and wheat-based (600 g kg−1) diets at the normal (11.51 MJ/kg ME, identical with the corn diet) and low energy levels (11.05 MJ/kg ME) with or without enzyme supplementation. Diets were fed in mash form. No significant interactions between energy level and enzyme supplementation on hen performance were observed. However, enzyme addition to wheat-based diets significantly improved laying rate, eggs mass and feed efficiency: the results were similar to those of hens fed the corn diet. Final body weight gain, egg shape index, breaking strength, shell thickness and incidence of dirty eggs were not significantly affected by the dietary energy level and enzyme supplementation. In the wheat-based diets, dirty eggs rate (2.07%) was higher than in the corn diet (0.21%). There was no significant interaction between energy level and enzyme supplementation for egg yolk colour but enzyme addition to wheat-based diets increased egg yolk pigmentation, which was also lower than that of the corn diet. These results demonstrated that wheat can replace corn in layer diets, and the addition of enzyme to wheat-based diets improved hen performance and egg yolk pigmentation. Energy enhancement of wheat by enzyme addition should be considered to achieve production and cost improvements in the formulation of layer diets.
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