STUDIES ON DIFFERENT RESPONSES OF COMMERCIAL AND KAMPONG LAYING HENS ON FORTIFIED LOCAL MINERAL FEED

The present study was aimed to define the beneficial effects of fortification of local mineral feed with micro nutrients as mineral sources in the diets on the laying performances of commercial and Kampongs’ laying. Three mineral feed formulas were prepared as treatments: P1: local mineral feed which composed of three locally available feedstuffs of Bukit Kamangs’limestone, fresh water oyster shell and bone meal. P2: local mineral feed fortified with trace minerals of Zn, Cu and I and P3: local mineral feed fortified with trace minerals, vitamins (D3 and B12) and amino acid (DL-methionine). The mineral feeds were mixed into a basal diet in the level of 6% and then fed to 180 laying hens which composed of 90 commercial and Kampongs’hens. They were divided into 3 groups based on body weight; each group was subdivided into 3 replicates groups containing 10 hens. Parameters measured included: feed intake, egg production,FCR, eggshell quality, Ca and P retention, tibia bone weight. Results showed fortification of local mineral feed with micro minerals, vitamins and methionine gave no significant (P>0.05) effect on the laying performances of commercial laying hens, while egg production and FCR were significantly (P