Effects of glandless cottonseed, sesame and soybean meals on layer performance

Vita.Two studies were conducted to determine the effects of soybean meal (SBM), sesame meal (SM) and glandless cottonseed meal (GCSM) upon performance of inbred-cross layers. In the first experiment, two strains of birds (180 each) were fed isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets where SM or GCSM made up 100, 75, 50 and 25% of the dietary protein with the remainder furnished as SBM. Birds on these diets were compared with a positive control in which SIM, was used as the source of supplemental protein. In the second experiment, one strain of birds (160) was fed diets where SBM, SM or GCSM constituted the only source of supplemental protein. These birds were compared with those on a diet containing a combination of animal and plant proteins used as the positive control. Birds fed GCSM as the only source of protein had the highest egg production, 77.06% and 75.20% for strains A and B in experiment 1 and 72.69% in experiment 2. They also consumed more feed, protein and energy and had better feed efficiency than birds fed the other vegetable protein concentrates. The best feed efficiencies were 2.34 and 2.52 kg feed/kg eggs, respectively, for the two experiments. Hen-day egg production of birds fed GCSM-SEM combinations was similar or better than hen-day egg production of birds fed SBM alone, and generally had better feed efficiency. None of the eggs broken out fresh or after storage for 14, 28 or 90 days exhibited yolk or albumen abnormalities. ..