Performance, Egg Qualities, and Blood Parameters of Layers Fed Diets Containing Graded Levels of Sundried Sweet Orange Fruit Peel Meal

A 10-week feeding trial was conducted to determine the performance, egg qualities, and hematology of layers fed diets containing sun-dried sweet orange peel meal (SOPM). A total of 140 Isa brown point of lay birds, aged 20 weeks were used for the experiment. SOPM was incorporated to replace 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% maize. The birds were randomly assigned to the diets in a Completely Randomized Design; each diet group had 28 birds and 4 replicates with each replicate having 7 birds. Observed results showed that SOPM did not significantly (NS) (p>0.05) affect final weight and egg number. However, weight change, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, mortality, cost of 1 kg feed, and cost of feed consumed were significantly different (P 0.05) influenced, and ranged from 0.80 to 0.84 and 2.63–2.71 cm, respectively. Internal egg parameters, i.e., yolk width, yolk height, albumin weight, albumin length, and yolk index were significantly (P < 0.05) affected. Hematological profile (packed cell volume, hemoglobin, white blood cell, red blood cell, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), MCH concentration, lymphocyte, and neutrophil) of birds showed significant differences (P < 0.05). The study revealed that SOPM did not have an adverse effect on the performance of layers even at 40% replacement of maize while in lay. Its inclusion decreased the cost of feed linearly, did not compromise external and internal qualities of eggs or the health of the birds