Soybean oil and beef tallow in the diet of semi-heavy laying hens reared in hot climate regions

The objective of this study was to evaluate the productive performance and physical quality of eggs from semi-heavy laying hens reared in hot climate regions and fed diets containing soybean oil or beef tallow. The experiment had a duration of 63 days divided into three cycles of 21 days each. A total of 160 semi-heavy Hisex Brown laying hens at 50 weeks of age and with an initial weight of 1.755 ± 0.172 kg were used. The birds were reared in a floor system and housed in boxes. A completely randomized design consisting of two treatments and five replicates was used, with 16 birds per experimental unit (box). Two experimental diets based on corn and soybean meal were formulated and soybean oil or beef tallow was added, corresponding to treatments 1 and 2, respectively. The following parameters were evaluated: egg production (%), feed intake (g/bird/day), egg mass (g/bird/day), feed conversion per egg mass (kg/kg), feed conversion per dozen eggs (kg/dozen), egg weight, percentage of yolk, egg white and shell (%), specific gravity (g/cm3), animal viability (%), and body weight variation (g). No differences (P>0.05) were observed in any of the parameters studied. The dietary inclusion of soybean oil or beef tallow does not influence the productive performance or egg quality of semi-heavy laying hens reared in hot climate regions