Enhancing nutrient intake, egg production, and egg quality by fermented Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal in a diet of laying quail.

Abstract

Background and aim: The inclusion of Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal (LLM) in poultry feed is often limited due to its high crude fiber and mimosine content. This study investigates the potential of fermented LLM (FLM) to enhance nutrient intake, egg production, and egg quality in laying quails by reducing anti-nutritional factors through fermentation.

Materials and methods: Two hundred 42-day-old laying quails were assigned to five dietary treatments: T0 (control) = 100% basal diet (BD), T1 = 98% BD + 2% FLM, T2 = 96% BD + 4% FLM, T3 = 94% BD + 6% FLM, and T4 = 92% BD + 8% FLM. Parameters including nutrient intake (energy, protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus), feed conversion ratio (FCR), egg production, egg weight, eggshell thickness, Haugh unit, and yolk color were measured over a 28-day trial. Data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance, followed by Duncan's test for significant differences (p ≤ 0.05).

Results: FLM supplementation significantly improved energy, protein, fat, calcium, and phosphorus intake while reducing FCR. At 4% FLM inclusion, significant enhancements in egg production, eggshell thickness, Haugh unit, and yolk color were observed. Conversely, fiber intake and overall feed intake remained unaffected across treatments. The highest egg production (56.43%) and best yolk color (8,95) were observed in the 8% FLM group.

Conclusion: Incorporating FLM into the diets of laying quails effectively enhances nutrient utilization and improves egg production and quality without increasing feed intake. The optimal inclusion level for maximizing benefits appears to be 4-8% FLM.