article · BMC Veterinary Research
Evaluating alternative feed resources helps poultry producers lower production expenses without harming bird health. A 90-day trial assessed the dietary inclusion of processed Casimiroa edulis seed kernel meal at levels of 0%, 1.5%, 3.0%, and 4.5% in White Leghorn laying hens. Feed intake, body weight, and mortality were unaffected across all groups. Hen-day egg production, hen-housed egg production, egg mass, and feed conversion ratios improved at the 3.0% inclusion level before declining at 4.5%. Key egg quality metrics, including shell weight, shell thickness, albumen height, and Haugh units, improved steadily with increasing seed kernel levels, while yolk pigmentation peaked at 1.5% and 3.0%. Sensory properties remained unchanged throughout. Overall, incorporating 3.0% processed seed kernel meal lowered feed costs while delivering the highest net economic return.
Rising feed costs pose a major challenge to the poultry industry. Identifying viable, non-conventional feed ingredients allows egg producers to cut costs while maintaining or improving egg quality and bird productivity. Demonstrating that processed Casimiroa edulis seed kernels can enhance eggshell strength, yolk colour, and overall profitability without altering taste offers egg producers a practical dietary option to optimise resources.
This research provides applied and tested evidence for poultry feed manufacturers and egg producers seeking cost-effective dietary ingredients. The findings directly support incorporating up to 3% processed Casimiroa edulis seed kernel meal into commercial layer rations to boost margins and egg quality. Further commercial adoption will depend on securing reliable bulk supplies of the seeds and scaling up the processing methods evaluated in the trial.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
Abstract Background Modern poultry farming aims to increase productivity and reduce production costs while promoting the efficient utilization of alternative feed resources without compromising bird health. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of processed Casimiroa edulis seed kernel (CSK) meal on production performance, egg quality, and economic returns in White Leghorn layers. A total of 132 hens were assigned to four dietary treatments (0%, 1.5%, 3.0%, and 4.5% CSK) in a completely randomized design with three replicates of 11 birds each. Birds were fed isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets for 90 days. Results Feed intake, body weight, and mortality did not differ significantly ( P > 0.05) among treatments. However, hen-day egg production, hen-housed egg production, egg mass, and feed conversion ratio showed significant differences ( P < 0.05), following a quadratic response—improving at 3.0% CSK but declining at 4.5% CSK. Egg quality traits, including shell weight, shell thickness, albumen height, and Haugh unit, exhibited a linear response to increasing CSK levels. Yolk color also differed significantly ( P < 0.05) with linear and quadratic trends; the most intense pigmentation occurred at 1.5% and 3.0% CSK. All sensory parameters remained unaffected ( P > 0.05). Economically, feed costs decreased marginally with higher CSK inclusion, yet the 3.0% level generated the highest net return and marginal rate of return relative to the control and the 4.5% CSK group. Conclusions Based on the evaluated results, the inclusion of up to 3% processed CSK meal in White Leghorn layer diets is suggested to enhance laying rate, eggshell and albumen quality, yolk pigmentation, and profitability without compromising sensory properties.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1186/s12917-026-05897-8
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
