Replacement of Soybean Meal with Silkworm Meal In The Diets of White Leghorn Layers and Effects on Performance, Apparent Total Tract Digestibility, Blood Profile and Egg Quality

This study elucidated the effects of replacing soybean meal with silkworm meal on production performance, apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients, blood profile, and egg quality traits in white leghorn layers. A total of 150 white leghorn laying birds (52 weeks of age) were randomly divided into fifteen replicate groups (n=10 per replicate), and reared on five experimental diets having three replicates allocated to each treatment group for a period of six weeks. Five iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets (D) were utilized as; 0 (D1), 25 (D2), 50 (D3), 75 (D4) and 100% (D5) as replacement of soybean meal with silkworm meal in commercial layer rations. The weight of the bird, daily feed intake (g/day/bird), hen day production (%), average egg weight (g), and feed conversion ratio did not differ significantly (P>0.05) among the dietary groups. Apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients was not different in the control group compared to treatment groups. Blood profile and egg quality parameters also showed no significant (P>0.05) differences among dietary groups. The egg weight, albumen height, yolk weight and shell thickness were not affected (P>0.05) by dietary treatments. Based on our results, it could be concluded that silkworm meal can be effectively used as an alternative protein sourceto soybean meal without any adverse effects on the layers.