The use of mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) hulls in diets of laying hens

Nguyen Thi Vinh, Bui Quang Tuan, Nguyen Minh Hang

Faculty of Animal science and Aquaculture, Hanoi University of Agriculture, Vietnam
vinhqn1984@yahoo.com

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Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effect of mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) hull (MBH) in maize based diets for pre-laying and laying period of hens. In experiment 1, 270 Ri x Luong Phuong hens with 10 weeks old were randomly assigned in completely randomly design to receive three dietary treatments; 2650 kcal/kg ME as control, 2550 kcal/kg ME (14MBH) and 2450 kcal/kg ME (18MBH).  

It was showed that body weight of birds from 10 to 17 weeks old was non-significant (P>0.05) different among treatments, but it was reduced (P<0.05) at 18 to 20 weeks old when birds fed diets containing 18% and following by 14% MBH. Cost of feed was lowest in diets containing 18% and following by 14% MBH. After 20 weeks old, all birds from experiment 1 were submitted to the laying period. Three dietary treatments with ME at 2700, 2600 and 2500 kcal/kg of 0, 14 and 18% MBH, respectively were offered to laying hens. Age at sexual maturity was similar among treatments. FCR, laying rate, egg production and external and internal egg quality indices were not significantly (P>0.05) altered by the varying dietary energy levels or MBH supplementation. However, laying rate and egg production was slightly higher (P>0.05) when birds fed diets containing both 18 and 14% MBH. Feed cost used in laying period was lower in MBH supplementation diets. Based on this study it could be concluded that under tropical conditions, layers do not need diets with higher energy density. In other words, mung bean hull could be utilized as high cost feeds replacement for layers.

Key words:  egg production, feed cost, metabolism energy,

Introduction 

Laying hens industry is growing rapidly throughout the developing countries due to the increasing demand of consumer. Several aspects can change the egg productivity and quality and nutrition is one of the most important points. Diets for poultry are formulated according to the amount of nutrients needed for the basis function of the body and for more efficient production (Costa et al 2009). However, these requirements are not constant and vary with age, gender and environment. Especially, laying hens have very different characteristics that determine the specific nutritional requirements for each phase. Thus, the assessments of the levels of nutrients appropriate for each region are required.

As all species, energy is the main nutritional component that influences the bird performance (NRC 1994) and its requirements change according to body weight, production phase, egg size, breed and room temperature (Coon 2002). According to Leeson and Summers (1997), the egg production in laying hens increases rapidly when the metabolizable energy levels increase in the diet. Leeson et al (2001), however reported that when the nutritional balance was achieved with low-density diets (2,465 kcal/kg and 15% CP), laying hens seem to improve their performance. On the other hand, some studies have shown that the egg production was not affected by the energy content of the diet (Harms et al 2000; Leeson et al 2001).

These days, the feed prices are rising day by day, and feed ingredient accounts for approximately 80% of total cost in birds production. Therefore, it is needed to explore the possibility of utilizing locally available feed resources to replace the conventional energy-rich concentrate meals in order to reduce feed cost and increase performance of birds.

Mung bean hull (MBH) is the seed coat covering the mung bean and it is abundantly available in Vietnam. MBH is characterized by normal crude protein, low energy and fiber that could be suitable for coordination in diets for poultry in pre-laying hens and laying hen. Moreover, fiber content in MBH could reduce egg yolk, live and plasma cholesterol of laying hen (McNaughton 1978). Therefore MBH could be used in mixture diets to reduce energy level that provide for hen before laying in order to improve egg production, and performance of hens and reduce feed cost. However, until now, the effect of mung bean hull on the productive performance of laying hens has not been determined. Thus, the objective of this research was to study effect of mung bean hull on the performace of pre-laying and laying birds.

Materials and methods

General procedures

Two experiments were conducted with Ri x Luong Phuong hens. The first experiment was conducted when the hens were 10 to 19 week of age. The second experiment was conducted when the hens from experiment 1 were 20 to 38 week of age. The birds were completely randomly design into 3 dietary treaments with 3 replications of 30 birds and randomly housed in wire cages. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. Antibiotic-free vitamin and mineral mixture were offered through drinking water and diets. The diets were fed only once during the day, at 7 00 am.

Mung bean hull (MBH) was obtained from Duong Lieu commune, Hoai Duc district, Ha Tay province, Vietnam, and then was sun-dired and ground into powder form. Chemical composition included dry matter, crude protein, crude fiber, ether extract, ash, nitrogen-free extract and ME of each dietary ingredients were analyzed according to AOAC (1985). 

Experiment 1. To study effect of MBH in pre-laying hens (10-19 week of age)  on body weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), age at sexual maturity and economic efficiency.

A maize-rice bran meal basal diet containing 2650 kcal of ME/kg was fed as control. Two other dietary treaments were obtained from 14 and 18% MBH added to control diet and had 2550 and 2450 kcal of ME/kg, respectively.  ME:CP ratio of 131 was maintained in all diets.

Measurements

Individual body weight of hens was weighed at the beginning of the study and at a week intervals to determine body weight gains. Feed consumption was recorded everyday by subtracting the amount of feed given per day to the amount remained. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated as feed consumption divided by weight gain. Economic analysis for each treatment was carried out to compare the mean feed cost per kg live weight gain.

Experiment 2. To study effect of MBH in laying hens (20-38 week of age) on laying rate, egg production, external and internal egg quality and economic efficiency.

A maize-rice bran meal basal containing 2700 kcal of ME/kg was fed as control. The second dietary treament contained 14% MBH, resulting in an energy level of 2600 kcal of ME/kg. And other treament was formed by added 18% MBH in control diet, and had 2500 kcal of ME/kg. ME:CP ratio of 131 was maintained in all diets.

Measurements

The collection of eggs was carried out twice a day (at 10:00 am and 4:00 pm) and data were recorded as laying frequency. The egg production was calculated by dividing the number of eggs per plot by the number of birds. The eggs of the last four days of each trial period were individually weighed to obtaining the average egg weight. Feed conversion ratio was performed by the ratio between feed consumption and number of egg  and multiply with 10.

Egg quaility determination

Eggs from each treatment were sampled for quaility characteristics. Shell thickness and albumen height (taken halfway between its outer edge and the outer edge of the yolk) were measured using a micrometer. The indices of albumen, yold and egg shape were calculated as:

• Albumen index = Albumen height/(average of short and long diameter of albumen)

• Yolk index = Yolk height/yolk width

• Egg shape = breadth of egg/lenght of egg

Haugh unit was calculated from egg weight and albumen height using the formula:

HU = 100 log (H+7.57-1.7 W0.37)

Where:

HU = Haugh unit

H = Observed height of albumen (mm)

W = Weight of egg (g)

Feed costs per kilogram experimental diets and cost of total feeding were also calculated according to the average market prices at time of conducting the trial.

Statistical analysis

The data were analyzed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan’s Multiple Range Test was used to separate the means using statistical analysis system, SAS (1996) package.

Results and discussion  

The gross composition of the experimental diets is presented in Table 1. It was showed that the crude protein content and ME (kcal/kg) fall as the contribution of mung bean hull in diets. The proximate composition of the mung bean hull (MBH) is showed in Table 2. The chemical of the sun dried MBH indicated that the dry matter of 91.96%, crude protein 12.20%, ether extract 0.63%, crude fiber 18.63%, ash 4.21% and nitrogen free extract 64.33%. This result is in agreement with the report of Tuan (2006). Although the proximate composition of MBH can vary depending on the types of bean, the quality of fermentation, drying and the subsequent proccessing of the bean.

Experiment 1

In period of 17 to 20 wk of age the body weight of hens was significanlty reduced when hens fed diets contain 18 and 14% MBH. In 20 wk of age, average body weight of hens in control diet (2650 kcal/kg) was 1976 g while average body weight of hens in 14% (2550kcal/kg) and 18% (2450kcal/kg) MBH diets was 1903 and 1852g, respectively. Therefore, in this study result high energy significanly affected body weight during 17 to 20 wk of age. This results agree with the finding of Hussein et al (1996). They reported that high dietary energy level significantly increased  weight gain.  The same conclusion was reached  by Greenwood et al (2004) as they found that birds fed 3200 Kcal ME /Kg diet had greater live weight gain than those fed 3050Kcal ME/kg diet. Nahashon  et al (2005) stated that  French guinea broilers fed  3100 and  3150 Kcal ME/kg  diet exhibited  significantly greater live weight gain than  those fed  3050 Kcal ME/kg diet. During the finishing  period, increasing energy level significantly increased body weight and weight gain (Elmansy 2006). In contrast, Saxena and Thakur (1985) concluded that live weight were not significantly affected by dietary energy levels (2800, 2900 or 3000 Kcal ME/kg diet). Study of Emiola et al (2011) on sun-dried cocoa bean shell also indicated that final live weighs of birds were not different when layers fed diets had low energy as containing graded levels of cocoa bean shell. The reduced live body weight in low energy diet could be explain by less energy is available for fat deposition when lower dietary ME levels are utilized and high levels of fibrous fed with low energy diets will reduce the amount of weight gain.

Experiment 2.

Laying hen performace

The effect of MBH on egg production and feed conversion of Ri x Luong Phuong hens are presented in table 4. Age at first egg was no significant different (p>0.05) among treatments. Eggs produced per layer in the range of 140 to 143 days period. According to La Thi Thu Minh (1998), age at first egg for local hens in Vietnam is from 160 to 165 days. However, Ri x Luong Phuong cross-bred produced first  egg at 141 days (Ho Xuan Tung 2009), which is similar to the range of age in this study. Hence, the supplementation of mung bean hull in diets had no change on age at first egg.

Laying rate (%) of hens between treatments was the same (p> 0.05). However, laying rate was litter higher in treatments with lower energy content  2450 and 2550 kcal/kg as 18% and 14% MBH, respectlively as compared with control diet. Generally, the results of studies of the effects of dietary energy on the laying rate are conflicting. For example, Ciftci et al (2003) found that decreasing the energy content of feed from 2,751 to 2,641 kcal of ME/kg increased the laying rate from 86.44 to 88.27%. But Mathlouthi et al (2002) reported increased laying rates at an energy content of 2,753 kcal of ME/kg of feed compared with 2,653 kcal of ME/kg of feed. Result in laying rate of this study was paralle with study of Ciftci et al (2003).

In the trent of laying rate, egg production had no change when hens fed control or treatment diets. And egg was also produced slightly higher when hens fed lower energy levels as contribution of 18 and 14% MBH. This result is in agreement with studies of Adeyemo and Longe (1996); and Omara et al (2009) who reported that egg production did not vary significantly due to varying energy levles. Adeyemo and Longe observed that birds fed the 2600 kcal ME/kg diet performed best egg production compared to those fed diets containing 2500, 2700, 2800 and 2900 kcal  ME/kg and that egg production was significantly reduced by excessive dietary energy intake. Mean egg production during the laying period (22-44 weeks of age) with low energy (2600 kcal ME/kg) diet was greater than those for high energy (2900 kcal ME/kg) diet. They explained that low energy intake to protein intake ratio in low energy diet versus high energy diet may be a reason for greater egg production in lower energy than in higher energy diets .

It is perhaps surprising that reduced live body weight  in pre-laying stage on the low ME diets as contribution of MBH did not result in adverse effect on performance during laying stage. It could be explained by fat deposition, which could be better for reproductive organ active during produce egg. It suggests that MBH add had no negative effect on laying hen performace. Moreover, the increasing level of MBH in diets from 14% to 18%  did not had affected on laying performance. It suggests that MBH can be used up to 18% without no negative efffect on hen performance.

Egg quality

Egg quality includes egg weight, egg shell thickness, albumen, yolk ratio and index; and Haugh units are showed in table 5. Energy levels had no effect on egg weight. Data showed that egg weight was 45.78g, 47.54g and 47.53g in control, 14% MBH (2550 kcal/kg ME) and 18% MBH (2450 kcal/kg ME) diet, respectively. Generally, reducing energy levels from 2450 to 2650 kcal/kg did not affected egg weight. This indicates that Ri x Luong Phuong performed well over a wide range of energy. This result were confirmed by De-Acosta et al (2002) and Oke et al (2003) who reported that egg weight was not affected by dietary energy levels from 2500 to 3000 kcal/kg. However, in this study reducing energy level in the diets slightly increased the egg weight.

Egg shell thickness was non significant different among varying energy levels. Data showed it was ranged from 0.33 to 0.35, which suggests that MBH had no negative effect on the absorption of calcium. Albumen ratio, yolk ratio, and index of albumin and yolk was the  same in all treatments. No significant different in Haugh units between the control treament and other treaments. The insignificant effect of energy levels on Haugh unit is supported by Saxens et al (1986).

Economic efficiency

The cost of feed in both pre-laying and laying stage are showed in Table 6. In this study, cost of the experiment 1 diets were 9,111dong per kilogram in control diet (without MBH) and reduced by 8,919 and 8,565 dong per kilogram in 14% and 18% MBH contribution in diets, respectively. And experiment 2 diets were 10,000 dong per kilogram in control diet and reduced by 9,669 and 9,329 dong per kilogram in 14% and 18% MBH contribution in diets, respectively. These results clearly demonstrate that using mung bean hull could replace high feed cost successfully in the diet with no negative change on laying hen performance and egg quality.

Conclusions  

Based on results of the present study, it could be concluded that:

•  Live body weight were not significant different at age from 10 to 16 wk, but it was significantly reduced from 17 to 20 wk of age when hens fed low energy levels, which was  2550 and 2450 kcal/kg with 14, 18% MBH, respectively contribution diet.

• 14 and 18% mung bean hull use in low energy levels (2600 and 2500kcal/kg) had no change on laying rate, egg production, quality of egg as compared with high enery level (2700kcal/kg) diet. However, mung bean hull diet could make a contribution in reducing cost of feeding laying hens.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express the most sincere gratitude and appreciation to the MEKARN project, financed by Sida, for their financial support and their great help on this research.

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