Effects of egg shell meal on the performance and haematology of layers and their egg quality

Abstract

In an attempt to achieve Sustainable Development Goals numbers one and two, eggshell meal was incorporated into layers diets to replace bone meal. Seventy-two point of lay birds were utilized in a nine-week experiment. Four experimental diets were formulated consisting of graded levels of bone meal (BM) and egg shell meal (ESM) which were coded as; T₁ (3%BM: 0%ESM), T₂ (2%BM: 1%ESM), T₃ (1%BM: 2%ESM), and T₄ (0%BM: 3% ESM). Three replicates with six birds per replicate in a completely randomized design were used. Total egg weight, average egg weight, egg mass and feed conversion were significantly affected (P < 0.05) by the inclusion of ESM and BM. Birds on T₄ recorded the significantly highest values for these parameters. Yolk width, albumen weight, egg weight and eggshell weight significantly (P < 0.05) increased with an increase in ESM, with eggs obtained from T₄ having the highest values. From this study, complete replacement of bone meal with eggshell meal in the diet of layers, i.e. T₄, gave the overall best results. It is recommended that farmers replace bone meal with egg shell meal as a major source of dietary calcium and phosphorus for laying birds.