Laying performance of broiler breeder chickens fed various millets or broken rice as a source of energy at a constant nutrient intake.
Laying performance, egg quality and carcase traits were recorded in broiler breeders (29-48 weeks of age) fed diets in which pearl millet (Pennisetum typhoides), finger millet (Eleusine coracana), foxtail millet (Setaria italica) or broken rice fully replaced yellow maize (50% of the diet) from the reference diet. Constant ratios of metabolizable energy to other nutrients were maintained in all the diets. Each diet provided 1.38 MJ metabolizable energy (ME)/bird per day to 8 replicate groups of 10 layers each, maintained in deep litter pens. The hen-day egg production and the ME required to produce 12 eggs in birds fed pearl millet or broken rice were similar (p > 0.05) to those fed on the maize diet, while birds fed foxtail millet or finger millet required more energy to produce the same number of eggs. The egg production and the efficiency of energy utilization were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in the birds fed these two cereals. Egg quality was not affected by replacing maize with the different cereals. However, the yolk colour index was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced in the cereal-fed groups in comparison to the maize-fed birds. The gizzard and giblet weights were heavier (p < 0.05) in the birds fed foxtail millet or finger millet than in those fed broken rice. Deposition of abdominal fat and the liver fat content were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the birds fed pearl millet than in the other groups. Depending on the local prices, the cost of feeding may be reduced considerably by using any of the cereals tested as the principal energy source in place of maize in broiler breeder diets.