EFFECT OF INCLUSION OF SUGAR BEET PULP IN THE DIETS ON THE PERFORMANCE AND EGG QUALITY OF GIMMIZAH LAYING HENS

This research was conducted to study the effect of inclusion of sugar beet pulp (SBP) in the diets on the performance of Gimmizah laying hens during the period from 9 to 27 weeks of age. Hens were previously fed with starter diets from the beginning of the 3 weeks up to 8 weeks, and then hens fed in the present study on grower diets from the beginning of 9 up to 19 weeks, pre lay diets from the beginning of 20 up to 23 weeks and layer diets from the beginning of 24 up to 27 weeks. At the beginning of 9 weeks, a total of 180 females were continue feeding on the same treatments (which its fed in the starter period), which, consisted of five levels of SBP (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% SBP) until 27 weeks (five treatments/four replicates (9 pullets/ replicate)). Hens fed diet containing 5% SBP had significantly higher live body weight (LBW) at the beginning of 9 weeks, performance index (during the period from 9 to 19 weeks) and recorded better values of feed conversion ratio (FC), crude protein conversion (CPC) and caloric conversion ratio (CCR) during the period from 9 to 19 weeks. Birds fed the control diet had higher LBW at 19 weeks and body weight gain, during the period from 9 to 19 weeks. Hens fed diet containing 10% SBP consumed significantly higher feed intake (FI), during the period from 9 to 19 weeks. Also, hens fed 10% SBP reached to sexual maturity earlier than the other treatments (the early in age at sexual maturity is coincided with a significant increase of average egg number (EN) per hen and laying rate% during the period from day of laying first egg until 23 weeks). Hens fed diet containing 20% SBP had significantly higher values of egg weight and FI, and the lower values were recorded with the hens fed diet containing 0.0% SBP during the period from 24 to 27 weeks of age. Gimmizah laying hens fed diet containing 0.0% SBP had better values of CPC and CCR during the period from 24 to 27 weeks of age, but, the differences between 0, 5, 10 and 15% SBP were not significant. The worst corresponding values of CPC and CCR were recorded with the hens fed diet containing 20% SBP during the period from 24 to 27 weeks of age. Feeding different levels of SBP insignificantly affected EN, egg production, FC and egg quality during the period from 24 to 27 weeks of age. It could concluded that, SBP could be used at a rate of 10% in the growing (9 to 19 weeks), pre-lay (20 to 23 weeks) and layer (24 to 27 weeks) diets of Gimmizah laying hens without any adverse effects on the pullet or hen performance and egg quality. But, the inclusion of SBP at 20% in the diet resulted in poor performance.