TITLE:
Evaluation of the Reproduction Parameters of “Lohmann Brown” Strain Chickens Fed with Cajanus cajan Leaf Meal in the Republic of Congo
AUTHORS:
Richard Missoko Mabeki, Alexis Jonas Ognika, Dora Chérita Ekou, Nathalie Myreille Ockoyi, Parisse Akouango
KEYWORDS:
Egg, Incubation, Hatching, Fertility, Mortality, Viability
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Animal Sciences,
Vol.14 No.3,
July
31,
2024
ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to evaluate the reproductive parameters of “Lohmann Brown” strain chickens fed on Cajanus cajan leaves and to assess the viability of the chicks after hatching. 40 hens of the “Lohmann Brown” strain fed on Cajanus cajan leaf flour laid 219 eggs divided into four batches depending on the rate of incorporation of Cajanus cajan leaf flour in the rations (0%, 5%, 10% and 15%) were trained and introduced into the incubator. Results: the incubator indicates a hatching temperature of 38˚C to 37.2˚C and relative humidity of 60% to 70%. Hatching performance shows that: The 15% batch recorded the highest fertility rate 86.95% compared to 26.88% of the control batch. The CC 15% batch recorded the highest hatching rate 36.87. The lowest rate (17.18%) was recorded in the control batch (CC 0%). The highest embryonic mortality rate was recorded in the CC 15% batch. The lowest rate in the CC 10% batch. Concerning unfertilized eggs, the highest rate is 72.20% (CC 0%), and the lowest are (12.03%; 57.42% and 66.66%) recorded in CC batches. 15%, CC 5% and CC 10% respectively. For the shell mortality rate, the highest is 18.58% recorded in the CC 15% batch. The lowest shell mortality rate is 2.07%, obtained in the control batch (CC 0%); the dust mortality rate was 0% for all chicks. The study seems to indicate that the incorporation of Cajanus cajan leaf meal up to 15% into the reproduction type ration in hens does not cause any harmful effects on the reproduction performance of laying hens.