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

Nguyen Thi Vinh, Bui Quang Tuan and Nguyen Minh Hang

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

Abstract

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

Growth rates  in the pre-laying stage were not affected by dietary energy level (range of 2650 to 2450 kcalMe/kg) in the period from 10 to 16 weeks, but were reduced during the period from 16 to 20 weeks by 12 and 26% on the diets with 14 and 18% Mung bean hulls. Inclusion of 14 or 18% Mung bean hulls in the laying period (2700, 2600 and 2500 kcal ME/kg)  did not affect egg production or egg qualliy.

Key words: egg production, feed cost, growth, metabolizable energy, quality

Introduction

The laying hen industry is growing rapidly throughout the developing countries due to the increasing demand of consumers. 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 for all species, energy is the main nutritional component that influences the bird performance (NRC 1994) and its requirements changes 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 seemed 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 ingredients account for approximately 80% of total cost in poultry production. Therefore, it is necessary 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 maintain/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 a moderate level of crude protein (12%) and crude fiber (19%) which makes it suitable for inclusion in diets in pre-laying and laying hen. Moreover, the fiber content in MBH could reduce cholesterol in egg yolk, liver and plasma  of laying hen (McNaughton 1978). Therefore MBH could be used in mixed diets to reduce the energy level supplied to the hen before laying and later to improve egg production, at the same time reducing feed cost. However, until now, the effect of mung bean hull on the productive performance of laying hens has not been researched. Thus, the objective of this research was to study the effect of mung bean hull on the performace of pre-laying and laying birds.

Materials and methods

General procedure

Two experiments were conducted with Ri x Luong Phuong hens. The first experiment was conducted when the hens were growing (10 to 19 week of age). The second experiment was conducted during the period when the hens from experiment 1 were 20 to 38 week of age. The birds were allocated in a completely randomly design to three dietary treatments with three replications each 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 hulls (MBH) was obtained from Duong Lieu commune, Hoai Duc district, Ha Tay province, Vietnam. It 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 analyzed according to AOAC (1985). 

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

A maize-rice bran basal diet containing 2650 kcal of ME/kg was fed as control. Two other treaments were obtained by including 14 or 18% MBH in the control diet to give diets with 2550 and 2450 kcal of ME/kg, respectively.  An ME:CP ratio of 131 was maintained in all diets.

Measurements

Individual body weight of hens was recorded at the beginning of the study and at a weekly intervals.  Feed consumption was recorded daily by subtracting feed residues form feed offered. 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. 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. The third  treament was formed by including 18% MBH in the control diet, to give 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).  Egg production was calculated by dividing the number of eggs per treatment/replicate by the number of birds. The eggs produced during the last four days of each trial period were individually weighed to obtain the average egg weight. Feed conversion ratio was the ratio between feed consumption and number of eggs multiplied by 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 W^0.37)

Where:

HU = Haugh unit

H = Observed height of albumen (mm)

W = Weight of egg (g)

Feed costs per kilogram of experimental diet 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 and Duncan’s Multiple Range Test in the SAS (1996) computer package.

Results and discussion

As expected the crude protein and ME (kcal/kg) values fell as the contribution of mung bean hull (Table 1) in the diets increased (Table 2). The composition of the Mung bean   can vary depending on the types of bean, the quality of fermentation, drying and the subsequent proccessing of the bean (Tuan (2006).

Pre-laying phase (10-19 week of age)

From 17 to 20 wk of age the body weight gain of the hens was reduced when they were fed the diets containing 18 and 14% MBH (Table 3; Figure 1). Thus energy level in this study affected body weight change during 17 to 20 wk of age. This result agrees with the finding of Hussein et al (1996) who reported that high dietary energy level increased  body 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 3050 Kcal 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.

Table 3: Effect of mung bean hull on body weight gain of hens from 10 to 20 wk of age in Exp 1.
Week	Body weight (g)				SEM	P
	Control	14MBH	18MBH
10	1123	1124	1128		12.8	0.97
11	1200.	1202	1204		15.5	0.98
12	1283	1275	1274		15.1	0.70
13	1378	1359	1362		16.8	0.69
14	1454	1449	1446		16.7	0.93
15	1528	1523	1498		17.6	0.42
16	1597	1594	1586		17.9	0.89
17	1679 a	1642ab	1629b		18.5	0.05
18	1772a	1716ab	1697b		20.1	0.03
19	1871a	1809ab	1777b		20.0	<0.01
20	1976a	1903ab	1852b		19.4	<0.01
a,bMeans on the same row with different superscripts are significantly different (p<0.05). SEM = Standard Error of Mean

Figure 1. Growth curves of hens from 10 to 20 weeks

Laying hen performace

Age at first egg (Table 4) did not differ among treatments. 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-breds produced first  egg at 141 days in a study by Ho Xuan Tung (2009), which is similar to the range of age in this study. Hence, the supplementation with mung bean hull had no change on age at first egg.

The results of studies of the effects of dietary energy on 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 86.4 to 88.3%. Adeyemo and Longe observed that birds fed 2600 kcal ME/kg diet had higher egg production compared to those fed diets containing 2500, 2700, 2800 and 2900 kcal  ME/kg. In contrast, Mathlouthi et al (2002) reported decreased laying rates when the diet energy content was 2,653 kcal of ME/kg of feed as compared with 2,753 kcal of ME/kg of feed.

It is perhaps surprising that slower growth rate in the pre-laying stage on the low ME diets did not result in adverse effect on performance during the laying stage. It could be explained perhaps by reduced fat deposition on the lower ME diets, which could be better for reproductive organ activity during egg production.

Egg quality

Energy level had no effect on egg weight (Table 5). This result is in agreement with De-Acosta et al (2002) and Oke et al (2003) who reported that egg weight was not affected by dietary energy levels in the range of 2500 to 3000 kcal ME/kg. Other features of egg quality were also not affected by driet energy level. The lack of effect of energy level on Haugh units is supported by the finding of  Saxens et al (1986).

Economic analysis

The results demonstrate that, in the Vietnam situation, use of Mung bean hulls reduces the feed cost with no negative effect on laying hen performance and egg quality.

Conclusions

•  Growth rates  in the pre-laying stage were not affected by dietary energy level (range of 2650 to 2450 kcalMe/kg) in the period from 10 to 16 weeks, but were reduced during the period from 16 to 20 weeks by 12 and 26% on the diets with 14 and 18% Mung bean hulls.

• Inclusion of 14 or 18% Mung bean hulls in the laying period (2700, 2600 and 2500 kcal ME/kg)  did not affect egg production or egg qualliy

Acknowledgements

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

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Received 10 June 2012; Accepted 25 December 2012; Published 4 January 2013

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