Effect of using Hevea seed meal at different levels on Isa brown laying hen performance and egg quality

Egg consumption remains high in developing countries, yet the cost of poultry feed poses a significant challenge for farmers, limiting their ability to use commercial options. To address this, alternative feed sources for egg-laying hens need to be explored. In Côte d'Ivoire, Hevea brasiliensis trees’ seeds are abundant but largely underutilized. These seeds have potential as dietary supplements in layer feed. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of incorporating H. brasiliensis seed meal into a white corn-based diet on laying performance, egg quality, yolk color, and composition. A total of 300 hens, 32 weeks of age, were randomly assigned to 30 pens with 10 hens per pen, and distributed across six dietary treatments with 5 replicates each over a period of 13 weeks. Two control groups received diets based on either yellow corn (Ye) or white corn (Wh). The remaining groups were fed on white corn diets supplemented with H. brasiliensis seed meal at inclusion rates of 2.5% (He2.5), 5% (He5), 7.5% (He7.5), and 10% (He10). The He2.5 diet led to improved egg production. Additionally, increasing levels of Hevea seed meal were associated with a decrease in yolk total cholesterol. However, higher inclusion rates also led to progressively yellow yolk colour compared to white corn-based diets. But, it did not fully restore the deep yellow pigmentation typically achieved with yellow corn. In conclusion, incorporating H. brasiliensis seed meal into white corn-based diets may be a cost-effective strategy to enhance egg production and reduce cholesterol content in eggs, though it may affect yolk pigmentation.