Effect of graded replacement of soybean [Glycine max] meal by faba beans (Vicia faba L.) or field peas (Pisum sativum L.) in rations for laying hens on egg production and quality

Two separate randomised block design experiments were each carried out for 13 months to investigate the effects of replacing, in-part, soybean meal (SBM) and wheat by graded levels of faba beans (FB) and field pea (FP) in a basal diet of wheat-SBM, balanced for amino acids, similar in crude protein (CP) and metabolisable energy (ME) on Lohmann hens. Traits studied included ; egg production, feed consumption, body weight gain, feed, energy and protein utilisations, and egg quality. Increasing dietary FB up 400 g/kg (no SBM) decreased hen-day egg production, from 85 to 75%. Average egg mass significantly reduced from 50.8-43.5 g/(hen*d). Feed consumption was similar (110 to 113 g/(hen*d)). Increasing FB increased ME and CP required for egg production. FB had no significant effect on the shell strength, shell fraction and yolk index of eggs ; meanwhile it decreased the yolk fraction, and increased yolk colour, albumen fraction and albumen index. Most traits studied, were statistically similar up to 160 g FB/kg feed. Increasing levels of FP up to 500 g/kg did not significantly affect hen-day egg production and egg mass per day, although feed consumption increased. Body weight gain linearly dropped with increasing FP. FP had no significant effect on any of the egg quality traits studied. 16% FB and 50% FP could be included in layers diet without any significant effects on egg production or quality.