THE INFLUENCE OF DIETARY PROTEIN AND ENERGY LEVELS ON EGG QUALITY IN STARCROSS LAYERS

The interaction of 4 dietary crude protein (13, 16, 19 or 22%) and 4 metabolizable energy (2600, 2800, 3000 or 3100 kcal ME/kg) levels on egg quality performances of Starcross layers were assessed between 245 and 275 days of age. The egg weight increased significantly with the increasing dietary protein and energy levels. But egg shape index, albumen index, yolk index, yolk dry matter, yolk protein, yolk fat, albumen protein and shell tickness were similar at all dietary protein and/or energy levels. The egg specific gravity and albumen weight increased but the yolk, weight, Haugh unit and albumen drymatter decreased with the increase of dietary protein levels and showed irregular trend with energy levels. The albumen dry matter and egg shell weight, however, were not affected by energy and protein levels. Simultaneous increase of protein and energy increased specific gravity, albumen index and shell thickness at a greater rate than that increased by the increase of protein or energy alone.