Effect of alfafa meal, fish meal and wheat bran on hepatic lipid deposition in Hisex White and Hisex Brown hens

Abstract

Forty Hisex Brown (60 weeks old) and forty Hisex White (61 weeks old) hens were fed for six weeks, isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets containing 10% alfafa meal (FA), 10% fish meal (FP), 10% wheat bran (FT) or a corn-soybean meal diet (MS). The birds were divided into eight groups c o n t a i n i n g 10 hens each. Hens fed FA diet showed a significant reduction of liver weight and percent liver lipid when compared to control group (MS). Liver weight and liver lipid (% and mg / 100 g body weight) were significantly reduced for the Hisex Brown layers. Percentage of liver haemorrhage was significantly lower for the birds fed FP diet. Hens fed the FA diet laid significantly less eggs during the experiment than those fed the corn-soy diet (MS). The Hisex Brown hens showed significantly higher values of egg weight and egg production than the Hisex White birds.