Effect of varying levels of fish meal replacing soybean meal on the performance, nutrient metabolizability and egg quality in Khaki Campbell laying Ducks

The current investigation was carried out to study the effect of replacing soybean meal with fish meal on the performance, nutrient metabolizability and egg quality of Khaki Campbell laying ducks. Three groups of Khaki Campbell laying ducks (72, 55 weeks) were randomly fed three isonitrogenous and isocaloric experimental diets (T1-Control diet without fish meal, T2- fish meal (4%), T3- fish meal (8%) for 153 days. Ducks given 4 % fish meal exhibited significant (P<0.05) improvements in egg production, duck day egg production percent and FCR. Feed intake and cost per dozen egg were decreased (P<0.05) in ducks provided 4 % fish meal with significantly improved (P<0.05) metabolizability of nutrients. Ducks given 4 % fish meal had significantly (P<0.05) higher egg quality attributes, i.e. haugh unit score, yolk index, albumin % and shape index. It may be concluded that substituting soybean meal with 4 % fish meal in Khaki Campbell laying duck diets improved egg production, FCR, egg quality, nutrient metabolizability and reduced egg production cost.