A Nutritional Evaluation of a High Fiber Sunflower Meal

The nutritional value of sunflower meal (SM) was investigated. Three experiments were conducted in which sunflower meal protein was substituted for soybean meal (SBM) protein in laying hens diets with or without L-lysine supplementation. In Experiment 1 and 2, three graded levels of SM were included in the diets. In Experiment 1, positive linear effects on feed consumption and feed conversion, and a quadratic effect on energy consumption with SM inclusions were observed. Egg weight, shell quality, mortality, egg production and body weight were not affected. Lysine supplementation influenced only body weight gain. In Experiment 2, quadratic effects on feed consumption and egg production, a linear effect on feed conversion, and a cubic effect on energy consumption were observed. Egg weight and body weight were not affected. There was no effect of lysine supplementation on hen performance. In Experiment 3, apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) of the diets from Experiment 1 was determined with birds from Experiments 1 and 2. There was no difference between strains on utilization of dietary energy. A negative quadratic regression between AMEn and % SM in the diets was found.