Assessment of Lablab (Lablab Purpureus) Leaf Meal as a Feed Ingredient and Yolk Colouring Agent in the Diet of Layers

A feeding experiment was conducted to determine the performance, nutrient digestibility and egg quality of layers fed 0,50, 100 or 150 g/kg leaf meal of Lablab purpureus (lablab) Chemical analysis of lablab gave (g/kg) crude protein 234.0, ether extract 19.0, crude fibre 83.4, ash 116.0 and nitrogen free extracts 467.0. Feeding lablab at 100 and 150 g/kg significantly reduced feed intake and egg production while egg weight, feed conversion efficiency and body weight changes were not affected (p>0.05) by dietary treatments. Apparent nutrient digestibility of dry matter and crude protein decreased significantly (p<0.05) with lablab while ether extract was not significantly influenced. Internal and external egg quality values were comparable amongst dietary groups except for yolk colour, which was significantly higher (p<0.05) in layers fed lablab compared to those without. Diet and boiling had no significant effect (p>0.05) on the proportion of egg components but boiling effected a percentage reduction of 62, 56 and 52 in the egg yolk colour of 50, 100 and 150 g/kg lablab fed layers respectively. The persistence of the colour change after withdrawal of lablab ranged from 5 days (50 g/kg) to 15 days (150 g/kg). Based on egg quality, lack of mortality and similar biological efficiency, it may be possible to include lablab in layer diets up to 100 and 150 g/kg in situations of acute scarcity and/or high cost of grain and concentrates.