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Soybean meal (SBM) is an essential protein source in poultry diets. However, data on the variability of its chemical composition from Ethiopian processing plants and its optimal inclusion levels in layer diets are limited. This study aimed to assess the nutritional quality of locally sourced SBM from the Amhara Region and evaluate the effects of different levels of SBM inclusion on production performance, egg quality, and blood parameters in laying hens. The chemical composition of SBM samples from 11 regional processing plants was initially analyzed. Subsequently, a 12-week feeding trial was conducted using 120, 34-week-old Bovans Brown layers. The hens were randomly assigned to one of five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD). The treatments consisted of a commercial control diet and four experimental diets containing 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% SBM. Each treatment was replicated three times, with eight hens per replicate. Significant variation (P < 0.05) was observed in the chemical composition of SBM samples from different processors. Crude protein ranged from 38.42 to 43.52%, ether extract (1.23 - 5.27%), crude fiber (5.58 - 7.35%), and metabolizable energy (3348.3 - 3594.8 kcal/kg DM). Dietary crude protein concentration increased with higher SBM inclusion from 14.74% to 17.56%. An inclusion level of 20% SBM was identified as optimal, resulting in the highest hen-day egg production (89.72%) and net return (446.63 ETB), with no adverse effects on egg quality and hematological parameters remaining within normal ranges. This study concludes that there is significant variation in the chemical composition of locally processed SBMs, highlighting the need for pre-use nutritional evaluation. Under the experimental conditions, a 20% SBM inclusion level is regarded as acceptable and optimal for mid-laying hens.
YIMER et al. (Sun,) studied this question.