THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT DIETARY LEVELS OF HYBRID RYE AND XYLANASE ADDITION ON THE PERFORMANCE AND EGG QUALITY IN LAYING HENS

Abstract In this study, 240 ISA Brown hens were fed diets containing different levels of hybrid rye, and the influence of xylanase addition on laying performance and egg quality was evaluated.Birds were allocated to 10 treatment groups with 12 replicates (cages) of two hens and were fed, from week 26 to 50, isocaloric and isonitrogenous experimental diets. A 5 × 2 experimental arrangement was applied, using diets with increasing level of rye (0%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25%) with or without xylanase supplementation (200 mg/kg of feed; Ronozyme WX (CT) with minimum xylanase activity of 1,000 FXU/g).Increasing dietary level of rye did not affect daily mass of eggs, mean egg weight or feed conversion ratio (P>0.05). Laying rate decreased in all groups fed with rye. Egg and eggshell quality indices were unaffected by dietary rye grain (P>0.05); however, rye inclusion significantly decreased yolk colour on the DSM scale (P<0.05). In comparison with the control group, high dietary levels of rye (25%) significantly in...