EFFECTS OF REPLACING SOYBEAN MEAL WITH GRADED LEVELS OF LINSEED (LinumusitatissimumL.) MEAL ON PRODUCTIVITY AND PRODUCT QUALITY OF LAYERS AND BROILERS

The study was based on two experiments;Experiment Iused white leghorn layers (Paper I and Paper II) whereasExperiment IIused cobb500 broilers (Paper III and Paper IV). Experiment-I was conducted to study effect of replacing soybean meal (SBM)with graded levels of linseed meal (LSM) on feed intake, egg production and quality, fertility, hatchability and chick quality(Paper I) and egg chemical compositions, fatty acids profiles and eating quality (Paper II). Experiment-II studied feed intake, growth performance and carcass parameters of broiler chickens (Paper III) and evaluated selected blood parameters, broilers meat chemical compositions, fatty acids profiles and sensory characteristics (Paper IV). Isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets were formulated based on graded levels of LSM replacing SBM at levels of 0% (T1), 6.5% (T2), 13% (T3), 19.5% (T4) and 26% (T5) in concentrate mixture.Experiments were arranged in a completely randomized design and each treatment was replicated three times. A total of 180 white leghorn chickens and 180 day-old Cobb500 were randomly distributed to the treatments and fed with the diets for 90 days (Experiment I) and 44 days (Experiment II). Feed intake and body weight change in layer (Paper I) and broiler (Paper III) were similar (P>0.05) among respective treatment groups. However, high (P0.05) average daily gain. FCR and mortality during starter, finisher and entire periodwere similar (P>0.05) among treatment groups but no mortality wasobserved in layers. Layers FCR was greater (P0.05) among treatments (Paper I). Egg yolk height was higher in T3 (15.9mm), T4 (15.9mm) and T5 (15.8mm) than T2 (15.1mm); yolk weight is greater in T1 (15.3g) than T2 (14.0g) and T5 (13.1g) and longer chicks were recorded in T1 (15.2cm), T2 (15.2cm), T4 (15.0cm)and T5 (15.3cm) than T3(14.6cm).The proximate compositions of egg yolk and albumen (Paper II) and breast and thigh meat (Paper IV); dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, ash, xv carbohydrate and gross energy were similar (P>0.05) among treatments, except highest (P