Effect of treated field pea (Pisum sativum L. cv Spirale) as substitute for soybean extracted meal in a wheat middlings-based diet on egg production and quality of early laying brown hens

This study was designed to establish the effect on laying performance and egg quality resulting from substitution of soybean meal with dehulled-micronized peas (Pisum sativum L. cv Spirale) in the diet of early phase brown laying hens. Isa Brown layers, 18 wks of age were randomly allocated to two dietary treatments and fed for 10 wks. Two different wheat middlings-based diets were prepared: control diet containing soybean meal (150 g/kg) and experimental diet containing dehulled-micronized peas (300 g/kg) as the main protein source. Feed intake was recorded daily and egg production was calculated on a hen-day basis; eggs from each group were collected weekly to evaluate egg components and shell quality. The substitution of soybean meal with pea did not significandy change the growth performance as well as feed consumption and efficiency of layers (P>0.05). Egg production rate and none of egg quality traits examined were influenced by dietary treatment, except for yolk color that was lower in hens fed the pea diet (P < 0.05) and percentages of medium-size eggs and albumen that were higher for pea treatment (P < 0.05). Our results show that dehulled-micronized pea are a suitable protein source in diet for early phase brown laying hens that can be positively substitute conventional protein sources such as soybean meal.