The effect of feeding a sweetpotato and/or high-oleic peanut diet on layer performance and the quality and chemistry of eggs produced

Authors: HARDING, KARI - North Carolina State University; Vu, Thien; WYSOCKY, REBECCA - North Carolina State University; JOSEPH, MICHAEL - North Carolina State University; MALHEIROS, RAMON - North Carolina State University; ANDERSON, KENNETH - North Carolina State University; Toomer, Ondulla

Submitted to: International Journal of Poultry Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/27/2023
Publication Date: 4/1/2023
Citation: Harding, K.L., Vu, T.C., Wysocky, R., Joseph, M., Malheiros, R., Anderson, K.E., Toomer, O.T. 2023. The effect of feeding a sweetpotato and/or high-oleic peanut diet on layer performance and the quality and chemistry of eggs produced. International Journal of Poultry Science. 22(1):73-83. https://doi.org/10.3923/ijps.2023.73.83.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3923/ijps.2023.73.83

Interpretive Summary: Creative solutions for agricultural waste by-products are imperative for agricultural commodities grown within the US Southeast. Poultry feeding trials have demonstrated the use of sweetpotatoes as an alternative feed ingredient for egg producing hens. Hence, we aimed to examine the use of sweetpotato waste-by-products on hen production, egg quality and egg chemistry. Seven hundred and twenty egg producing hens were divided into 5 dietary treatment groups and fed one of the following diets for 6-weeks: a conventional control, a soy protein-isolate control, a sweetpotato by-product diet, a high-oleic peanut diet, or a combination of high-oleic peanut and sweetpotato by-product diet. Body and feed weights were recorded bi-weekly. Eggs were counted, graded, weighed, and assessed for quality bi-weekly. Egg chemistry was analyzed at week 6. There were no treatment differences in egg or body weights. Hens fed the soy protein isolate control diet, or the high-oleic peanut diet produced significantly more eggs, relative to the other treatments. At week 4 and 6, eggs produced from hens fed the sweetpotato by-products treatment had increased egg yolk color relative to the high-oleic peanut or the peanut and sweetpotato by-product combination treatment groups. Also, saturated fatty acid levels were lowest in eggs produced from hens fed diets containing high-oleic peanuts. In general, feeding sweetpotato by-products and/or high-oleic peanuts in the diets of layers had no adverse effects on layer performance or health. These results suggest that egg yolk color may be enhanced by feeding laying hens a sweetpotato supplemented diet relative to a high-oleic peanut-containing diet.

Technical Abstract: Background and Objective: Demand for high energy poultry feed ingredients has increased with increased competition. Hence in this study we aimed to examine the effect of high oleic peanuts (HOPN) and sweet potato by-products (SWP) on hen production and egg quality. Materials and Methods: Seven hundred twenty hens were fed one of 5 treatments for 6 weeks, a conventional control (C1), a soy protein-isolate control (C2), 4% SWP diet, an 8% HOPN diet and a 4% HOPN+4% SWP diet. Eggs, body and feed weights were collected bi-weekly. Eggs were analyzed for quality and chemistry. All data were analyzed using an ANOVA at p<0.05 significance level. Results: Hens fed the C2 and HOPN diets produced significantly more eggs (p<0.01), relative to the other treatments. There were no treatment differences in body or egg weights. Feed conversion was similar between the HOPN, SWP and SWP+HOPN diets. At week 4 and 6, SWP eggs had increased egg yolk color relative to the HOPN and SWP+HOPN treatments (p<0.01). Stearic fatty acid levels were lowest in eggs produced from hens fed the HOPN and SWP+HOPN diets (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Egg yolk color may be enhanced with feeding laying hens a SWP supplemented diet relative to a HOPN-containing diet.