Effects of pumpkin leaf (Telferia occidentalis) and scent leaf (Ocimum grattisimum) meal additives on external and internal egg characteristics of laying chickens

Telferia occidentalis (fluted pumpkin leaf) and Ocimum gratissimum (scent leaf) meals were added as additives in the diets of laying chickens to assess the external and internal characteristics of the eggs. A total of 420 Isa-brown point-of-lay pullets were randomly allocated in a completely randomized design to seven dietary treatments (T1 - T7). T1 served as the control diet with no inclusion of test ingredients; pumpkin leaf meal (PLM) and scent leaf meal (SLM). In other treatments or diets, PLM and SLM were included per 100kg feed as follows; T2 250g PLM, T3 250g SLM, T4 500g PLM, T5 500g SLM, T6 250gPLM+250gSLM, and T7 500g PLM+500g SLM. Data were collected on egg production in three phases (cycles) of egg laying. Phase one was marked as egg production period during which the birds were between 18 and 28 weeks old, phase two spanned from 28  to 38 weeks old, while phase three covered the laying periods from 38 to 48 weeks old. At the end of each laying cycle, four eggs were taken per replicate per treatment for assessment of internal and external characteristics. Egg weight, egg width, egg shell surface area and shell thickness were significantly (P>0.05) low in the control eggs in all laying cycles. Yolk weight was highest (P<0.05) in T5 (12.97g) in the first laying cycle. Yolk heights were only significant (P<0.05) in second and third cycles and respectively highest in T6 19.17 and T1 (19.47mm). Albumin height was significantly affectected only in the third cycle and was highest in the control eggs (11.73mm). In cycle one, Haugh unit was significantly highest in T4 (108.57) while in cycles 2 and 3 it was highest in T3 (181.99 and 181.54 respectively).  In conclusion, the eggs from laying birds fed supplemented diets had improved external and internal qualities as compared to those from control group especially at the second and third laying cycles. These results suggest that Telferia occidentalis and Ocimum gratissimum can be used as natural alternatives to the imported synthetic antibiotics in the diets of laying chickens. This might in addition to saving foreign exchange in Nigeria since antibiotics and other poultry drugs are imported, will also enhance the quality of eggs consumed.