Efecto de tres niveles de harina de Medicago sativa variedad abunda verde (alfalfa), en la alimentación de aves de postura de la línea Lohmann Brown

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the inclusion of alfalfa meal (Medicago sativa) green abunda variety in the feed of Lohmann Brown laying hens, the treatments were 3 levels of alfalfa meal (0%, 3%, 6%, 9%) and a control treatment, 240 birds of 60 weeks of age were used, 5 hens were placed per cage being 4 cages for each repetition giving a total of 60 birds per treatment designated completely at random. The experimental work lasted 60 days and 10 productive parameters were measured. According to the data recorded at El Chagra farm, the following results were obtained: for the variables initial weight (1411.67g), final weight (1635g), weight gain (223.33g) and feed conversion (0.4), high values were recorded at T3 with 9% alfalfa meal added to the diet. On the contrary, when 0% alfalfa meal was used, the best results were obtained in feed intake (92.56g) and daily egg weight (65.96g). The mortality rate was 3.33% for treatments T2 and T3, while for T0 and T1 it was 0%, the cause of death being cloacal prolapse. Egg production (981.67u) improved when 3% alfalfa meal was added, giving a higher percentage of egg production per housed bird (80.8%). The treatments with the best cost benefit were T0 and T1 with 1.14 USD and a profitability of 14%. It is concluded that T1 is optimal for egg production in Lohmann Brown poultry. It is recommended to poultry producers the implementation of alfarina up to 3% in the diet of laying birds and for fattening birds higher percentages of alfarina.